In the middle of the morning
we arrived at our position, where we stayed during the whole of the day
in a bitterly cold rain with no possibility of shelter. When it was
ascertained that the enemy had been dislodged we made a few fires and
tried to restore life to our numbed bodies. The divisional commander,
having seen our condition, and realising that very few in the brigade
would be fit for fighting after two such days, ordered up the 125th
brigade, who had had an opportunity of getting dry and warm. We marched
joyfully back in the middle of the night to Le Carnoy and there spent
two days in billets.
The advance of the 42nd was now rapid. Hautmont, a fairly large
manufacturing town, was captured after street fighting, and by the
evening of November 9th an outpost line had been established south-east
of Maubeuge. The 7th meanwhile had marched up through the forest and
were billeted in the small village of Vieux Mesnil. Here we received
official orders to stand fast on the morning of November 11th. At 11
a.m. the battalion paraded outside the church and there the bugles
sounded "Cease fire" for the first and last time during the War. The men
took the news very quietly. We were too close to actual events to give
ourselves over to the mad demonstrations of joy such as took place in
spots more remote. At the same time everyone experienced a curious
feeling of calm satisfaction that an unpleasant task had been
accomplished. The 42nd division had taken part in two great drives, the
clearing of the Turk from British territory in 1916 and the clearing of
the Hun from allied territory in 1918.
Pages:
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203