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Fifth Edition
The Career
Adventure
Your Guide to Personal Assessment,
Career Exploration, and Decision Making
Susan M. Johnston
Marine Corps University
Boston • Columbus • Indianapolis • New York • San Francisco • Upper Saddle River
Amsterdam • Cape Town • Dubai • London • Madrid • Milan • Munich • Paris • Montréal • Toronto
Delhi • Mexico City • São Paulo • Sydney • Hong Kong • Seoul • Singapore • Taipei • Tokyo
Dedication
To my husband Jack, and my sons Charlie, Mitch, and Russ . . .
my deepest gratitude for your love and support.
Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook
appear on the appropriate page within text.
Copyright © 2014, 2006, 2002 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the United
States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright, and permission should be obtained from the
publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use
material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department,
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290.
Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks.
Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designa-
tions have been printed in initial caps or all caps.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN-10: 0-13-248119-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-13-248119-9
About the Author
With approximately thirty years of experience in career development and coun-
seling, Susan M. Johnston has had the opportunity to work closely with
hundreds of students and clients who have chosen to take on the challenge of
career planning. As an instructor in career planning and a private practice
career advisor, she has guided individuals through the process of self-
assessment, career exploration, and decision making to achieve their career
goals. Prior to her classroom and private practice experience, she held
positions at Sinclair Community College in the area of Cooperative Education
and with the Career Planning and Placement Center. In addition to her
teaching and counseling services, she is Director of Institutional Research,
Assessment and Planning at Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia, the
graduate professional military education school of the Marine Corps.
Susan graduated summa cum laude from Wright State University with a B.A. in
Communications and holds an M.S.Ed. in Counseling from the University of Dayton.
She holds a Ph.D. in Workforce Development and Education from The Ohio State
University. In past positions, she has been on assignment with the State Department
in India for the U.S. Information Agency, and prior to her experience as an educator,
she was a contract negotiator for the U.S. Air Force. She is an active member of the
American Counseling Association and the National Career Development Association.
Her research interests include psychological factors influencing career transition and
the factors influencing performance in high-stress, high-stakes settings.
Susan is a resident of Fredericksburg, Virginia, whose oldest son, Charles, is a
major in the United States Marine Corps and the father of three daughters. Susan’s
middle son, Mitch, is a CPA currently pursuing a Masters in Business at Purdue
University. Her youngest son, Russ, is an investment banker in Chicago.
iii
This page intentionally left blank
Contents
Preface xi
Introduction xv
College Career Planning Year by Year xvii
PART I Self-Assessment 1
LEARNING ABOUT YOURSELF
2 Discovering Yourself 7
Motivations, Life Stages, and Values
ABILITIES/SKILLS: WERE YOU BORN WITH THEM? CAN YOU LEARN THEM? 21
3.1 Acknowledge Your Abilities, Value Your Skills 25
TRANSFERABLE SKILLS 25
3.2 Your Transferable Skills 26
ARE YOU WORKPLACE COMPETENT? 28
3.3 On-the-Job Know-How 30
WHAT MAKES YOUR PERSONALITY UNIQUE? 32
v
vi CONTENTS
FACEBOOK IT 68
OTHER SOURCES AND SUGGESTED READING 68
WEB SITES AND INTERNET RESOURCES 69
5 Networking 71
Establishing Contacts and Support
Appendix 167
SAMPLE RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS 167
References 173
Index 179
NOTE: Every effort has been made to provide accurate and current Internet information in this book.
However, the Internet and information posted on it are constantly changing, so it is inevitable that some
of the Internet addresses listed in this textbook will change.
Preface
NEW TO THE FIFTH EDITION OF THE CAREER ADVENTURE:
YOUR GUIDE TO PERSONAL ASSESSMENT, CAREER
EXPLORATION, AND DECISION MAKING
■ Offers strong foundational information with opportunities to use tools that accom-
plish career goals, so students are encouraged to implement knowledge and methods
available to see immediate results.
■ Builds on students’ experiences as a base for development and decision making by
referring to their own context as a frame of reference for processing new career perspec-
tives. The internal dialogue sets the stage for social communication that informs and
validates the career planning experience.
■ Shows how to set up social media outlets that connect students to the larger real
world in which their actual career goals will be achieved. They are guided through
using powerful tools of communication to frame career accomplishments.
■ The Career Adventure Café is a unique social networking tool that leverages the
power of peer interaction and engagement to inform and encourage career develop-
ment and enables students to work collaboratively to move toward individual goals.
The CA Café is an option created through Facebook that invites students into a
shared adventure in which they pool their experiences and pace one another’s prog-
ress. It allows students to support each other through the difficulties and celebrate
the successes.
■ The modular format allows students to focus on the aspect of career development
xi
xii P R E FA C E
edition, the opportunity to share aspects of the assessment process offers a way of
expanding your understanding of who you are and how you function in the world.
Examining these areas begins the process of discernment that is critical to making a
meaningful career choice.
Part Two, “Career Exploration: Learning About the World of Work,” guides you
through the career market and trends and investigates government resources and other
publications. Important discussions of networking and decision making and “trying
out” careers, accompanied by practical exercises, help readers set goals and then
formulate plans and develop skills to achieve those goals. Throughout, you can
leverage the power of social networking to expand your world and reach out beyond
the limits of conventional career and job exploration through digital connections.
Part Three, “The Job Campaign: Organizing Your Search,” looks at the job search,
examining the details of resume writing, interviewing, and marketing skills. You will
have an immediate opportunity to apply new skills when working through the exer-
cises. Even students who do not plan to enter the full-time job market immediately will
benefit greatly from the information in Part Three. The power of social networking is
fully available in this section of this edition by connecting you to sources of informa-
tion and forging relationships that will jump-start your search for the right career
opportunity, the right opportunity for growth as a professional.
This fifth edition of The Career Adventure takes a fresh look at the adventure of
career planning and the influence of technology and globalization on the process
and landscape of career development. Perhaps no field has been influenced as pro-
foundly by the explosion of information and digital tools as has career planning.
Finding information is easy. Indeed, we’re buried in data. Developing the critical-
thinking skill to understand your priorities and move decisively is at the core of the
fifth edition.
All of the resources available from prior editions are amplified in this edition with
a new and powerful option—the use of social networking tools to connect and expand
your range as you move through the phases of career development. Options to create
social networking sites individually and as a class connect you to your fellow students
and to the people outside the class as allies and sources of information for development
and decision making. Whether you are a digital native or a digital immigrant adapting
to the new methods of connecting, you will find tools to help you navigate self-
assessment, career exploration, and job seeking with help from Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, and a number of information outlets. As in prior editions, search techniques
that minimize “Web wandering” are included. This precludes the temptation on the
part of career explorers and job seekers to stray from the main path and avoid
information cul-de-sacs.
The economic meltdown that reconfigured the career landscape has left an
impact on our understanding of jobs in the United States. Careers have become
increasingly volatile, and the ability to gather data and analyze information will
become more and more important in influencing career decisions. The transition
from an amped-up growth economy to a job marketplace fraught with uncertainty left
many career and job seekers feeling anxious and uncertain. The challenge to take
responsibility for managing your own career has never been greater nor has it required
more intelligent evaluation of career data and economic trends. The global economy
and the technology that fuels information transfer will continue to influence the fac-
tors that create jobs and wealth. The fifth edition of The Career Adventure
emphasizes the use of analytical skills and digital connectivity to make your own suc-
cess in a volatile marketplace. Practicing the skills associated with this model will put
P R E FA C E xiii
you miles ahead of your career competition. This edition builds on step-by-step
growth, with practical guides that allow you to progress in a calm, self-directed way
toward your goal, aware of economic swings, but far from intimidated by them. And
the connections and relationships you build now will be a resource on which you can
rely as you continue your career.
Suggestions for group discussions appear throughout the book, giving you the
opportunity to interact with peers, instructors, administrators, and the community
both face to face and in digital space. Internet resources and pertinent digital content
are offered throughout the book to expand your information base and help you take
full advantage of electronic resources, necessary skills in today’s career/job market-
place. This real-world exchange connects the classroom to the larger world, in
preparation for the actual job campaign and career demands.
The world around us plays a dramatic and constantly changing role in our career
adventures. However, it is the adventurer who guides the journey and determines the
outcome. Recognizing what information is needed, knowing how and where it can be
found, and understanding what can be done with it are the keys to achieving any and
every goal. The Career Adventure was written to help you acquire the skill and confi-
dence to see the goal and achieve it!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book could not have become a reality without the generous support and encour-
agement of the following people. I would like to thank them for their efforts.
Dr. Lamarr Reese, Terry Maiwurm, and Leonard Banks supported the development
of particular ideas for the book. Brenda Krueger and M.L. Smith shared with me ideas
about personality development, and I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to
LaDon McFadgen, Chrystan Coleman, and Tony Allen, who were invaluable in
helping me more fully understand the significance of diversity in career issues. A big
thank-you goes to Bruce Anderson for guidance on electronic transmission of resumes.
My thanks also go to Jon Sargent at the Bureau of Labor Statistics for assistance with
labor trends data.
My thanks to the following career-planning professionals for their generous guid-
ance: Dr. Ana C. Berrios-Allison, The Ohio State University; Sheryl S. Ken, Wright
State University; and Dr. Stephen Richey-Suttles, University of Dayton. I would also
like to thank Del Vaughan and Dr. Priscilla Mutter for the opportunity to work with
them in serving students. My special thanks to Dr. Jean Cook Purcell for her active
promotion and support of my goals and her continuing belief in me.
I am very grateful to the following reviewers, who read this material in various
stages of its development and offered ideas as to how it might be improved: Dr. Carolyn
W. Kern, University of North Texas; Lance Erickson, Idaho State University; Allison
Kay Bell, Ivy Tech Community College; Roselie Bambrey, Ivy Tech Community
College; Dr. Kevin J. Jones, Ivy Tech Community College; Mikel J. Johnson, Emporia
State University; Carole J. Wentzel, Orange County Community College; Jan L.
Brakefield, University of Alabama; Pat Joachim Kitzman, Central College; Eve
Madigan, Los Angeles Trade Technical College; Dave Sonenberg, Southeast
Community College; Pablo Cardona, Milwaukee Area Technical College; Katy
Kemeny, Lansing Community College; Cliff Nelson, Hinds Community College; and
Maria Mitchell, Reading Area Community College. Students will find the book more
readable and more helpful as a result of their efforts.
xiv P R E FA C E
I would also like to thank Jodi McPherson, Katie Mahan, Beth Houston, Lauren
Hill, Erin Carreiro, Sande Johnson, Susan Kauffman, Susan Hannahs, JoEllen Gohr,
and Gay Pauley for their guidance and support as editors and production coordinators
of this book and its preceding editions.
I would like to thank my parents, Claude and Marcia Kelnofer, for instilling in
me a strong work ethic and a basic respect for all types of work and my husband,
Jack Johnston, whose loving support and belief in me has sustained me for the past
30 years.
Introduction
Welcome to the exciting, chaotic process of career decision making! We are all
involved in our own real-life career adventure. We are constantly challenged to under-
stand more deeply who we are and what we are looking for in our lives and our careers.
This process of choosing a career is an adventure—a discovery of who you are.
Understanding yourself is an important aspect of growing and becoming an adult in our
culture. The real you has a voice that seeks expression in a variety of ways, one of
which is through your career.
A career is a primary path for personal growth, a way to define and expand yourself
at the same time. It is a source of economic support, emotional strength, and a means
for self-discovery. Making a career choice involves finding an arena that will meet your
needs and offer you opportunities for continuing growth.
This book offers a model for career development. It will guide you through the
process of career decision making and start you on the path toward a satisfying career.
The steps in this process are summarized below:
■ Self-Assessment: Learning about you, your motivations, values, skills, interests.
You are the starting point in your career development.
■ Career Exploration: Finding out about the world of work and how you might fit
into careers that interest you. This step involves taking a look at careers and the
job market.
■ The Job Campaign: Preparing yourself for available opportunities and the chal-
lenges of entering the world of work.
Achieving your career goals requires organization and preparation. Let’s start by
taking a closer look at the process you will use as you begin your journey.
SELF-ASSESSMENT
In the first three chapters you will begin the exciting and challenging process of self-
assessment. The self-assessment process is similar to exploring a room in which there
are a huge number of interesting objects, all related to one another, like pieces of a
puzzle. As you wander through the room, you see that each object represents some
aspect of your life. You may recognize many of the objects from past experiences. Some
of them may prompt memories of joy, sorrow, satisfaction, or any number of emotions.
Some may evoke no feelings at all, but may simply reflect something about yourself
that you have always known and accepted. Whatever your reaction, you realize that
each of these things is a part of you and has contributed to who you are now and to
what you may eventually become.
Making career decisions begins in almost the same fashion. You examine aspects of
your life, values, personality, motivations, interests, and skills in order to understand your-
self better. Once you have assessed your needs and interests, you will then identify
occupations and careers that correspond with those needs and interests. Finding out more
about potential occupations and careers is the next phase of career decision making.
xv
xvi INTRODUCTION
CAREER EXPLORATION
After discovering what careers most appeal to you, the next step is to learn as much as
you can about them. In Chapters 4, 5, and 6, you will learn how to research the career
market and explore available jobs. Most career information resources are now available
digitally. A key aspect of this edition of The Career Adventure is the opportunity to work
together with other people who are seeking information about careers through social
networking relationships. The links of social networking are embedded throughout the
book and offer ways to inform your experience as your process informs others in your
network. In addition, you will obtain much useful information by networking with
professionals who have firsthand knowledge of the field in which you have an interest.
Networking for career information gives you an inside look at a career and the
people who have chosen that discipline before you have to make a commitment to that
career. Through networking with professionals, you begin to develop your own set of
contacts, some of whom may remain a valuable resource throughout your work life.
Ways to “try out” a career before making a final decision are presented as well.
At this point in a career adventure, you will be ready to make concrete decisions
about your career and begin to commit more formally to your career goal.
and the research, and you will feel secure with the information that you gain. You are a
bright person who is learning to make the right choices. You are ready and well prepared.
■ Even if your worst fears become reality and you are not satisfied with your choice or the
field changes in ways you couldn’t predict, you can always change your mind, reset your path,
and keep going. You will be prepared to handle any obstacle that comes along. Besides,
you have plenty of time to “wiggle your way” toward your ultimate goal. Your effort
now will put you ahead of the game later.
And remember . . . this is an adventure! The freedom to examine who you are and
the world in which you live and then to move toward a personal goal is a precious
INTRODUCTION xvii
privilege—one that countless people around the world would risk everything to have.
Ever since we were children, we’ve all been asked, “What do you want to be when you
grow up?” That question presumes free choice and its accompanying responsibilities.
Cherish the freedom and excitement that this discovery process offers you. Whether
you are 18 or 50, the career choices you make are the living reflections of who you are.
Yes, the process may be chaotic and confusing at times. But it is the adventure of your
lifetime. Go after it and enjoy the freedom and fun of your career!
Academic Activities ■ Take a variety of courses, explore various Academic Advisor Ch. 4
majors
■ Visit the campus career center Career Center Ch. 4
■ Learn the basics of the Career Planning Model Career Center All Chs.
Campus ■ Research volunteer opportunities Student Activities Ch. 4
Community ■ Join a club or an organization Student Activities Ch. 4
■ Get involved in service learning Academic Advisor Ch. 4
Networking ■ Get to know professors, advisors Academic Depts. Ch. 5
Activities ■ Interact with upperclassmen, classmates Resident Hall/ Ch. 5
Clubs/Classes
■ Create Facebook page for your Career Online All Chs.
Adventure and visit the CA Café Community/
CA Café
Career Activities ■ Investigate career blogs, Twitter feeds like Career Center Ch. 5
Career Rookie
■ Attend career fairs throughout the year Career Center Ch. 4
■ Begin summer job search in early spring Career Center Chs. 7–9
Personal Activities ■ Explore values, skills, and interests Career Center Chs. 2–3
■ Schedule time on computerized guidance Career Center Chs. 2–3
systems
■ Identify preferences through personality Career Center Ch. 3
assessments
■ Recognize skills necessary to success in the Career Center Ch. 3
workplace
■ Develop behaviors expected in the Career Center Ch. 4
workplace (i.e., punctuality, reliability, and
conscientiousness)
■ Broaden your vocabulary Library All Chs.
■ Develop good personal management skills Resident Advisor
xviii INTRODUCTION
COLLEGE CAREER
SOPHOMORE YEAR RESOURCES ADVENTURE
Academic Activities ■ Continue strong academic work and Academic Advisor All Chs.
curriculum planning
■ Consider a study abroad program option Academic Advisor Ch. 4
■ Learn about the world of work Career Center Ch. 4
■ Decide on a college major Career Center Ch. 4
Campus ■ Play a larger role in campus groups Student Activities Ch. 4
Community ■ Continue volunteer activities Student Activities Ch. 4
Networking ■ Continue to build working relationships with Academic Advisor Ch. 5
Activities faculty and staff
■ Start a list of prior/current contacts who may Career Center Ch. 5
be available as possible sponsors or mentors
in the future
■ Start gathering letters of recommendation Career Center, All Ch. 5
Contacts
■ Use your Facebook page to share your Career Online Community/ All Chs.
Adventure CA Café
College ■ Begin narrowing career focus to three Career Center Ch. 6
industries, three jobs, three places
■ Meet with co-op coordinator to explore Co-op Office Ch. 4
internship/co-op opportunities
■ Write a resume Career Center Ch. 7
■ Learn about interviewing and practice good Career Center Ch. 8
interview techniques
■ Explore graduate school options Academic Advisor Ch. 4
Personal Activities ■ Continue to develop strong oral and written Faculty All Chs.
communication skills
■ Broaden cultural perspectives Student Activities Chs. 4–5
■ Develop healthy life habits Resident Advisor Ch. 10
COLLEGE CAREER
JUNIOR YEAR RESOURCES ADVENTURE
Academic Activities ■ Meet with academic advisor to plan remaining Academic Advisor Chs. 4 & 6
curriculum choices
■ Choose course electives that add value to Academic Advisor Ch. 4
your career goals
■ Study abroad Academic Advisor Ch. 4
■ If planning on graduate school, register for Graduate School Ch. 4
graduate school admission tests Academic Advisor
INTRODUCTION xix
COLLEGE CAREER
JUNIOR YEAR RESOURCES ADVENTURE
COLLEGE CAREER
SENIOR YEAR RESOURCES ADVENTURE
Academic Activities ■ If attending graduate school, apply in fall term Grad/Professional Ch. 7
Academic Advisor
■ Strengthen GPA Faculty All Chs.
Campus ■ Continue to offer leadership in clubs and Student Activities Chs. 4 & 10
Community student organizations
■ Mentor underclass leaders Student Activities Ch. 5
Networking ■ Ask faculty, professional contacts, alumni to Faculty Academic Ch. 5
Activities act as references Advisor
■ Interview former graduates who are employed Career Center Ch. 5
in a field of interest
■ Continue your Career Adventure Facebook Online Community/ All Chs.
page CA Café
■ Create a LinkedIn profile with a professional Online Ch. 5
picture
xx INTRODUCTION
COLLEGE CAREER
SENIOR YEAR RESOURCES ADVENTURE
Career Activities ■ Polish your resume, job-search letters, and Career Center Chs. 7 & 8
interview skills
■ Have your resume critiqued by a career Career Center Ch. 7
professional
■ Conduct your full-time job search in the Career Center Ch. 9
fall term
■ Attend job, career, and graduate school fairs Career Center Chs. 5 & 8
■ Send thank-you notes to anyone who has Career Center Ch. 7
assisted you
Personal Activities ■ Adopt professional behavior Career Center Chs. 9 & 10
■ Continue to expand your career wardrobe Career Center Ch. 8
■ Budget for job search, travel, relocation Career Center
■ Engage techniques for stress management, Academic Advisor Ch. 6
exercise, and healthy living
■ Celebrate your successes with those who Career Center Ch. 10
have assisted you
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the roads only reached that place at 8.30 p.m. The next two or three
days were spent in more or less strenuous marching, and on the
26th the advance guard was held up by machine guns, but these
were silenced and the march resumed. On the 28th the Buffs were
back at Obasi and, on account of the paucity of their numbers, had
to be reorganized into two companies each of two platoons. There
had been recently an epidemic of what was called Spanish influenza,
and both the Buffs and the Middlesex Regiment had suffered
considerably.
On the 30th September at high noon hostilities ceased with
Bulgaria, and four days later Sir George Milne’s order of the day
read as follows:—
“Thanks to your gallantry, determination and devotion to duty the
Bulgarian army is now defeated and the Bulgarian nation has sued for
peace. This result has been obtained only by your extraordinary
exertions after three summers spent in a malarious country and
against obstacles of great natural and artificial strength.
“What appeared almost impossible has been accomplished. I
gratefully thank you all, of every arm and of every rank, for your
steadfast loyalty, your perfect discipline and for the magnificent
manner you have answered to every call made on you. No one knows
better the odds against which you have had to contend, and I am
proud to have had the honour of commanding you.”
Thus the war history of the 2nd Battalion of the Buffs concludes.
The unit was not kept long in the neighbourhood of Salonica: after
a stay of a few days at Organdzili, doing salvage work, it moved by
stages down to Summerhill, which was reached on the 5th
November, for re-equipment prior to leaving the country. On the 11th
it marched through Salonica to the quay, where it embarked on the
s.s. Katoomba for Constantinople. At 10 o’clock on that date,
Salonica time being, of course, in advance of Greenwich, a telegram
came from the brigade that an armistice with Germany had been
declared, so the journey on the Katoomba was a joyous one. On the
14th Constantinople was reached and anchor dropped at Stamboul.
Next day the men disembarked and were conveyed by ferry boats to
Bryukdere, where they went into billets and there remained for some
little time. On the 28th November the battalion, 13 officers and 286
men strong, was inspected by Sir George Milne.
CHAPTER XIV
HOLDING ON
I. Preparations
I t has been noticed that the great German offensive had been
foreseen by our commanders long before the storm actually broke.
The transfer of German divisions from their Eastern to their
Western front began as early as November, 1917, and it was known
that the Russian guns and munitions were at our enemy’s disposal.
In fact, it became a question of the French and English holding their
own till the Americans could make their weight felt, and thus the war
was for the present to be a defensive one and all preparations were
made to this end. The defensive area or belt was divided into the
forward, the battle and the rear zones, and each of these was
carefully chosen; but there was a tremendous amount of work to be
done in the way of preparing the ground to be defended, as well as
the construction of roads, railway lines and so on. The men, too,
required much, training in defensive tactics. The whole military art is
not taught in a few months, nor is a man an educated soldier when
he can take his part in a route march or a field day. Most training had
to be imparted during intervals of fighting, and until now the chief
subject of study had been the preparation for the offensive.
Very early in 1918 the British had taken over from the French
another considerable extension of front, one, in fact, of over twenty-
eight miles, and this brought our line down to the River Oise and
gave no less than 125 miles of country to our care. At the same time
the indications of an imminent attack became more marked than
ever, particularly in front of the 3rd and 5th Armies. Now at this time
the 1st Battalion the Buffs was with the former of these and the 7th
Battalion with the latter. The enemy’s immediate objective would
seem to have been to separate the French and English armies,
which joined where the 7th Battalion was, and to capture Amiens, a
very important centre of communications.
The 3rd Army was under General the Hon. J. H. G. Byng, K.C.B.,
and held a front of twenty-seven miles with four Corps; and the 5th
Army, under General Sir H. de la P. Gough, K.C.B., occupied forty-
two miles, also with four Corps. The weakest part of our line perhaps
was that portion so recently taken over from the French, where the
defences were not quite so good as elsewhere.
Sir Douglas Haig reckoned that sixty-four German divisions took
part in the operations on the first day of the battle; “the majority of
these divisions had spent many weeks and even months in
concentrated training for offensive operations and had reached a
high pitch of technical excellence in the attack.” To meet the enemy’s
assault the 3rd Army had eight divisions in line with seven in reserve.
The 5th had eleven divisions in line with six divisions (three being
cavalry divisions) in reserve. Later on, when it was found the enemy
was using his whole strength in the battle, Haig was able to bring
eight more divisions from north to south, and by the end of March the
supreme German effort was broken. This, however, did not result
until after a terrible period of danger had been passed through.
On the 21st March the attack opened after a short but very violent
bombardment and, owing to dense fog, the Germans were able to
penetrate the British front and force the 5th Army to retreat
precipitately. On the 25th of the month the enemy reached Albert,
and this day was perhaps one of the most important in history
because Marshal Foch, by agreement between the Allies, was
appointed to the supreme command of the armies of the West; and
from that time onward final victory was secure, whatever troubles
might intervene. On the 27th March the Germans took Montdidier.
To meet the crisis all the available reserves, totalling 350,000
men, were hurried to France from England, Palestine and the East,
and this brought the 10th Battalion The Buffs on the scene. The
despatch of American troops was greatly accelerated, so that
between 200,000 and 300,000 men a month were embarked for
France. The Germans were stopped before they could reach Amiens
by the united efforts of English, French and American troops, yet
another offensive south of Ypres developed on the 9th April which
was only really stayed three weeks later. During these offensives the
German casualties were enormous, but so were ours; and our loss in
guns, aerodromes, ammunition, machine guns, trench mortars, tanks
and rolling stock was stupendous.
It will be convenient now to trace the history of the 1st, 6th, 10th
and 7th Battalions of the Buffs one by one from the 21st March till
the 8th August, the date usually ascribed to the commencement of
the Allies’ great counter-offensive, which, once started, was
maintained without intermission till the end of the war. It may be as
well to take the 7th Battalion last, for it was heavily engaged on the
6th August, and the 8th of the month found it practically in the midst
of a great battle.
The 6th Division, in the middle of March, held the ground opposite
the villages of Queant and Pronville. The country consists of
alternate long spurs and narrow valleys of down-like country,
stretching from the high land on the west of our forces down to the
valley in which Cambrai stands, and our position was at right angles
to or astride these spurs and re-entrants. There were trenches in a
state of readiness, but the entire scheme of fortification had not been
completed, chiefly owing to a month’s hard frost in January. Still, the
front and reserve trenches were in good order, and there was an
excellent Corps trench called the Vaulx-Morchies line, a little over a
mile in rear of the reserve system. There were, however, hardly any
support trenches and no dug-outs. The 16th Brigade was on the left
of the division. The distance from the front or outpost zone to the
battle line was about two thousand yards on the day of the battle, the
York and Lancaster, on the right, and the King’s Shropshire Light
Infantry, on the left, were in front line, and it happened to be the turn
of the Buffs to be in reserve, where the men were hard at work as
usual.
At 2 a.m. on the 21st the latter got the order to take up their battle
positions and to be in the Vaulx-Morchies work by 5.30 o’clock, so off
the battalion marched, leaving no one behind at Favreuil except the
company quartermaster-sergeants and spare drummers and
bandsmen, who were detailed as extra runners and stretcher-
bearers. While still on the march, at 5 a.m., the battle opened by a
tremendous bombardment directed on the front system and
Lagnicourt trench, and also on the village of Vaulx. The Buffs were,
of course, in ignorance of what was occurring on their front, but they
recognized from the continuous and tremendous roar that the
bombardment was terribly severe, and themselves suffered
casualties. Indeed, the operation of getting into place was attended
with great difficulty, as it was dark and gas masks had to be worn on
the march. By 5.45 all the forward wires were cut and there was no
more telephonic communication. Gas shells were intermingled with
the others, and as the Buffs approached the scene they found it
more and more difficult to get into position, particularly as it was still
dark. However, by 6 o’clock D Company had got to its place on the
Noreuil-Morchies road, A Company to posts 21 to 24 in the Vaulx-
Morchies lines, B Company to Macauley Avenue, while C, the
reserve company, filled gaps between post 22 (battalion
headquarters) and the Vaulx-Lagnicourt road. All kits, drums,
documents and such-like possessions had been left behind in camp,
and subsequent efforts to regain possession of these were almost
entirely unavailing.
A most anxious and depressing morning followed the battalion’s
arrival in position. Casualties were mounting up from distant shelling:
Lieut. P. W. Newington and six men were killed by a shell which
struck battalion headquarters, but no definite news was received till
10 o’clock. Then the enemy was seen slowly but steadily advancing
under a creeping barrage: now they were moving up the Lagnicourt
valley upon the village; then news came that they had broken
through the right of the 71st Brigade and were approaching “Skipton
Reserve”; again they were in the villages of Noreuil and Lagnicourt;
and soon it became plain that the forward part of the battle zone was
in the hands of the Germans. Moreover, it was equally certain that
the troops of the 6th Division that had defended it had all been killed
or captured, for none returned.
The Buffs, to avoid casualties, had moved into the Vraucourt
Switch (as it was called), about post 7, and had been joined by D
Company, who having got no call from the battalion it was out to
support, and being quite exposed, withdrew when the position
seemed hopeless. Two platoons of B Company were sent up,
however, to the aid of the K.S.L.I., and these were absorbed into the
general ruin of the forward troops. They were under the command of
Lieut. T. L. V. Moody and 2nd Lieut. Wotton, and they never rejoined.
A wounded man stated that he had seen Buffs in “Leeds Reserve,”
and that a strong point there was still holding out. Colonel Smith,
who commanded the K.S.L.I. and two platoons of the Buffs, showed
the greatest gallantry and fought his battalion to the last: not one of
his officers who were in the front line ever came back. Later on it
was ascertained that Moody had been killed trying to lead a break-
through instead of surrendering. With reference to this day’s work in
the forward positions, Sir Douglas Haig writes: “The prolonged
defence of these different localities, under conditions which left little
hope of any relief, deserve to rank among the most heroic actions in
the history of the British Army.”
At noon a message came from the brigadier that the enemy was
in force east of Lagnicourt. In fact, he was advancing up both valleys
and endeavouring to cut off those troops which were still holding the
battle zone. The message directed the reserve company (C) to move
to the Vaulx-Morchies line to garrison that part near the Bois de
Vaulx. The move was successfully accomplished, and C Company’s
place was taken by the York and Lancaster headquarters, which had
withdrawn, by machine gunners, sappers and a mixed lot of men
from various parts of the field. C Company patrolled to its right, but
failed to find any friendly troops on its flank. There now came a lull,
and it was not till later that the enemy’s advance recommenced. The
orders from the brigadier were plain and simple: the flanks were to
be watched and every foot of ground was to be disputed. From now
onward the position, as far as the Buffs were concerned, became
obscure, but the enemy, working up the valleys, was gradually
outflanking position after position, causing the defenders to form
defensive flanks whenever any line became threatened. Thus the
reserve company of the K.S.L.I., leaving Lagnicourt trench, manned
Macauley Avenue, and later in the day a message came from Lieut.
Collison-Morley, of the Buffs, that the enemy was getting round his
No. 24 post, and a defensive flank was formed there. However, the
Germans got into the main trench at No. 24 post and for about five
hundred yards to the north of it. It appeared later that the little
garrison of No. 24 was safe, having withdrawn to a position in some
shell holes across the valley, and having got touch of a battalion of
Scots Fusiliers on their left. An attempt to eject the enemy from the
Vaulx-Morchies line was made by Lieut. Spence, but he was
wounded in the foot while reconnoitring. A counter-attack was,
however, organized by 2nd Lieut. Rogers of the K.S.L.I., who, with
thirty men belonging to the Brigade Grenade School, had come up
as a reinforcement. Some progress down the trench was made, but
it was found to be occupied for a long extent and so a block was
established, for Rogers could get no further. Lieut. E. Foster Hall was
holding the post on the extreme left and rendered distinguished
service throughout.
Meanwhile there had been developments on our right. At 3.30
p.m. Captain Hamilton reported that the enemy was attacking him
there and that he was not in touch with anybody on that flank; that he
had a very mixed lot of men and no officers, and was short of
ammunition. Now, this particular advance by the enemy failed,
notwithstanding very great courage displayed by the German troops.
It could be seen from most parts of the field, and so came under fire
at all sorts of ranges. Also a counter-attack, by a strong collection of
British, got into and occupied the trench into which a few of the
enemy had penetrated. There were no further determined attacks,
and at dusk the fury of the struggle died away. The Buffs during the
day, being in reserve, had suffered far less than the rest of the
brigade and had been called upon to resist no frontal attack, though
towards noon and afterwards their flanks had always been in danger
from the steady hostile advance up both the L’Hirondelle and the
Lagnicourt valleys.
At dusk rations, water, ball ammunition and bombs were sent up.
The remnants of the York and Lancasters and the K.S.L.I., reinforced
from the transport, were reorganized into one unit and were
withdrawn and held in reserve, and at 9 p.m. the brigade front was
readjusted. The remains of the Border Regiment, which had
reinforced the 16th Brigade soon after noon, and a company of the
Leicesters held from the right boundary of the Bois de Vaulx to the
Lagnicourt-Vaulx road, and the Buffs from there to No. 24 post. The
night passed quietly and during it touch was regained with the 71st
Brigade on the right, but with no friends on the other flank because
of the gap in our line which was held by the enemy. A fresh line of
defence some one thousand yards in rear of the Vaulx-Morchies line
had been hastily constructed by the engineers and partially manned
by men from the Corps Reinforcement Camp, and the 40th Division
had been pushed forward on the left of the 16th Brigade, but there
was a large gap between it and the Buffs, so that the left flank of the
regiment was still unsupported.
The morning of the 22nd was heralded by steady and violent
hostile shelling, but no news reached the Buffs till about nine o’clock.
It was evident, however, that the enemy were upon both flanks in
force and therefore that these were in danger of being turned at any
moment.[29] Defensive flanks were therefore arranged down the
communication trench and the lower Noreuil road. At 10 a.m. the
enemy attacked on the immediate right of the Bois de Vaulx and
broke through the front of the brigade on our right, so a defensive
flank had to be made by swinging the right round to the road just
outside the village of Vaulx to the eastward. A counter-attack made
away off to the right gave some hope for a moment, but it was too far
away to relieve the pressure on what was left of the 16th Brigade,
and the enemy quickly reorganized and pushed forward resolutely
and with great vigour to improve his advantage, causing the right of
the new defensive flank to close in. At 2 p.m. a determined attack
was made on the Vaulx line where it crossed the road to Lagnicourt,
and a wedge was driven in between the Borderers and the Buffs.
This caused the former regiment to withdraw, and now the Buffs
were left with both their flanks exposed and resting on nothing. The
old simple order was then given out again: “contest every foot of
ground, conform as far as possible with the movement of other
troops and only retire fighting.” Hand-to-hand fighting resulted, in
which Captain Hamilton greatly distinguished himself as a leader.
During the afternoon the regiment formed fresh defensive flanks,
one near the place where the Lagnicourt road leaves Vaulx, and the
other facing west across the spur, because the posts hitherto held in
the valley had been driven in. These movements, as well as others,
were immensely assisted by a machine-gun battalion which showed
great pluck and ingenuity in selecting positions. The Buffs held on till
4.15, when the enemy launched a very heavy attack on Vraucourt
and the ridge immediately north-east of Vaulx from the L’Hirondelle
valley, and this was attended by low-flying aeroplanes which were
very audacious. It was in and around Vraucourt that the Buffs
concluded their two days’ combat. A very lively battle ensued here;
as the Germans advanced up the valley they were met with rapid fire
and the fighting was ultimately at point-blank range. The men were
heartened by knowing that they inflicted many casualties, but at last
the Buffs, together with the rest of the brigade, were forced to
commence a withdrawal. Other troops had all gone, and it became
obvious to those on the spot that to remain longer merely meant to
be surrounded by sheer numbers, so a general retirement to the new
army line was ordered. This was successfully carried out, and the
battalion was then reorganized and placed in support to the 41st
Division, which was now holding the line. The enemy did not attempt
any further advance at this time, though he directed a lively machine-
gun fire on men of many units who were holding various shell holes
which existed between the Vaulx-Morchies and the “Army” lines. At
nightfall the 6th Division was withdrawn from the fighting area and,
after marching to Favreuil, was embussed there for Achiet le Grand,
where it arrived about 3 a.m. on the 23rd.
To sum up the Buffs’ experience during the two momentous days,
the 21st and 22nd March, the fighting for them meant a process of
being continually outflanked, for that reason forming defensive
flanks, and of their straightening out the line again in conformity with
the movements of other troops whenever such straightening out
became a possibility. These manœuvres were twice carried out at
most critical moments, and on each occasion the enemy suffered
severely while the battalion experienced but little loss. Great credit is
due to the officers and men who rendered this possible by their
coolness and quick grasp of each situation as it arose. The net result
perhaps was that the battalion delayed the enemy on this front for
many hours and withdrew from the fight with less than two hundred
casualties, a large percentage of which were lost with Moody’s party.
It was the last unit to leave Vaulx, as it had been the last to leave the
Morchies line, and it was never disorganized nor out of hand for a
moment. “Steady, the Buffs” is an expression often heard in the army
and even outside it; it has been used in reference to this old battalion
through the ages.
For his able handling of the battalion (in the absence of Lt.-
Colonel Power, who had been called to Brigade H.Q.) on the 21st
and 22nd March, Captain H. de R. Morgan was awarded the D.S.O.
The 23rd March was a fairly peaceful day, but in the morning the
men had to get into position and the battalion to push forward patrols
towards Courcelles because the enemy was vaguely reported to be
within three miles of that place. Gun fire was heavy, but no enemy
was discovered in the immediate vicinity. An attempt was made to
recover kits, drums and band instruments from Favreuil, but the
searchers were promptly turned back by the military police. Two
sporting drummers, however, managed to slip through these
guardians of law and order and they rescued the big drum and three
side drums. On the 24th the 6th Division was transferred to the 2nd
Army and at 2.30 p.m. the Buffs entrained for Doullens and next day
for Rousbrugge in Belgium, where they arrived at six o’clock on the
26th and from whence they marched six kilometres to Crombeke,
going into scattered billets near Watow (some five miles west of
Poperinghe).
On the 28th of the month H.M. The King visited Steenvoorde,
close by, and the commanding officer, Lt.-Colonel Power, Captain
Hamilton and one N.C.O., who had done well in the recent fighting
from each company, attended his parade there.
At the very end of the month the battalion moved into the trenches
again at Zonnebeke. A second German offensive, which
commenced south of Ypres on the 9th April, was referred to at the
commencement of this chapter. The 1st Battalion of the Buffs was
engaged in no severe fighting in connection with this phase of the
war, though it naturally joined in the general gradual withdrawal
which was rendered necessary. This withdrawal, as far as it
concerned the battalion, commenced on the 15th April, when after a
few days of the usual trench warfare, losing eight casualties, one of
which was Lieut. S. W. Taylor killed, and receiving a couple of drafts
amounting to 230 men, it moved to Westhoek and the
neighbourhood, being, in fact, somewhat scattered about to man
several posts which were occupied up till the 23rd. The posts were
heavily shelled on the 17th, with the result that C.S.M. Field and
eleven men were wounded. The situation at this time was that the
second German offensive had developed south of Ypres and that
Messines Ridge and Kemmel Hill had been taken from us, these two
positions being of the greatest importance for the defence of Ypres.
Consequently the troops all round this area were in a somewhat
desperate position and, as Sir Douglas Haig expressed it, “with their
backs to the wall.” The gradual withdrawal of our forces west of
Ypres into or immediately around the ruins themselves resulted; and
so it came about that on the 23rd April the Buffs moved by
detachments into the ramparts of Ypres. On that day the place was
heavily gassed and twenty-two of our men were caught in the fumes.
On the 26th the K.S.L.I. withdrew from the front line, leaving the York
and Lancasters on outpost duty. After this withdrawal the enemy
advanced very quickly, but they stopped at the York and Lancaster
picquets. There were daily casualties now; men died by twos and
threes and some were wounded more or less severely, and there
was a continuous toll of gas casualties. A big attack was expected
on the 28th, but it did not materialize, for now French reserves were
hurrying up to the threatened portion of our line, and the second
great German effort to wrest a victory before the Americans were in
strength had proved a failure.
The month of May was a remarkable one to the 1st Battalion for
the terrible list of casualties from gas. This mode of warfare began,
as we have seen, at Ypres, and now, after three years of warfare, it
seemed almost as formidable a weapon as ever, notwithstanding the
mask, respirators and so on which had been invented to cope with it.
During this month alone the 1st Battalion counted 119 casualties
from this cause, and the unit was all the month (and up till the 12th
June) either in Ypres or its vicinity. There was, however, a bright side
to life this merry month of May. There was a gracious and fairly
liberal distribution of honours to gladden the hearts of both the
recipients and their friends. These were nearly all awarded for the
fighting at Vaulx, and it is somewhat curious to note how well the
number of awards compares with those given to our 2nd Battalion in
1915 and in connection with their terrible struggle north and east of
Ypres. This remark is not for an instant to be misconstrued into an
opinion that the 1st Battalion medals were not most magnificently
won; it is only by way of a sigh of regret for the brave 2nd Battalion’s
bad luck. Military Medals were given to Sgt. Morgan, Corpls.
Andrews and Thomas, Ptes. Croft, Highton, Johnson, Kear (attached
T.M.B.), Knight, Rainsbury and Stevenson. A bar to his M.M. to L.-
Corpl. Wilson; to C.S.M. Peters a D.C.M.; to Major Morgan the
D.S.O.; to Lieut. Spence the M.C.; and to Sgt. MacWalter, who had
the M.M. already, the D.C.M. Corpl. Brookman also got the M.M. on
the 29th. In addition to the gas casualties twelve men were killed
during May and twenty-three wounded, as this part of the line, never
a quiet one, was the scene at this period of unusual activity.
At 12.45 a.m. on the 27th May the whole of the back area of the
brigade was very heavily shelled with gas and high explosive for
three hours while the forward area was untouched. A number of
direct hits was obtained on brigade headquarters without damage,
and the Buffs (in reserve) were obliged to wear their respirators for
more than four hours. Meanwhile the enemy attacked the French on
our right and penetrated their line to a depth of about seven hundred
yards, but did not reach his objective. No attack took place on the
6th Divisional front, but the 71st Infantry Brigade was constrained to
form a strong defensive flank. During the day the French partially re-
established their position and artillery activity continued on both
sides, particularly by the enemy on our back area. During the night
the 71st Brigade relieved the French regiment on their right and, in
order to supply the number of men required by its brigadier, the Buffs
were placed under his tactical orders as his reserve battalion. After
this the enemy became for some days comparatively inactive except
for the shelling of back areas and the use of aircraft, and on the 8th
the brigade retired temporarily to Corps Reserve, moving by train to
St. Omer for a few days’ musketry near that city, and afterwards
returning to Poperinghe. On the 26th the Buffs relieved a French
battalion in the Dickebusch area, taking over a bad line almost
unprovided with wire and with no communication trench, so that
movement by daytime was impossible. Then casualties
recommenced and in four days 2nd Lieut. Thompson (attached from
the Queen’s) and three men died, 2nd Lieut. Collett and seventeen
were wounded, and this kind of thing went on steadily all July, the
battalion losing 2nd Lieut. P. V. Drake-Brockman killed, Captain W.
A. C. Hedley, who died of wounds, and eight men killed, one of
whom was buried by a shell. 2nd Lieut. Balding and fifty men were
wounded, fourteen of whom were, however, able to remain at duty.
During June the following were mentioned in despatches for good
work during the German offensive: Lt.-Colonel Power, D.S.O.; Major
Blackall; Captains E. H. Allen, Marshall, D.S.O., M.C., and Stone;
Lieuts. Corney and Froome; Sgt. French; and Ptes. Dewhurst and
Keyes.
Towards the end of July two companies of Americans, numbering
4 officers and 340 men, arrived and were distributed amongst our
people to learn the hang of things and prepare themselves for the
early advance which was now every day becoming more clearly a
certainty.
On the 2nd August C Company and No. 7 platoon of B carried out
a raid which was arranged and organized by Captain Moss, M.C.,
the battalion being then on the left sector of the brigade front. The
18th and the 100th Brigades on either flank co-operated with
demonstrations and so on, and great help was given by the 6th
Divisional Artillery. The object of the expedition was the capture of
prisoners and consequent obtaining of identification, and this object
was very successfully gained, but at a terrible loss. The story is
briefly as follows: two platoons, commanded by Lieut. Hollis, M.C.,
had for their objective the Brasserie, and another, under Lieut.
Harper, a certain cabaret; while No. 7 Platoon, under 2nd Lieut.
Lister, was directed on the Brasserie Farm. The raiders left our
trenches at 7.5 a.m., and at the same time our barrage opened; a
trench mortar of ours engaged the objectives and did great service;
the divisional artillery engaged the enemy’s positions and also put up
a smoke screen on the right of the raiders, and all neighbouring
troops rendered assistance. The affair was most successful and all
objectives were gained. The main opposition came from the hostile
machine guns. The enemy lost heavily, several prisoners were taken
and the fact was established that it was the 153rd regiment of
infantry in front of our force. After this success, however, came
trouble. It was while returning that the centre and left parties came
under the heaviest machine-gun fire and casualties became very
numerous. Besides, as there were no communication trenches and
our lines were much exposed, the raiders had to scatter into any
available cover there was behind our trench. Owing to the hostile
sniping, which became very active after the barrage had ceased, it
was impossible to remove several badly wounded men, and a
machine gun which had been captured could not be brought in. The
casualties resulting from this minor affair were, in fact, far too high.
Captain R. W. Jones, D.S.O. (R.A.M.C.), Lieut. C. F. G. Hollis and
thirteen men were killed; twenty-seven were wounded, of whom two
died, and five men were missing. The death of Captain Jones was a
very sad blow to the Buffs. With his usual utter disregard for personal
safety whenever there was fighting or his assistance needed, this
officer had gone over with the raiding party and though himself hit in
the arm continued to move about bandaging the wounded until he
was again hit, this time fatally. Except for a period following a wound
which he had received on the Somme, Captain Jones had, at his
own wish, remained always with the battalion since the early days of
the war, and no British unit loved or reverenced their Medical Officer
more than the Buffs their dear old “Doc.” In Lieut. Hollis, too, another
very good officer fell. He had distinguished himself at Cambrai and,
poor fellow, was almost back in safety when he received the bullet
that killed him.
On the 5th August the battalion was relieved at night and
withdrew to the Malin House area, and next day H.M. The King
visited the Corps, and two hundred of all ranks, from each unit of the
6th Division, under Lt.-Colonel R. E. Power, D.S.O., went to greet
him.
On the 8th August the Buffs became reserve battalion, but did not
change their position.
III. 6th Battalion
On the day that the 6th Division, with the 1st Battalion The Buffs,
were taken from the 3rd Army, namely, on the 24th March, 1918, the
12th Division, which included the 6th Buffs, was posted to it, and so
the regimental history, as far as the 3rd Army is concerned, becomes
more or less continuous. The 1st Battalion left from Favreuil in the
neighbourhood of Bapaume, and the 6th Battalion reached
Contalmaison, ten miles to the south-west of it, on the same day,
having moved rapidly by march and by bus from the neighbourhood
of Armentieres. Of course the rest of the 37th Brigade was with
them, and in the evening the Queen’s and West Kent sent
reconnoitring patrols into Pozieres, which was found to be
unoccupied; so at 11 o’clock a line was taken up in front of Ovillers.
On the 25th the Buffs were on the left of the brigade, joining up with
the 63rd Division, the 6th Battalion West Kents being on the right.
Battalion headquarters were at Crucifix Corner, Aveluy. In the early
morning of the 26th it was reported that the enemy had entered
Thiepval and it became necessary to withdraw across the River
Ancre. The Buffs were detailed as rear guard while the 47th Division
and the rest of the 12th effected the crossing, and, at 7.30 a.m., the
37th Brigade took up a fresh position opposite Hamel, the Buffs
being in support in front of Mesnil.
On the following day the most extraordinary mistake was made,
due to a false and erroneous report made to brigade headquarters
by some unit or other. The Buffs, as has been seen, were at Mesnil,
and there were some of the 188th Brigade details, including sailors,
at the village of Martinsart, a little over a mile to the southward. An
enemy’s patrol was reported on the road which connects these two,
and as this seemed to imply considerable danger, the men at
Martinsart were placed at the disposal of the brigadier of the 37th
Brigade. Then came the report that Mesnil had fallen to the
Germans, and the Anson Battalion of the Naval Division was ordered
to counter-attack the village from Martinsart, advancing astride the
road and engaging the enemy wherever met. Now, as a matter of
fact, a strong reconnoitring thrust had been made on the line at
Mesnil held by the Buffs, but the attack was completely repulsed by
Lewis gun and rifle fire, numbers of the enemy being killed and
fourteen taken prisoner. When the naval battalion therefore arrived
on the scene, eager for blood, it attacked the Buffs’ headquarters,
who defended the post with their usual resolution, so that for a while
quite a lively fight between the two raged, each under the impression
that the other force was German, until the error was discovered. The
Queen’s had also been attacked (about 1 p.m.) and a few Germans
entered our lines on the extreme left after a heavy bombardment, but
these were driven off by a counter-attack delivered by D Company.
The enemy having entered Hamel, the Queen’s had to throw back
their flank, but all the dispositions of the Buffs remained intact at
nightfall. A large hostile division had been seen during the afternoon
about Pierre Divion and our lines had been heavily shelled, this
continuing all next day. The Buffs’ casualties on the 27th were
Lieuts. E. F. Henderson and W. T. Score killed, Captain Dixson, 2nd
Lieut. Caney and about twelve other ranks wounded. And next day,
the 28th, 2nd Lieut. E. M. S. Hoare and two men were killed by a
shell at the foremost Lewis gun post.
The battalion was relieved late at night by the Oxfordshire Light
Infantry in order to enable it to move further south. Indeed, the whole
division took up position next to the 2nd Division, because a
message had warned everybody that a strong attack was pending,
but, after being in support in Martinsart Wood all the 29th, the Buffs
were relieved and marched back to billets in Warloy, where they
remained for three days of very wet weather, marching to
Henencourt on the 2nd April, the rumour of an attack being still very
persistent. In fact, the period spent at Warloy had mostly been used
for work, particularly at night.
On the 5th April Henencourt was very heavily shelled and the
divisional authorities were informed at the same time that it was
considered by the Higher Command that it was intended to attack
Amiens on that day. There was a very thick mist when the firing
commenced and this rendered observation impossible, so the Buffs
were ordered to go forward, occupy the reverse slope of the ridge in
front and send patrols on from there. The battalion started at 7.5
p.m. and moved through an intense barrage in artillery formation to
what was known as the Old Corps Line, which was west of Albert,
and did as it was bid. This day’s fighting is known as the Battle of the
Ancre. At 7.45 the situation being still obscure, the Queen’s were
sent up to support the Buffs, partly, it would seem, because
Henencourt was now no place to rest in, as the shelling was terrific
up to about a quarter-past ten, when it died down somewhat. The
hostile artillery kept both Buffs and Queen’s under very heavy fire,
but no infantry attack eventuated; an hour later, however, news came
that Dernancourt, which is a couple of miles or so away and down in
the Ancre valley, was being very hardly pressed. At 2.30 the Buffs
moved forward over the ridge and occupied some old trenches there.
Here a bitterly cold night was spent; rations were brought up by
Lewis gunners and signallers who had been left behind because
they had been out at training when the sudden order to move came.
The morning march cost the regiment 2nd Lieut. L. J. G. Davis killed,
Lieuts. G. C. Allen and C. S. Newcomb severely wounded (died of
wounds), 2nd Lieut. Dorman slightly wounded, twelve men killed and
thirty-three wounded. The enemy had put down a barrage on the old
Corps trenches directly they were occupied, and fifteen more
casualties occurred there. Another fourteen were killed or wounded
on the morning of the 6th, and in the afternoon the battalion relieved
the Queen’s, which regiment had been sent off to support the 36th
Brigade south of Bouzincourt. 2nd Lieuts. Cooper and Dalton were
wounded during the relief.
All this time and for several days the weather had been very wet,
and about now that old and persistent enemy called trench feet
began to raise his head again and there were several cases of this
disease in the battalion about this time. After a day in the front line in
relief of the West Kent, the battalion marched on the 11th to
Herissart, which is some miles to the westward, and there went into
billets. The latter half of April was spent in the regions lying west of
Albert. Nothing of any great regimental importance is to be noted.
There were some changes of scene in so far that Harponville,
Mirveux and Acheux were all visited before the next tour of duty in
the line, which commenced on May Day, when the brigade relieved
elements of the 35th and 36th Brigades in the centre of the divisional
front.