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Age-37

34, Queen's Park Estate

The Battle of Cambrai

This was a major British offensive on the Western Front that was launched on 20th November, 1917 and lasted through to the beginning of December. As the name suggests it was an attack towards the city of Cambrai and the important German railhead there, which it was hoped would be captured. The battle was notable for two things: the massed use of tanks for the first time and the success of the first day’s fighting when the formidable Hindenburg Line was breached and gains of five miles were made in places. In celebration the church bells throughout Britain were rung. However this success was short lived. The tanks were not reliable and the German defence stiffened as the fighting progressed and when they counter attacked in force on 30th November, the British came under so much pressure that they were forced to withdraw from many of the positions they had captured earlier on. Both sides suffered around 45,000 casualties during the course of the fighting.

When the Germans attacked on 30th November, 1917, 56th Division were holding the line facing Moeuvres with Bourlon Wood on their right. On the right of the divisional front was 169 Brigade which was held by the 16th London and 2nd London battalions. Throughout the first part of that morning there was a heavy enemy artillery barrage on their positions and at 10.45 the trench mortars took over as their infantry attacked on either side of the Boursies-Moeuvres road. There followed a period of fierce fighting during which many of the enemy assaults were repelled but their overwhelming numbers eventually told and both battalions were pushed back to their support lines, the old Hindenburg front line, where the position was stabilised. During the course of the day 16th London suffered over 100 casualties, one of whom was Willie Saines.