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Age-20

2, Lillian Road, Barnes

With an end to the fighting on the Eastern Front after the Russian Revolution, Germany was able to bring its troops from there to France and launch a series of offensives in the Spring of 1918, designed to bring the war to a swift conclusion. Four times between March and July they attacked in strength and on each occasion they broke through the British and French lines and made spectacular gains but in each case they over extended themselves and without adequate supplies keeping up with their rapid advances, they could go no further.The first of these attacks, Operation Michael, was made on 21st March by 63 specially trained divisions, attacking along a 60 mile front held by 26 British divisions, many of them in a weakened state

At 4.40am the German artillery opened up with the most ferocious and concentrated bombardment of the war, the likes of which the British had never experienced before. The Forward Zone, consisting mainly of individual posts was blown away. Very few of the men there made it back. Many were killed and many more were taken prisoner. The Battle Zone was also battered as were the British guns, firing from positions just to the rear. Brigade and Divisional HQs were targeted as well and then, from out of the thick mist came the German storm troopers. Moving fast, they skirted round the few remaining strongholds and penetrated deep into the British lines, including those of the Battle Zone, causing the utmost confusion. There were many cases of heroic stands being made but the relentless pressure forced the British back everywhere and there then began a general retreat that went on for two weeks and which ceded to the Germans a huge amount of territory, including all of that that had been won at such great cost during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

On 21st March, 1918, 66th Division was in the front line to the south of Epehy when the German attack was launched and the first to feel its effects were those battalions in the Forward Zone. 2/6th Manchester of 199 Brigade were soon under attack at Villeret as were 2/4th East Lancashire of 198 Brigade at Hargicourt and 2/8th Lancashire Fusiliers of 197 Brigade to the north of Hargicourt. They were soon overwhelmed and as the morning progressed what was left of these battalions retreated back into the Battle Zone where there was heavy fighting from Grand Priel Woods to Templeux le Guérard in the Cologne valley. By 11am the attack had penetrated the woods and the enemy also reached Brosse Wood where they were temporarily halted by a company of 2/7th Manchester of 199 Brigade.  2/6th Manchester held up the German advance up for a while around Fervaque Farm, north of the Grand Priel Woods, but by 1.30pm their resistance was broken by the use of liquid fire. Further north the  attack behind Hargicourt was kept in check until after midday by a company of 9th Manchester of 198 Brigade in a sunken road  and by two companies of 2/5th Manchester of 199 Brigade in Higson’s Quarries. At 5pm the order to retire failed to reach these troops in the Quarries and most were forced to surrender. North of Hargicourt the attack was more successful and soon reached Templeux Quarries held by half  of 2/7th Lancashire Fusiliers of 197 Brigade and half of 1/5th Border, the divisional pioneers. At noon the northern part of Templeux le Guérard had been captured but a company of 2/6th Lancashire Fusiliers of 197 Brigade prevented any further advance and a counter attack by two other companies from the battalion then cleared the village.  However at 2pm enemy reinforcements arrived and pushed 2/6th Lancashire Fusiliers out of the village. During the afternoon the 2/7^th Manchester, 2/6^th Manchester and 9th Manchester battalions together with 2/5^th East Lancashire and 2/7th East Lancashire and 2/7th Lancashire Fusiliers were holding a Corps line from Le Verguier to the Colgne valley and despite fierce fighting lost little ground as they rallied around 2/6th Manchester who clung on to Carpeza Copse in the centre of the zone. But by 6pm 2/7th Manchester were surrounded in Brosse Wood and the few survivors were captured. At nightfall what was left of 66th Division was clinging on in the rear of the Battle Zone. Among the many casualties was Charles Warner of the 2/6th Manchester battalion.