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Born-Holloway

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 launched their own offensive at Cambrai on 30th November, 1917, 29th Division were holding the line in the southern section of the battlefield around the village of Masnières with 16th Middlesex of 86 Brigade covering the south-east outskirts and manning an outpost at Mon Plaisir Farm. When the enemy assault was launched this post was lost but the battalion, despite heavy losses, managed to hold on to their positions around the canal lock, even managing at one point to cross over to rescue what ammunition they could from the Brigade dump that had been set on fire. At 7.30 the following morning, 1st December, the enemy resumed their attack on Masnières and Rues Verte with a heavy artillery bombardment followed by infantry attacks  and despite a spirited defence it soon became obvious that without reinforcements, Masnières would have to be evacuated. 16th Middlesex were further hampered by having many inexperienced new drafts in their ranks but even so all German attacks were repelled until mid afternoon when their outposts in a house the other side of the canal were lost and two hours later the Germans were in possession of the canal bank at the bridge. As darkness fell the fighting died down and during the night, 86 Brigade withdrew from Masnières. 16th Middlesex fell back 1,000 yards to Welsh Ridge. Over the two days 16th Middlesex had suffered many casualties, all of whom are recorded as 1st December but many of which would have occurred on 30th November. One of these was Benjamin Brooks.