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Age-32

23, Compton Road, Winchmore Hill

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.

The initial success at Cambrai was short-lived. German resistance stiffened as fresh troops were rushed to the battlefield to help stem the allied advance. The threat posed by the tanks diminished as many of them broke down and on 30th November came a major offensive by the enemy. The 1st Irish Guards of 1 Guards Brigade, Guards Division, began the day in the ruined village of Metz-en-Couture and that morning the brigade was ordered to move forward toward Gouzeaucourt where the enemy had broken through. By 12.30pm they were in position and the operation to regain Gouzeaucourt began. They attacked astride the Metz to Gouzeaucort road with1st Irish Guards on the left, 3rd Coldstream in the centre, 2nd Coldstream on the left and 2nd Grenadier Guards in support in Gouzeaucourt Wood. The three battalions attacked in waves of four and despite the machine-gun and shell fire directed upon them and the three belts of wire that had to be negotiated, they had retaken the village by 1.30pm. They then went on to occupy the slope beyond the village where their positions were consolidated. One of the casualties suffered by 1st Irish Guards on this day was Loftus McDonnell who was killed.