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Born-St Pancras

Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery, France

In the Spring and early summer of 1918, the Germans launched four major offensives against the Allied line in France and Belgium which came close to ending the war in their favour. This was made possible by the end of the fighting on the eastern front after the Russian revolution, which allowed the German Army to bring its troops from there to France, where it was hoped a decisive effort would win the war in their favour before the Americans arrived in force. The Germans very nearly succeeded with their attacks. Their new tactics of a intense artillery barrage followed by groups of specially trained storm troopers forging swiftly ahead, by-passing any strongpoints, caused chaos among the defenders and remarkable gains in territory were initially seen. The old system of trench warfare soon became a thing of the past.  But in each case the Germans over extended themselves and without adequate supplies keeping up with their rapid advances, they could go no further. By late summer, the Germans were exhausted, the Allies had regrouped and were then able to begin their own series of offensives which led to the collapse of the German Army and victory before the end of the year.

The first of these attacks, Operation Michael, began on 21st March, 1918, when the German Army launched a major offensive, also known as the Kaiserschlacht (Kaiser's Battle) on the British line, running south from Arras to Chauny, close to the junction with the French Army. It was made by 63 specially trained divisions, attacking along a 60 mile front held by 26 British divisions, many of them in a weakened state. Aided by early morning mist during the opening days of the battle, the Germans made spectacular gains and within two weeks the British had been pushed back to the gates of Amiens. It was touch and go for the British Army who were in danger of being separated from the French and forced back to the Channel ports, but they rallied and with the agreement that Field Marshall Foch should co-ordinate all Allied movements, this worst case scenario was averted.

At 4.40am on 21st March, all along the 50 mile front, 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 also targeted 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.  

2nd Division had been lucky enough to have been relieved from the front line near Villers-Plouich during the night of 19th/20th March and when the German onslaught was unleashed on 21st March they were out of the firing line. 99 Brigade, including 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps, were billeted in the villages of Manancourt and Equancourt where the noise of the battle could be clearly heard and where the occasional shell dropped. The following day the enemy offensive continued unabated and the battalion was ordered to move up to the Green Line south of the Fins-Equancourt road. This they did and they held this position overnight. At 11am on the 23rd March, 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps received orders to retire 1000 yards to conform with 9th Division who had been forced back. By now enemy artillery fire was getting heavier but the withdrawal was made successfully. The new position was on top of a hill and subjected to intense machine-gun fire which caused many casualties as the men desperately tried to dig in there. The Battalion HQ moved to the spoil heap near the Canal du Nord tunnel. Wave upon wave of the enemy could be seen advancing towards Etricourt but despite Lewis gun and rifle fire they were unable to stop them. Under the impression that 23rd Royal Fusiliers were retiring rather than adjusting their line, C Company on the left fell back to Valluhart Wood which turned out to be a necessary withdrawal as the enemy were now working their way around the battalion’s right flank in large numbers. Contact with Brigade HQ was lost so 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps came under the command of 142 Brigade of 47th Division and joined a new defensive line running in front of Lechelle towards Ytres. In the early evening their new position came under heavy fire to which they were unable to reply as they were running out of ammunition. Still the Germans came forward, the new line splintered and broke and with their right flank threatened there was a further withdrawal to the village of Bus which was reached shortly before 8pm. The battalion spent a very cold night here, with no food or water, little ammunition and under persistent fire. Among the many men who lost their lives from 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps  on 23rd March was Attilie Morganti.