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005 - Operations Aug 8 · Canadas Hundred Days The Battle of Amiens

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  Speaker 1: Part one, Chapter five of Canada's Hundred Days with the
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  Speaker 1: Canadian Corps from Amiel to mon August eighth, November eleventh,
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  Speaker 1: nineteen eighteen. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
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  Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Swavik Cinitski. Canada's
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  Speaker 1: Hundred Days by John Livesey, Part one, Chapter five, Operations,
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  Speaker 1: August eighth. The impressions of an onlooker recorded above are
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  Speaker 1: of a rather confused scene, the rough and tumble of battle,
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  Speaker 1: where but a fraction of the canvas comes under the eye,
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  Speaker 1: and no just estimation can be formed of the picture
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  Speaker 1: as a whole. In reality, it has been all worked
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  Speaker 1: out beforehand in minutest detail, and every piece falls into
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  Speaker 1: its place almost automatically. The plan and course of the
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  Speaker 1: first day's operations can be best followed in the words
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  Speaker 1: of the corps commander. The front of attack was to
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  Speaker 1: extend from Morey to vil Suranka, on a front of
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  Speaker 1: approximately twenty thousand yards. The dispositions of the troops participating
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  Speaker 1: in the battle were as follows. A on the right
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  Speaker 1: from Morey to ten inclusive the first French Army under
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  Speaker 1: orders of Commander in Chief British Army B in the
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  Speaker 1: center from ten Exclusive to the Amio schul railway. The
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  Speaker 1: Canadian Corpse C on the left from the Amien Shual
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  Speaker 1: railway to the Somme the Australian Corpse D. The left
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  Speaker 1: flank of the Australian corpse was covered by the third
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  Speaker 1: British Corpse, attacking in the direction of morla Cour. The
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  Speaker 1: object of the attack was to push forward in the
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  Speaker 1: direction of the line Roe shown with the least possible delay,
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  Speaker 1: thrusting the enemy back in the general direction of m
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  Speaker 1: and so facilitating the operations of the French on the
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  Speaker 1: front between Moun Didir and Nuayon. The French on our
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  Speaker 1: left were not to attack until our movement had been
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  Speaker 1: well advanced. The battle front of the Canadian corpse exceeded
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  Speaker 1: eight thousand, five hundred yards in a straight line from
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  Speaker 1: a point about half a mile southwest of Hus to
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  Speaker 1: the Amo Shuln railway, crossing the Leuis River about half
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  Speaker 1: a mile north of Horse and then trending in a
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  Speaker 1: northerly direction west of Anghar through the western edge of
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  Speaker 1: Angar Wood to east of Cashi, whence it swung off
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  Speaker 1: to the northeast, joining the Australian line on the railway
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  Speaker 1: just east of Villey Botani. For the purpose of the operation,
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  Speaker 1: the following units were placed under the Canadian Corps Commander,
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  Speaker 1: third Cavalry Division, including the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, fourth Tank Brigade,
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  Speaker 1: and fifth Squadron Royal Air Force. A mobile force was organized,
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  Speaker 1: consisting of the First and second Canadian Motor machine Gun Brigades,
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  Speaker 1: the Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion, and a section of six
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  Speaker 1: inch Newton mortars mounted on motor lawries. This force was
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  Speaker 1: named the Canadian Independent Force, placed under command of Brigadier
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  Speaker 1: General R. Brutannil and given the task of cooperating with
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  Speaker 1: the cavalry in the neighborhood of the emil Roy Road,
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  Speaker 1: covering the right flank of our right division, and maintaining
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  Speaker 1: liaison with the French. I was notified, continued Sir Arthur Currie,
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  Speaker 1: that two British divisions were held in Army reserve and
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  Speaker 1: could be made available in the event of certain situations developing.
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  Speaker 1: The total artillery at my disposal amounted to seventeen brigades
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  Speaker 1: of field artillery and nine brigades of heavy artillery, plus
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  Speaker 1: four additional by ties of long range guns. The Canadian
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  Speaker 1: corpse was disposed as follows. On the right, the Third
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  Speaker 1: Canadian Division Major General L. J. Lipsett in Liason, with
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  Speaker 1: the French in the center. The First Canadian Division Major
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  Speaker 1: General A. C. MacDonell on the left, the Second Canadian
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  Speaker 1: Division Major General Sir Henry E. Burstall in Liason, with
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  Speaker 1: the Australians in reserve. Behind the third Canadian Division the
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  Speaker 1: fourth Canadian Division Major General Sir David Watson. The Australian
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  Speaker 1: Corps Lieutenant General Sir J. Monash had two divisions in line,
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  Speaker 1: the second Division on the right in Liason with our
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  Speaker 1: second Division, and the third Australian Division on the left
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  Speaker 1: resting on the south bank of the Somme, with the
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  Speaker 1: fifth and fourth Australian Divisions in support. North of the Somme,
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  Speaker 1: the third British Corps had the fifty, eighth and eighteenth
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  Speaker 1: Divisions in line and the twelfth Division in support. It
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  Speaker 1: may be explained here that in recording all dispossessions, objectives
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  Speaker 1: and the line held, it is the practice to name
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  Speaker 1: units as from the right flank on the south in
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  Speaker 1: the present case, to the left or north. The objectives
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  Speaker 1: of the Canadian Corps for the first day were one
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  Speaker 1: the green line just east of the line ammon Wood, Coursel,
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  Speaker 1: maselkv LaMotte and Centerire north of the Amiel Rouai railway.
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  Speaker 1: Two the red line just east of Messire, Mission Blanche
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  Speaker 1: Camp Vermont Farm and the high ground east of Guillacour
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  Speaker 1: on the Amieux Schul railway. Three the blue line, comprising
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  Speaker 1: the outer defenses of Amieux, which run east of the
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  Speaker 1: line on Jest Gisnell Quies Arbonniere. The latter was not
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  Speaker 1: intended as the final objective for the day, and the
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  Speaker 1: cavalry was to exploit beyond it if possible. The average
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  Speaker 1: depth of penetration necessary to capture the blue line was
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  Speaker 1: fourteen thousand yards. The ground was very difficult, most of
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  Speaker 1: our forward area consisting of bare slopes exposed to enemy
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  Speaker 1: observation from the high ground south of the Lewis River
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  Speaker 1: and east of Hours on our right. The Lewis River
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  Speaker 1: and its marshes from two to three hundred yards in
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  Speaker 1: width provided an obstacle impassable to troops. Here. The only
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  Speaker 1: practicable Access to the jumping off line was by the
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  Speaker 1: bridge and road from Domaches to Hochs, a narrow defile
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  Speaker 1: about two hundred yards long, commanded through doubt by the
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  Speaker 1: high ground immediately to the east, and especially from Dodaux
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  Speaker 1: and Morey woods. These conditions rendered the assembly of troops
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  Speaker 1: prior to the attack very difficult. Some distance west of
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  Speaker 1: our front line, woods villages and sunken roads gave a
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  Speaker 1: certain amount of cover in the preparatory stage, and in
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  Speaker 1: john tealwood space was found for tanks as well as troops.
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  Speaker 1: Opposite our front says Sir Arthur Currie, the ground consisted
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  Speaker 1: of a rolling plateau cut diagonally by the deep valley
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  Speaker 1: of the River Lews. This river flows almost due west
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  Speaker 1: through a strip of wooded marshland some three hundred yards wide,
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  Speaker 1: from which the sides of the valley rise steeply. Numerous ravines,
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  Speaker 1: generally running north and south, cut deep into the plateau,
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  Speaker 1: the ground between these ravines, forming as it were, tactical features,
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  Speaker 1: difficult of access and more or less intersupporting. Woods and
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  Speaker 1: copses are scattered over the area, and many compact and
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  Speaker 1: well built villages surrounded by gardens and orchards formed conspicuous landmarks.
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  Speaker 1: The remainder was open, unfenced farm land, partly covered with
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  Speaker 1: fields of standing grain. The hostile defenses consisted chiefly of
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  Speaker 1: unconnected elements of trenches and a vast number of machine
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  Speaker 1: gun posts scattered here and there, forming a fairy, loose
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  Speaker 1: but very deep pattern. Our intelligence had reported that the
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  Speaker 1: enemy had twenty four battalions less than three divisions in
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  Speaker 1: the forward area, and about six battalions in support, the
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  Speaker 1: latter belonging to divisions of the French Front, but known
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  Speaker 1: to be situated within the area we were to attack.
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  Speaker 1: It was believed that the enemy had four divisions in
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  Speaker 1: reserve immediately available, and that two of these were west
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  Speaker 1: of Indian Bueoure line. The Canadian Corps commander outlines the
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  Speaker 1: battle plan as follows. The general's scheme of attack was
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  Speaker 1: to overrun rapidly the enemy's forward area to a depth
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  Speaker 1: of about three thousand, six hundred yards under cover of
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  Speaker 1: a dense artillery barrash, which would begin at a zero hour,
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  Speaker 1: then without halting to seize the red line, relying on
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  Speaker 1: the help of tanks to overcome the machine gun defenses.
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  Speaker 1: At that moment. The cavalry was to pass through the
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  Speaker 1: infantry and seize the area so far as the blue line,
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  Speaker 1: supported on its right flank by the Canadian Independent Force.
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  Speaker 1: The cavalry was to be followed as quickly as possible
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  Speaker 1: by the fourth Canadian Division passing through the third Canadian
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  Speaker 1: Division on the right, and by reserve brigades of the
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  Speaker 1: First and second Canadian Divisions in the center and on
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  Speaker 1: the left. Every effort was to be made to exploit
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  Speaker 1: success wherever it occurred. Special arrangements had been made to
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  Speaker 1: support the attack beyond the green line as long as
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  Speaker 1: possible with heavy artillery, and sections of field artillery were
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  Speaker 1: detailed to advance in close support of the attacking infantry.
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  Speaker 1: The attack had been synchronized with the Australians, who were
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  Speaker 1: to jump off at the same hour as the Canadian Corps.
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  Speaker 1: The first French Army was to submit the Bois de
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  Speaker 1: Montree to a forty five minute bombardment before developing infantry action,
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  Speaker 1: but the General Officer commanding had agreed that the bombardment
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  Speaker 1: should only begin at zero hour. The Canadian Corps being
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  Speaker 1: as it were, the spear head of the attack, the
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  Speaker 1: movements of other formations were to be synchronized with hours.
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  Speaker 1: It will be seen from the above that a great
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  Speaker 1: deal depended upon the artillery, and before detailing the work
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  Speaker 1: of the infantry, it will be well to give some
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  Speaker 1: little account of this te roumph of scientific gunnery. Between
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  Speaker 1: six and seven hundred guns were massed on the Canadian
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  Speaker 1: Corpse Front, and the bar rage laid down was the
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  Speaker 1: greatest of the war to date, far exceeding that at
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  Speaker 1: vim Ridge. In the first place, the difficulties attending the
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  Speaker 1: accumulation of all kinds of ammunition for the operation in
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  Speaker 1: such a short space of time were very great. The
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  Speaker 1: nearest army damp from which our gunners could draw ammunition
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  Speaker 1: was so far away that Lawis could not make more
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  Speaker 1: than one trip a day. Advance revealing points had not
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  Speaker 1: been selected, and the dumping of ammunition at these points
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  Speaker 1: did not really begin until August three. There was a
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  Speaker 1: great shortage of Lawis, a considerable number of the heavy
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  Speaker 1: artillery brigades Imperial arriving only two or three days before
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  Speaker 1: the attack. When the lorries of these brigades became available,
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  Speaker 1: there was not sufficient patrol to keep them in operation.
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  Speaker 1: It may be said in parentheses that there was a
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  Speaker 1: shortage of patrol throughout this operation, the Canadian Independent Force
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  Speaker 1: in particular being put out of action for a considerable
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  Speaker 1: time from this cause. Add to this the fact that
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  Speaker 1: all traffic had to go over two roads, the Amieux
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  Speaker 1: Rouai Road and the Amieux Villey Buetier Road, the latter
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  Speaker 1: being also used for Australian supply, and the general congestion
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  Speaker 1: can be realized. Nevertheless, though only after incredible exertions, many
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  Speaker 1: lorries running continuously for forty eight and even sixty hours,
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  Speaker 1: a great quantity of ammunition was gathered together, six hundred
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  Speaker 1: rounds per gun being available. Great credit is due to
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  Speaker 1: the administrative branches of the Canadian Corps, of whom the
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  Speaker 1: Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General Brigg General G. J. Farmer,
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  Speaker 1: was an Imperial officer of outstanding talent and energy. The
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  Speaker 1: barers should have been wonderful if the ground had been
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  Speaker 1: known and prepared, and every feature of the artillery problem
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  Speaker 1: carefully studied out in advance. It was nothing less than
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  Speaker 1: marvelous when the facts are taken into account that many
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  Speaker 1: of the batteries were only brought up a few hours
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  Speaker 1: before the engagement opened, that it was impossible for them
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  Speaker 1: to expose their presence by any attempt at registration, and
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  Speaker 1: that the barrash had to be plotted out entirely from
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  Speaker 1: maps and by triangulation. The guns were in dormant batteries, unregistered,
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  Speaker 1: and without permanent emplacements. When zero hours struck it was
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  Speaker 1: a troom for Canadian gunnery. Five days only were available
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  Speaker 1: for preparation, and great credit is due the General Officer commanding,
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  Speaker 1: Major General E. W. B. Morrison, his staff and divisional
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  Speaker 1: brigade and battery commanders with their rank and file. The
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  Speaker 1: Canadian divisional artillery commanders were as follows, first Brigadier General H. C. Thucker,
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  Speaker 1: second Brigadier General H. A. Pannett, third Brigadier General J. S. Stewart,
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  Speaker 1: fourth Brigadier General W. B. M. King, and fifth Brigadier
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  Speaker 1: General W. O. H. Dods. Great credit is also due
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  Speaker 1: the Imperial and Canadian Heavy Artillery Brigadier General R. H. Massey,
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  Speaker 1: whose counter battery work was so magnificent that the enemy
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  Speaker 1: artillery was smothered and we overran many batteries that never
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  Speaker 1: got into action and whose crews were deep in dark outs.
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  Speaker 1: Much of the credit for this was due the Corps
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  Speaker 1: counter battery officer Lieutenant Colonel h G. L. MacNaughton and
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  Speaker 1: his staff. Sir Arthur Curie describes the first day's operations
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  Speaker 1: in the following terms. At four twenty a m August eighth,
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  Speaker 1: the initial assault was delivered on the entire army front
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  Speaker 1: of attack and the first French Army opened their bombardment.
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  Speaker 1: The attack made satisfactory progress from the outset on the
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  Speaker 1: whole front east of Hoochs, opposite the third Canadian Division.
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  Speaker 1: The high ground which dominated our front and a portion
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  Speaker 1: of the French front had been seized quickly by the
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  Speaker 1: ninth Canadian Infantry Brigade Brigadier General d m Ormond, and
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  Speaker 1: the way was opened for the Canadian Independent Force and
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  Speaker 1: the fourth Canadian Division. The very complete arrangements made by
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  Speaker 1: the Third Canadian Division to keep the bridge open and
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  Speaker 1: to repair the road completely allowed the reserves to go
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  Speaker 1: forward without delay. The heavy task of the Canadian engineers
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  Speaker 1: was remarkably well carried out. By the afternoon, the Canadian
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  Speaker 1: Corps had gained all its objectives, with the exception of
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  Speaker 1: a few hundred yards on the right in the vicinity
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  Speaker 1: of lee Kisnel, where stive resistance was offered by unexpected reserves,
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  Speaker 1: but this was made good the following morning. The day's operations,
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  Speaker 1: in which the four Canadian divisions took part, represented a
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  Speaker 1: maximum penetration of the enemy's defenses of over eight miles
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  Speaker 1: and included the capture of the following villages Angar Demieu, Bukui,
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  Speaker 1: au Qui, kurch sel innkur KLi Quer marchzeklav Vien, Cui, Leuqui, Pieure,
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  Speaker 1: and Guilcour. In addition to these, the Independent Force assisted
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  Speaker 1: the French in the capture of Massirour, which was holding
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  Speaker 1: up their advance. The surprise had been complete and overwhelming.
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  Speaker 1: The prisoners stated that they had no idea that an
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  Speaker 1: attack was impending, and captured documents did not indicate that
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  Speaker 1: any of our preparations had been detected. An officer stated
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  Speaker 1: that the Canadians were believed to be on the Kemel front.
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  Speaker 1: It will be interesting to reproduce here the following extract
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  Speaker 1: from Sir Douglas Haig's victory dispatch. At four twenty a
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  Speaker 1: m on August eighth, Our Mast artillery opened intense fire
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  Speaker 1: on the whole front of attack, completely crushing the enemy's batteries,
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  Speaker 1: some of which never succeeded in coming into action. Simultaneously,
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  Speaker 1: British infantry and tanks advanced to the assault. The enemy
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  Speaker 1: was taken completely by surprise and under cover of a
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  Speaker 1: heavy ground mist our. First objectives on the line de Muillon,
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  Speaker 1: maselklov Saxe, south of marlan Cour were gained rapidly after
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  Speaker 1: a half of two hours on this line by the
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  Speaker 1: leading troops. Infantry, cavalry and light tanks passed through and
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  Speaker 1: continued the advance, the different arms working in cooperation in
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  Speaker 1: a most admirable manner. At the close of the day's operation,
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  Speaker 1: our troops had completed an advance of between six and
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  Speaker 1: seven miles. The Amiel outer defense line, including the villages
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  Speaker 1: of k Armienneaux and Marcour, had been gained on the
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  Speaker 1: whole front of attack except at Lucky Snell itself. Cavalry
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  Speaker 1: and armored cars were in action well to the east
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  Speaker 1: of this line, and before dawn on August nine, Lucky
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  Speaker 1: Snell also had been taken. North of the Somme. The
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  Speaker 1: enemy was more alert as the result of the recent
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  Speaker 1: engagements in this sector and succeeded by heavy fighting in
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  Speaker 1: maintaining himself for the time being in the village of
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  Speaker 1: Shippi Lee, east of the line of our advance. The
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  Speaker 1: enemy at nightfall was blowing up dumps in all directions,
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  Speaker 1: while his transport and limbers were streaming eastwards towards the summe,
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  Speaker 1: offering excellent targets to our airmen, who made full use
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  Speaker 1: of their opportunities. Over thirteen thousand prisoners, between three hundred
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  Speaker 1: and four hundred guns, and vast quantities of ammunition and
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  Speaker 1: stores of all kinds remained in our possession. The brilliant
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  Speaker 1: and predominating part taken by the Canadian and Australian corps
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  Speaker 1: in this battle is worthy of the highest commendation. The
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  Speaker 1: skill and determination of these troops proved irresistible and at
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  Speaker 1: all points met with rapid and complete success. And of
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  Speaker 1: Part one, Chapter five recording by Slavk Shenzitski