War Diary Extract/Website Article

During the night of July 30th/31st the British guns redoubled their fire, and as the first light of dawn broke the sky [3.50am on 31 Jul 1917] the gun-fire rose to intensity and along the whole front of the Salient the British infantry went "over the top." The great attack had begun. 

Following close behind the creeping barrage,"C" and "D" Companies of the 1st Worcestershire swept forward over the enemy's front and support lines. Little opposition was met. The organisation of the attack had been careful, and "mopping up" parties dealt with the enemy dugouts in quick succession. The existence of a tunnel under the road, behind the enemy's lines, had long been known, and it had been anticipated that it would give much trouble; but in the event it was captured easily enough, and forty cowering prisoners were extracted.

The ground over which the platoons advanced was a wilderness of shell-holes, and intermittent rain during the previous days had begun to soak the soil. At the German support trench ("Ignorance Support") the two leading companies called a- halt and started to dig in, while "A" and "B" Companies, hitherto in second line, passed through, advanced through the tree stumps of Chateau Wood and captured James Trench. Then came the first definite opposition, a hail of machine-gun fire, and a heavy barrage of shells from the enemy guns. Fortunately the German shells fell upon Chateau Wood, behind the advancing companies; but the machine-guns were a serious problem. The objective of the two companies was a small spur which projects southward from the Bellewaerde Ridge. On the spur were several concrete block-houses. Several had been smashed by our shells, but one was still intact. From that cover the enemy used a machine-gun with great effect, and the advance was checked.

Lieutenant E. C. Barton led forward a small party, Sergeant W. Moore and nine men.Working their way from shell-hole to shell-hole they advanced some five hundred yards under heavy fire, closed in on the block-house and rushed it, killing or capturing all its garrison. Lieut. Barton was awarded the M.C. Sergt Moore was awarded the D.C.M.

Further along the line the advance was held up by a light machine-gun firing from a shell-hole. Two Lewis-gunners, Lance-Corporal C. Richards and Private S. Fudger, brought their weapon into action. The German machine-gun ceased fire, but reopened as soon as the advance was resumed. The two Lewis-gunners promptly attacked. The Lance-Corporal shot down the German gun-team with his revolver and captured the machine-gun. L/Cpl. Richards and Pte. Fudger were awarded the D.C.M.

Those brave deeds enabled the advance to continue. The attacking platoons breasted the slope, crossed the sky line, and dug in on their objective, the forward crest of the spur, facing the Westhoek Ridge.

On the left the 2nd Northamptonshire had stormed the ruins of Hooge and Bellewaerde Farm and had gained the highest ground of the Bellewaerde Ridge. The first phase of the attack had been triumphantly accomplished.

Then, according to the plan, the two supporting battalions of the 24th Brigade were to come through and take the next objective. Tanks were to assist in that second phase, and soon the tanks were seen approaching, lumbering forward over the captured trenches; but the boggy ground rendered their movements slow and clumsy, most of them were "ditched" or broke down, and the only one which came past the Battalion was hit and destroyed by shell-fire.

The enemy's gun-fire increased. Under a rain of bursting shells the 2nd East Lancashire advanced through the lines of the 1st Worcestershire and pressed on to attack Westhoek. The fire was too fierce to permit of final success, and presently the East Lancashire, after losing heavily, were forced to halt and dig in short of their objective.

The reserve of the 8th Division, the 25th Brigade, came up in their turn. The 2nd Lincolns passed forward through the lines of the Worcestershire, but the enemy's resistance had stiffened, and the Lincolns suffered severely during their advance from machine-guns in Glencorse Wood. Eventually the Lincolns and East Lancashire consolidated a line which ran in a shallow semi-circle facing Westhoek.

On the right flank the position was exceedingly dangerous. The 30th Division had not succeeded in advancing beyond "Stirling Castle" and from the high ground about "Glencorse Wood," several machine-guns were firing. Those machine-guns could take the 8th Division front in enfilade, and counter-attacks were also threatened. To protect the right flank Colonel Davidge led forward two companies of the 1st Worcestershire. He formed them as a defensive flank facing Inverness Copse, with the object of linking the line of the 8th Division with that of the 30th Division at Stirling Castle. For his brilliant leadership on that occasion Colonel Davidge was awarded the D.S.O. His Adjutant, 2/Lt. W. C. Stevens, was awarded the M.C.

Intense gun-fire continued throughout the day. The morning had been dull and cloudy. Towards the evening heavy rain came on and continued into the night, obscuring the view and soaking both the troops and the ground beneath them. Casualties were counted—well over 200, including 9 officers. Killed 4 officers (Capt. F. J. O'Brien, 2/Lt. E. S. Collins, 2/Lt. H. C. Stephens, 2/Lt. R. A. Budden) and 22 other ranks. Wounded 5 officers (Lt. E. C. Barton, 2/Lts. R. A. Hart, G. N. Perham, G. B. Harrison and T. Comoys) and 157 other ranks. Missing 49. The Battalion had captured 70 prisoners as well as a machine-gun.

That night and the following day [1 Aug 1917] were miserable. Under pouring rain the officers and men of the 1st Worcestershire held firm on the ground they had won, digging in as best they could, while the enemy's fire swept the ridge. Late in the day word came of relief, and presently the relieving Battalion came splashing their way up through the mud; and proved to be none other than the 3rd Battalion of the Regiment. The relief took some time, but eventually the 1st Battalion got clear and marched back down the Menin Road, while the 3rd Battalion Worcestershire settled down to take their places.

After their relief on the Bellewaerde Ridge the 1st Worcestershire had marched through Ypres to Devonshire Camp (near Halifax Camp) and thence, after an issue of dry clothes and a night's rest, had moved to Steehvoorde on August 3rd. Now they were due for the line again, and on August 14th, after a cheery farewell from the 3rd Battalion, the 1st Battalion marched off, forward, to Halifax Gamp. Two companies were sent on ahead in lorries to lay duck-board tracks in the battle-area (Those two companies came under shell-fire next day and lost 1 killed and 3 wounded.). The remainder of the Battalion spent a night at Halifax Camp and then marched on into Ypres, in preparation for the next battle.