Prelude to the Enemy Attack
The battalion now found itself on the Dorsale des Cinq Arbres, a rocky ridge North of Kajarli, formerly occupied by the French, whose siting of the trenches excited much criticism. ‘So badly sited originally that little could be made of them’ is one account. The line was on a forward slope, exposed to the enemy on higher ground across a valley, and rocky ground made satisfactory defences hard to construct, especially as work had to be carried on in full view of the enemy and under fire.
The wiring of the line was very imperfect, but no more wire was available, while not enough tools were to be had. Snow and frost increased the strain on officers and men, to provide hot food was almost impossible, everything had to be carried up to the line by hand over steep ground slippery with ice, and the men were very severely tried. On December 2nd 20 men went sick with frost-bite and, when it thawed, the trenches filled with slush, while foggy weather concealed the enemy’s movements and meant that extra vigilance in patrolling was necessary.
The Bulgarians, who were collecting in force opposite the Division, contented themselves at first with shelling our line, sometimes quite heavily, while their snipers tried to draw our fire and make our men disclose our positions, without much success, though our artillery replied, apparently to some good purpose, while advantage was taken of any targets the enemy might present; thus on the evening of December 4th parties were seen collecting in front of the Connaught Rangers’ right, as if to attack, but a heavy and accurate fire soon discouraged this.
The 30th Brigade’s line was none too satisfactory, its right formed a salient, being liable to be enfiladed. The key to the position was Rocky Peak, a detached hill SW. of Ormanli, held by two companies of the 31st Brigade, who continued the Division’s line to the 10th Hampshire’s right, facing almost East. This Rocky Peak was attacked in force on December 6th, when the enemy entered our trenches but was driven out by a counter-attack.
This attack was not pressed home on the 30th Brigade’s front, though the line had been subjected to heavy shelling and rifle fire, but our rifles got targets in parties which pushed forward and tried to collect in the gullies and ravines in our front. Here dead ground gave them cover, but beyond this cover they failed to advance and during the night our patrols found plenty of evidence of the effectiveness of the 30th Brigade’s reply.
The Enemy Attacks
Early on December 7th the attack was resumed and in greater force. The shelling was very heavy and before long infantry were pressing forward also. The fog helped them considerably, and they made good use of the dead ground in which they were collecting and which prevented the British guns from giving the infantry really effective support, though our men were able to use their rifles to good effect and kept the enemy at bay.
The Bulgarian guns proved very effective, gradually demolishing the ill-sited trenches of the Hampshire and of the Rangers and making their position untenable, while the loss of Rocky Peak, which this time was not retaken, allowed mountain guns and machine-guns to enfilade the position from the right. Up till then the Rangers had been inflicting very heavy casualties on the enemy, and if the Hampshire were rather less favoured by opportunities, they did not neglect what they got.
An artillery officer in describing the action wrote with enthusiasm of the battalion’s stubborn resistance. Some 7th R.D.F. had reinforced the Hampshire’s right and were soon absorbed into the firing line, but the pressure steadily increased, the Bulgarians were in great force and their heavy losses did not deter their efforts to advance.
Eventually about 2pm the Hampshire’s left company and, according to one account, the Rangers’ right company also had to be withdrawn from their virtually demolished forward trenches to get some shelter behind the crest. This move was unfortunately mistaken by the next company of the Hampshire for the beginning of an ordered retirement, to which it conformed, going right back to Crete Simonet, where the 6th R.D.F. of the Divisional reserve were manning the rear position. Here the company rallied but its retirement had left a gap in the line, which could not be re-established, and the Bulgarians pressed forward, coming to close quarters.
The Retirement
A general retirement now became necessary and, covered by Colonel Beckett and a party mainly from battalion HQ, it was effected in fairly good order, first to Crete Rivet, where the battalion took post on the right of the 7th R.D.F., and then back to Crete Simonet. Meanwhile some of the left company had not gone back any further and along with the Rangers held on for some considerable time longer, until eventually they could not maintain their now quite isolated position.
Meanwhile some of the left company had not gone back any further and along with the Rangers held on for some considerable time longer, until eventually they could not maintain their now quite isolated position. On the Crete Simonet line the Hampshire and the 6th and 7th R.D.F. made a successful stand, with the 31st and 29th Brigades on their right prolonging the line North of Tatarli towards Lake Doiran. On the left were the Rangers, with whom were some 40 Hampshires, and the 7th R.M.F. were covering the Dedeli Pass, with the French beyond them.
If the front line had been lost its capture had evidently cost the Bulgarians dear, as they showed no disposition to press our retreating troops: indeed by daybreak next morning they had not even advanced to Crete Rivet, which two companies of the 6th R.D.F. reoccupied and held for several hours, repulsing several advances, while the troops on Crete Simonet maintained their position until dark.
They might have held on longer but that the enemy broke in between two battalions of the 31st Brigade further to the right, and to its retirement the 30th had to conform, though just as it started to go its rearguard had the satisfaction of beating off a Bulgarian advance by rapid fire. The evening’s retirement, which was unmolested, took the Division no further back than the Kara Bail ridge, which the 29th Brigade and a recently arrived brigade of the Twenty-Second Division were holding, the 10th Hampshire, still under the 30th Brigade, being placed on the left, towards the Dedeli Pass.
All ranks were very tired, having had no food for two days, while most men had lost packs and great-coats, but Colonel Beckett had the battalion well in hand and an issue of rations helped to put a better complection on the situation, especially as the Bulgarians made no attempt to follow up their success or to try another attack, rather to the disappointment of the Tenth Division, the Hampshire being reported as in excellent spirits despite all their difficulties and the bad weather. It was intensely cold and the men’s cheerfulness and behaviour deserved the greatest praise.
