Meanwhile in France…
Merville Falls
The outlook is grim. Operation Georgette progresses apace, as the header image shows, and the front line reached the middle of Merville by nightfall as German forces advance west.
“With our backs to the wall…”
In fact, the outlook is so grim, that on this day General Haig issued his famous ‘backs to the wall’ order:
SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY
By FIELD-MARSHAL SIR DOUGLAS HAIG
K.T., G.C.B., G.C.V.O., K.C.I.E.
Commander-in-Chief, British Armies in FranceTo ALL RANKS OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS.
Three weeks ago to-day the enemy began his terrific attacks against us on a fifty-mile front. His objects are to separate us from the French, to take the Channel Ports and destroy the British Army.
In spite of throwing already 106 Divisions into the battle and enduring the most reckless sacrifice of human life, he has as yet made little progress towards his goals.
We owe this to the determined fighting and self-sacrifice of our troops. Words fail me to express the admiration which I feel for the splendid resistance offered by all ranks of our Army under the most trying circumstances.
Many amongst us now are tired. To those I would say that Victory will belong to the side which holds out the longest. The French Army is moving rapidly and in great force to our support.
There is no other course open to us but to fight it out. Every position must be held to the last man : there must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause each one of us must fight on to the end. The safety of our homes and the Freedom of mankind alike depend upon the conduct of each one of us at this critical moment.
(Signed) D. Haig. F.M.
Commander-in-Chief,
British Armies in FranceGeneral Headquarters
Thursday, April 11th, 1918
More background and detail in The Spring Offensives by Michael Seymour.
42 Squadron Drives Down Two Scouts
An RE8 of 42 Squadron RAF, Greg’s future squadron, saw aerial combat around Béthune:
Time: 2.42 p.m. Locality: BETHUNE
Pilot: 2/Lieut B. Martin; Observer: 2/Lieut J. R. Bono
Five hostile scouts. All were of same type, single seaters, believed to be Albatross Scouts, biplanes and no extensions, with Spad tails, marked black and white
Upon getting above clouds, Observer drew Pilot’s attention to 5 planes coming from North East. Upon reaching 3000 feet the E.A. formation was seen to swerve round and try to drive us over the line. Pilot turned slightly to West and by this time two of the leading E.A. dived on us, one diving directly on our nose which was engaged by the Pilot’s gun, nose to nose, and the other on the right wing was engaged by the Observer’s gun. The machine engaged by Pilot gave way and went under the machine and was not seen again and is believed to have been hit. Meanwhile the E.A. attacking on the right and engaged by Observer was seen to glide down and disappear in cloud, the Observer having fired one magazine into it. One of the other hostile planes was seen to fly towards and parallel to ours and Observer emptied another drum into it. Pilot was then entering clouds and E.A. went away. Ten minutes later 4 machines were seen approaching from enemy line from further North than place where last 5 E.A. were seen. They approached and Pilot disappeared under the clouds.
Header Image: Adapted from Map 7 of Haig’s Despatches ‘The German Offensive on the Lys, April 1918’. Credit: Imperial War Museum and Great War Digital