Although Greg was not flying today, for whatever reason, we have not been idle here at Greg’s War Towers. Here is a new article on the Siege Batteries of the Royal Garrison Artillery:
Greg’s next log book entry is for 12 September 1918.
Wednesday 21 August 1918 – The Times Reports on Lys Front
In an article headed ‘The Advance of the French Tenth Army’, which primarily dealt with General Mangin’s forces between the Oise and the Aisne, British forces on the Lys sector got a mention too. The report says that British troops had entered Merville (on Monday 19 August 1918) “without opposition”.
The Times, 21 August 1918
Meanwhile the British Armies in the north have found themselves the cheerful witnesses of a considerable German withdrawal. The enemy are going back in the region of the River Lys, and it is clear that they are retiring in consequence of British pressure. On Sunday we made a successful attack, quietly defined by Sir Douglas Haig as another “local operation”, on a front of four miles between Vieux Berquin and Bailleul. The average depth of the advance was nearly a mile, and the village of Oultersteene was recaptured, as well as several fortified farms. The enemy vainly counter-attacked during the night.
By Monday it was found that, to the south-west of this action, the German Sixth Army, under General von Quast, was retreating in all the country between Locon and the forest of Nieppe. They have made no progress in this flat and muddy district for a very long time, and the successful assault on Oultersteene seems to have finally convinced them of the necessity of shortening their front.
On Monday our troops entered Merville without opposition, and by the evening they were well beyond the town. They were also able to cross the Lawe Canal farther south. Our Special Correspondent states that by yesterday afternoon we had recovered “something over twenty square miles of territory without resistance and without loss”.
Links
For the original article, click here: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/archive/article/1918-08-21/7/10.html
For a cleaned up version as re-published by The Times on 21 August 2018, click here (subscription required): https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/advance-of-the-french-tenth-army-bmd8tn9ds
More on Merville here:
This morning’s post with map showing British front here:
Advance Notice: ‘Greg’s War’ Talk at The Gaddesden Society on Thursday 26 April 2018
Andrew Sheard will be giving a talk on ‘Greg’s War: an RFC/RAF Pilot’s Life 100 Years Ago’ at The Gaddesden Society on Thursday 26 April 2018 at 8:15pm.
The Village Hall, Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire HP4 1NX
Everyone welcome. Entrance £1 on the door.
More details on the News page.