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Born-Hastings

With an end to the fighting on the Eastern Front after the Russian Revolution, Germany was able to bring its troops from there to France and launch a series of offensives in the Spring of 1918, designed to bring the war to a swift conclusion. Four times between March and July they attacked in strength and on each occasion they broke through the British and French lines and made spectacular gains but in each case they over extended themselves and without adequate supplies keeping up with their rapid advances, they could go no further.

The first of these attacks, Operation Michael, was made on 21st March by 63 specially trained divisions, attacking along a 60 mile front held by 26 British divisions, many of them in a weakened state At 4.40am the German artillery opened up with the most ferocious and concentrated bombardment of the war, the likes of which the British had never experienced before. The Forward Zone, consisting mainly of individual posts was blown away. Very few of the men there made it back. Many were killed and many more were taken prisoner. The Battle Zone was also battered as were the British guns, firing from positions just to the rear. Brigade and Divisional HQs were targeted as well and then, from out of the thick mist came the German storm troopers. Moving fast, they skirted round the few remaining strongholds and penetrated deep into the British lines, including those of the Battle Zone, causing the utmost confusion. There were many cases of heroic stands being made but the relentless pressure forced the British back everywhere and there then began a general retreat that went on for two weeks and which ceded to the Germans a huge amount of territory, including all of that that had been won at such great cost during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

On 21st March, 18th Division were in the southern part of the line held by Fifth Army with the village of Vendeuil in front of them and the Crozat Canal behind. The Forward Zone of 55 Brigade, which ran from Travecy to a point one mile north of Vendeuil a distance of some 4,000 yard, was held by the 7th East Kent (Buffs) battalion with their HQ at a quarry ‘Clarence Keep’, protected by only a shallow trench. Despite the ferocity of the onslaught which largely obliterated the two companies in the most forward positions, 7th Buffs held out at a number of places, including ‘Clarence Keep’, for much of the day and in some cases through into 22nd March, before retiring to the Battle Zone during the night of 21st/22nd March.  7th Buffs now only three companies strong, concentrated around La Faisanderie.  It was later realised that they had been the only unit of III Corps still holding on in the afternoon of 21st March and that by so doing other units were able to reorganise. During the afternoon of 22nd March, 7th Buffs, who had been ‘digging in’ in their new positions, were called upon to support the 7th Royal West Surrey (Queens) who had taken over the front of 55 Brigade but despite all their efforts the enemy now had a firm footing at many places on the west bank of the canal. During 23rd March 7th Buffs were involved in some confused fighting in a wood in which they had dug new positions, and realising that they were in danger of being surrounded, fell back to a line in old trenches in an orchard 200 yards in the rear. That night, with the whole of the Canal line in enemy hands, they withdrew further, first to Rouez Wood and then later to Villiguier Aumont and on to Bethancourt. The withdrawal of Fifth Army continued throughout the remaining days of March and by the end of the month, 18th Division were holding defensive positions south-east of Villers Bretonneux, covering Amiens. 7th Buffs casualties from 21st-26th March amounted to over 500, one of whom was Ronald Lane who was killed in action on 23rd March.