The Awkward Squad, 21-22 March 1918

[steve fuller]

As well as sharing this story with you all, I thought Id see if anyone can embelish at all?? Imagine the full story would make quite a read!

William Moore's 'See How they Ran' has a paragraph pages 88-89:

“(Captain) Fine’s garrison in Vendeuil Fort consisted of a platoon of the support company of the 7th Buffs, a section of Royal Engineers, 2 mortar sections, and 2 motley platoons (formed by order of Divisional HQ) which in peaceful times were employed as unskilled labourers by the RE’s. These consisted of men – let us be kind – who were not born soldiers. Some were old. Some were bad marchers. Some were not too bright or not too strong, or regularly in trouble. But whatever trouble they may have caused their own officers in the past, it was nothing compared to the chaos they caused the German columns trying to push down the roads nearby. The enemy gave it up finally and concentrated on putting the old fort out of action. Perhaps it was the thick walls, perhaps it was their thick skulls, but the Awkward Squad & their comrades did not surrender, what was left of them, until nearly 1700.”

Few questions:

Were they really the last defensive position left in the forward zone come 22 March, as Moore says? Or was in just in the 18th Divisions Forward Zone?

Am I correct in thinking Cpt Fine was 7th Buffs?

Did Fine or any others survive / recieve awards?

Any other bits on this available please?

Any ideas on exactly how many casualties they caused the Germans to make them 'concentrate' on the fort?

Thanks Pals. look forward to any replies on this one!

Steve

[Terry_Reeves]

Steve

You man is Capt Harry Fine MC of the 7th Buffs. He appears in the November 1918 Army List. Although his promotion dates appear on the LG website, it won't bring up his MC for some reason.

His medal index card shows that he landed in France on 16.6.1916 and confirms his MC. More interestingly, it is annotated "Exonerated List / 12". I can only think that it refers to officers who were captured in the German Spring Offensive in 1918, and had to face a board of enquiry when they were released. Looks like a good story in the offing!

Terry Reeves

[Michael]

I've only just picked up this thread thanks to a pm from Steve.

The reason his MC citation isn't in the Gazette is that he was awarded it in the Honours List for 1917/18.

I'm going to check out his service record (WO 339/47545) because as you correctly state Terry, we are likely find his first hand account of the capture within it. This report would have been submitted to determine his liability. This is what is meant by 'exonerated' on the MIC.

Mick

[steve fuller]

Look forward to that Mick

[Desmond7]

No info to add - merely to comment:-

HOW can this NOT be made into a film? It's got the lot.

I'd love to see this lot go through all the rigours of military discipline, postings, name-calling, snide remarks etc.

AND then see them put up a performance such as has been described.

Any directors out there?Here's your picture.

Des

[steve fuller]

No info to add - merely to comment:-

HOW can this NOT be made into a film? It's got the lot.

I'd love to see this lot go through all the rigours of military discipline, postings, name-calling, snide remarks etc.

AND then see them put up a performance such as has been described.

Any directors out there?Here's your picture.

Des

I'd watch it Des! The mind just takes off thinking about their exploits doesnt it?

[Robert Dunlop]

From the British Official History:

'About 7.15 am [March 21], before the main attack, the Germans gained possession of the canal lock half a mile north of Travecy, but there they paused and made practically no further progress for many hours, a party of the 7/Buffs near the lock in a quarry, the edge of which had been prepared for defence, holding out until 5.30 pm. A platoon of the Buffs, on the eastern edge of the hill half a mile to the west of this lock, made an even more prolonged resistance in a defended area amid the ruins of some houses and enclosures. Completely surrounded by 11 am, the platoon beat off many attacks during the 21st and until 8 pm on the 22nd, when it was at last overcome after a close bombardment by field guns. Another defended area half a mile further west held out all day, and its garrison was successfully withdrawn to the Battle Zone after dark. At Vendeuil, which was attacked down the right (west) bank of the river from the north, small parties of the enemy first broke into the defences about 9 am, and gradually gained possession of most of the village, though at least some posts held out till evening. On the hill immediately to the west of Vendeuil, however, a garrison in the old French fort held out against repeated assaults until the evening of the 22nd, when, food and ammunition being exhausted and relief having failed, the remnant of the gallant defenders at last surrendered. A fine fight was also made by men of the Buffs in at least two other areas in this neighbourhood, where they held out all day, and then, with the help of patrols sent out from the Battle Zone - although the batteries situated forward of it were in enemy hands - succeeded in withdrawing to that zone.'

They weren't the only defenders still in the Forward Zone on day two, though in 18th Division's sector the 7/Royal West Berkshires held out till 4.30 pm and the 8/Royal Berkshires till 6 pm on day one.

The German 71st Regiment was tasked with capturing the fort on day one. I think the interpretation of why the Germans concentrated on the fort may be incorrect. The tactics of the day were for the advanced units, especially the stormtroopers, to bypass such forts. This would explain the Germans filtering past the fort initially. Then the mopping-up unit would have arrived. Someone may have a regimental history that gives more details on casualties and other information.

More information and a map to come

Robert

[Robert Dunlop]

From Lyn MacDonald's book 'To the Last Man':

'The fort at Vendeuil had been built in the seventeenth century by the military architect Vauban to guard the road to St Quentin and the river crossing beyond. It was a classic lozenge-shape, and in front of it its outer ditches had been incorporated into a redoubt which formed part of the defensive scheme of the village. The fort itself was protected by a deep dry moat, high ramparts, and a stout stone gateway approached by a causeway and a drawbridge. As a defensive position in itself it was almost invincible. Situated on a slope behind the village, it was well situated to give covering fire to the two areas of defence in the village beyond, occupied by A and B Companies of the 7th Buffs, and also the areas held by C and D Companies to the south of the track that ran from Vendeuil to Remigny. With a grandstand view from the behind the ready-made parapets of its stout ramparts, it was an ideal observation post from which vital information could be passed to Colonel Ransome at Battalion Headquarters in Clarence Keep.

Captain Fine, in the fort, had only time to give the briefest of reports before the line [to HQ] was lost again, this time for good. After that the only news of the outpost line was brought unexpectedly by A Company's cook.

Like most of A Company, this man was rounded up by the Germans, but, being in charge of the Company's stores, he had the wit to bribe his captors to let him go.

A few other men of A Company had managed to slip away into Vendeuil fort, but it was hardly a refuge. The officers in Clarence Keep had a grandstand view of the Germans' attempt to storm it and had watched anxiously while the fort was viciously shelled, but all they knew for certain when the smoke cleared was that the garrison was still firing, still holding out, and still holding the enemy off. They had also seen the blink of a signal lamp from the ramparts, and the message flashed at intervals throughout the long afternoon: "Counter-attack urgently required". But there was no possibility of a counter-attack, and Captain Fine himself must have known it. After a while the signals stopped.

Although they were in one sense picked men, not even the most partial observer would have looked on the soldiers defending the fort as elite troops. The age at which a man could be conscripted for military service had recently been lowered to eighteen, and raised to forty-two. [T]wo of the platoons in Vendeuil fort were made up of men who were indifferent marchers and had been weeded out and sent to the Royal Engineers to serve as unskilled labourers. During previous weeks they had been useful... and it was something of a shock to find that they now seemed to the a bulwark in the path of the Germans. A company of REs plus a platoon of the Buffs made up the rest of Captain Fine's command. In terms of military prowess they could fairly be described as mediocre, but they could shoot, they were sticking it, and, although the Germans were all around, they were doing their best to stop them. Their best was pretty good. If the enemy attempted the slightest move, rifles blazed from every corner of the ramparts, machine-gun bullets streamed from loopholes, and the two Stokes mortar guns firing at short range deterred even the boldest from coming closer. The fort was more than a stumbling block to the Germans. It was a hornets' nest. But hornets can fly away, whereas Captain Fine was uncomfortably aware that he and his men more closely resembled rats caught in a trap.

The men cut off at Vendeuil fort had given up hope of a rescue. [Captain Fine] intended [to surrender] in military style. The men had already trickled down from the ramparts, and, when they had piled their useless rifles and formed up, they swung open the heavy gates and marched out. The captain took his place at the head of the bedraggled column, carrying a white rag nailed to a stick - but he carried it like a banner. The Germans held their fire and rounded them up in an almost comradely manner. Then they marched them up the road to St Quentin. It was a long way for hungry, exhausted men, but they marched with backs straight and heads held high in a formal gesture of defiance. They were disappointed, bone-weary and thoroughly fed-up, but they had given the enemy a run for his money.'

Robert

[Robert Dunlop]

This is from a German trench map (ignore the blue 'boxes') and shows the fort very clearly

Robert

[Robert Dunlop]

And this is from Lyn MacDonald's book

Robert

[steve fuller]

Brilliant Robert. Thanks ever so much mate! .

[Jon Miller]

I'll post this this in the hope that this is the diary from the 7th Buffs. It certainly refers to the Vendeuil sector leading up to the Kaiser's Battle. One of my local men, serving with the 7th West Surreys was one of the few to be killed during the gap in the diary coverage, dying on 1 March 1918. Because of this interest, I went to have a look at the river, canal and ground to the east of Vendeuil, and it is immediately obvious how the writer of the diary comes to his conclusion, that they won't be facing a frontal attack.

7th The Queen’s (Royal West Surreys)

1 March 1918. The battalion was disposed in VENDEUIL sector. Right flank O.26.d.00. Left flank O.7a.49. Support Coy VENDEUIL FT O.30 eeihal O.36.a. Reserve Coy N.23.f Battalion HQ N.16 d 77.

Records lost on 21 March 1918, marsh, canal, wire all suggested the much awaited attack would not happen on this section. 1-13th March 1918, casualties suffered throughout this period were practically nil.

[Michael]

Thanks for all the extra info and maps guys

Mick

[Mark]

Were they really the last defensive position left in the forward zone come 22 March, as Moore says? Or was in just in the 18th Divisions Forward Zone?

A Company of 2/2 Londons (173 Brigade, 58 Division) held out until midnight on 22 March 1918 at Travecy Keep near La Fere.

Defence of Travecy Keep