Only Turf to Protect Them

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I`m trying to research an action that Martin Middlebrook documents on page 252 of his book The Kaisers Battle when the 2/4th were sent up to re-enforce Ecoust but they were sadly too late (it had been captured) and the Battlion was forced to stand and hold the German advance on their own.

As such there is no regimental history for the 2/4th and I am trying to fathom where he found this information.

I have not checked the war diary (it doubtful there is anything useful there), am I correct in assuming this is an old veterans tale with some artistic license thrown in and there is no factual information to back it up? Did this action really happen as Middlebrook documents?

Many thanks in advance,

Steve.

[asdarley]

page 413 of his book lists Pte A Allen 2nd Lt CGreaves L/Cpl BWhyers (died 1977) and L/Cpl J Wortley All of the 2/4th Liecesters

So I presume he used the testimony of these veterans

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Many thanks for the reply edorc.

Do you believe this action really happened as documented?

It seams a little far fetched especially to only come out with so few casualties at the end.

Do you think there are an official sources that could be used to verify the story?

Many thanks,

Steve.

[truthergw]

I don't have any knowlege of this incident but there are quite a few references to the unprepared condition of the deep defences in 1918. Specifically, the 3rd zone or stop line being marked out but no digging having been done.

[asdarley]

I don't have any knowlege of this incident but there are quite a few references to the unprepared condition of the deep defences in 1918. Specifically, the 3rd zone or stop line being marked out but no digging having been done.

They had reached the Brown Line which was really no more than a line drawn on a map, very little work having been done on it.

However, I was down the allotment yesterday digging my runner bean trench ( stay with with me here!) I only went down two spade depths but the resulting spoil bank was quite impressive. Enough to give cover. Plus I am sure each soldier would have added to his own personal bit of bank. From the accounts given they were probably more like sangars. Then as long as the Germans didn't bring up any mortars or artillery I reckon they would be difficult to dislodge. It was also towards the end off the day and the advancing Germans were probably getting tired so coming up against this makeshift defence was probably all that was needed to make them sit back and wait for morning by which time the Leicesters would be withdrawing along with everybody else.