27th. May 1918

This is a transcript of four pages hand written by Col. C.A.S. Page, C.O. 2/ Middlesex that are filed in the 2/Middlesex war diary for 27th May 1918. Transcribed with help from a volunteer on the Great War Forum.

2/Middlesex on 27th May 1918 at La Ville au Bois

The Brigade was disposed in detail by French Orders
One Battalion (2/Welsh Fusiliers) in "Outpost Line"
On Battalion (2/Middlesex Rgt.) in "Premier ligne des Reduits"
Main line of resistance. Companies by French orders "70 rifles"
We were Two companies in front line, A on right, B on left.
C Coy in a refused left flank at angle of about 45° to front line, covering point of junction with the 50th Division.
D Coy in "reserve". By French orders the "reserve" company was to act as garrison of a "Redoubt" with its front face parallel with the front line, its right in touch with C Coy left.

The French trenches were the old German Front Line captured in previous years. I considered the fire trenches as untenable. They were 8 feet deep, as wide as a sunk road. The fire steps were on the side of the trench like mantelpieces on a wall with no parados. I dug the battalion in 1/2 platoon trenches half moon in plan. 3x3 with 1' 6" parapet and revetted fire steps, with trench behind deeped a foot.

27th. May

At 5 o'clock I was in trench with all companies still by phone.
At about 5:15 the Germans entered C Coy's headquarters and Captain DelCourt arrived at my headquarters having been cut off from his company. The Germans he told me were 50 yards behind him. I ordered my scout patrol, the only reserve in my hand to hold the Germans up and cover more of Battalion headquarters & D company's redoubt.

I took two men with me Private Burgess MM and Corporal Sinsier and ordered Captain DelCourt and 2 other officers each to take two men and to follow me at 30 yards interval along the communication trench to Captain Worshall. The first officer or man to reach Captain Worshall was to order him to attack up C companies' trench to re-establish the line broken there I led the way. On coming to an obstacle in the trench, I climbed out followed by Private Burgess after going 10 yards. He received 13 wounds and I received 10. We both lost consciousness. We recovered our senses he in the trench we had left and I on the edge of it. I was taken prisoner half an hour afterwards at 6:30 am and was taken to my own Battalion Aid Post now occupied by the Germans.

Captain Worshall's story

After returning from Germany I visited Captain Worshall in the London Hospital.
He told me that L Cpl. Sinsier delivered my order to him and was then killed. Lt. Colonel Anderson-Morshead 2/Devons was with him in the redoubt, and said that he would lead the attack with D Coy 2/Middlesex & 2 companies 2/Devons. Colonel Anderson-Morshead led the attack in person over the parapet. the troops came under machine gun fire, Lt. Colonel Anderson-Morshead was killed and the attacking companies fell back into the trench. Captain Worshall rallied what was left of the 3 companies. They attacked again. Captain Worshall was wounded in the eye and the attack again fell back into the trench.

Story of a Lieutenant Machine Gun Corps

On a Dutch Hospital Ship about 9th October 1918 returning from Germany, I met a Lieut. M.G.C who had been taken prisoner in the line of 2/Middlesex on 27th. May. He told me that the two front line companies successfully held the Germans by rifle and machine gun fire. That no Germans even reached the wire. They held out till nearly 10AM when they were captured by Germans coming from the rear through the woods.

The French orders were "Les Battaillons, garrisons des premiers lignes de reduits doivent se defendre sans de retirer coute que coute"

Had this order not have been given there was ample time after the West Yorks relieved and after stopping the Germans on our front to have retired fighting. My orders to Captain Worshall to counter attack were based on the order. When General Grogan showed me this order in his headquarters in the Bois des Buttes I exclaimed against it. He made me write my protest. He told me that the Corps Commander, the GOC 8th Divn. and all the CO's of the 23rd Brigade had protested and the protests had all been sent on the General Duchesne.

I visited the position held by 2/Middlesex Rgt. in 1922. Nothing had been done to the trenches. The communication trench by which I was wounded was overgrown by thorns, but the front line 1/2 platoon trenches were intact. Only the right hand trench, one of A Companies' had suffered a direct hit.

5 Days after the battle I and 8 other wounded officers of the Battalion in a German hospital. One wounded officer escaped on the night of the battle with Captain Worshall and me that accounts for 11 wounded officers. The O/C A Company was killed I forget his name, a temporary Captain Gloucester Rgt. M.C.

The French ordered us to attack in 4 companies of 70 rifles with 3 officers each. At headquarters I had a 2nd in command, Adjutant and Scout Officer and Intelligence Officer.

The Signal and Bombing Officers were at transport lines training specialists. The Adjutant I sent down to transport lines at daybreak. So that there were present in the battle 17 officers. Of them I know of one killed and 11 wounded.

This is I think testifying to the stubbornness of our defence, and the effectiveness of the short curved lines & trenches thrown out in front of the old French (German ???) front line.

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