Ypres 1914
Geluveld
11th November 1914
The other half of the German Guards’ assault was directed between Veldhoek and Polygon Wood. This part of the line was held by Brigadier General Charles FitzClarence’s so called 1st Guards’ Brigade, which in fact was no more than the remnants of three Scots battalions : 1st Bn Scots Guards, 1st Bn Cameron Highlanders and the 1st Bn Black Watch.
The Scots Guards (two hundred men) were entrenched in and around one of the fortified positions at Northampton Farm, just north of the Geluveld Road. On their left were the Cameronians (three hundred and twenty strong) and then the Black Watch (two hundred and eighty) who were in front of Verbeek Farm and the south-western corner of Polygon Wood (now, most aptly called Black Watch Corner : their monument stands over-looking the autoroute).
Along the southern edge of Polygon Wood was stretched the 1st Bn King’s Regiment from 6th Brigade. Concealed in foxholes every few metres they were still in the process of linking themselves up via a communication trench.
Just after 0900 hours 3 Foot Guard Regiment closest to Polygon Wood and 1 Foot Guard Regiment (A German regiment consisted of three battalions) on their left began their assault on the British line intending to push between the woods surrounding Veldhoek château and Polygon Wood.
This required them to advance to the north-west whilst their compatriots on the left advanced westwards along the Menin Road. It was intended that a battalion from the reserve would fill in the created gap when the time came.
1 Guard Brigade
Advancing alongside Polygon Wood towards the Black Watch, 3 Guard Regiment immediately came under flanking fire from the Kingsmen hidden in the wood. This caused them to drift to the right in order to deal with the unexpected menace (the attack on the wood itself by the XXVII Reserve Corps never really materialised).
1 Guard Regiment was supposed to have maintained a line which kept them to the left of Nonne Bosschen (Nuns’ Wood — now written Nonnebossen) as they pushed the Scots back. They were, however, met with such devastating fire from 1st Division’s artillery that in turn also veered to the right and many ended up in the wood.
Although their line had been pushed back, the Scots Guards had held onto their strong point at Northampton Farm. At Verbeek Farm just behind the Black Watch a makeshift garrison of a hundred Highlanders in reserve and the admin staffs not only held for a time but were able to provide enfilading fire against the Germans attacking the Black Watch stronghold.
3 Guard Regiment having recoiled from the beating it had taken from the Kings, moved left and ran straight into the Black Watch. A few hundred managed to get between it and Verbeek Farm (which was eventually evacuated) where they and a similar number from 1 Guard Regiment got into Nonne Bosschen.
Having got there though they now came under direct fire from 2nd Division’s artillery which cut them to pieces. Some managed to gain shelter in the cottages around the wood but they were soon shelled out of some and put out of the others by the cooks and dutymen from the 5th Field Company Royal Engineers.
In a famous anecdote a wounded German officer captured by the gunners asked about reserves. When told that all that remained between the Germans and a breakthrough was Divisional Headquarters he replied : “God Almighty”.
By the time that General Haig received word of the partial breakthrough on the Menin Road the situation was in fact already in the process of being dealt with by local means. To be certain however he moved some of his precious reserves up towards Hooge in case the Germans managed to push through. In reality though by noon except for rounding up the remaining Guardsmen in Nonne Bosschen the assault had been reasonably well contained.
Counter-attack
At about midday orders were given to the 2nd Bn Oxford Light Infantry to clear the Nonne Bosschen from where they would join other units in an attempt to recover the lost trenches. Attacking from the north-west they were not only assisted by the British artillery but also by the Germans’ ! The Guardsmen were driven like pheasants to the edge of the wood where they immediately came under fire from soldiers of the 1st Northamptonshire Regiment in Glencorse Wood.
They were killed or captured almost to a man.
Although the British managed to regain their old support line, night, rain and hail put an end to their desire to fight for the old front line. Despite a few gaps in the line, the front had been re-established and any Germans that had made it through had been dealt with.
Of the three Scots battalions that had been holding the front that morning only about three hundred were left (General FitzClarence was also killed in the immediate aftermath — his body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate).
The Allied line had been pushed to the brink but somehow it had held.