Operation Michael
VII Corps
21st Division
There was little difference on the 21st Division’s front between the Forward Zone and the Battle Zone as in places the distance between them was a matter of a few hundred metres. In front of the town of Épehy where the Battle Zone was reasonably strong the commander had decided to pull the troops out of the Forward Zone at night and then if necessary shell the (now empty) British front line in the case of an attack.
When the German infantry finally appeared at about 1030 hours they were met by a solid resistance but still managed to worm their way around strong points and by midday the entire Battle Zone had been engaged. The good news for the British machine-gunners was that the fog had lifted sufficiently to allow them to fire with much greater effect.
The Battle Zone managed to resist until early afternoon when the Germans managed to break through to the north of Épehy and enter the valley leading westwards towards Heudicourt. Such an eventuality had been considered by the 21st Division and together with the 9th (Scottish) Division on their immediate left, they had covered the valley with batteries of field artillery and machine guns. The Germans managed to get about a kilometre down the valley but as the fog lifted found themselves in a shooting gallery.
A counter-attack by the 15th Bn Durham Light Infantry at 2000 hours retook much of the lost ground and stabilised the area. During this action, Lt Colonel Hubert Festing was killed and like so many of these soldiers his body was never identified ; he is commemorated on the Pozières Memorial. The problem remained the loss of Ronssoy in 16th Division’s area and the although a protective flank was emplaced along the Épehy — Ste Émilie Road there were few troops with which to garrison it.
Map showing the VII Corps front 21st—22nd March 1918
9th (Scottish) Division
A major feature on the Scots’ front was Gauche Wood, a place that had seen much bitter fighting during the Battle of Cambrai, at the end of the previous year. Lightly held it was quickly taken when the German infantry attacked at 1000 hours but they were then held up by fire coming from positions to the west as well as along Quentin Ridge to the north.
The South African Brigade forming the right flank of the Division were alerted that Chapel Hill, up until midday still in the hands of the 21st Division, had fallen. That proved to be false and although the Germans had managed to get into the valley the high ground was still in the hands of the British.
There was another false alarm about 1645 hours and this time the South Africans sent their 4th Battalion to Chapel Hill, teaming up with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Lincolnshire Regiment from 21st Division.
Apart from the expected loss of Gauche Wood the 9th Division had not been seriously attacked.
One of the soldiers who had been injured and subsequently captured in Gauche Wood was Private David Ross of the 2nd Regiment South African Infantry. He was treated by the Germans but died of his wounds on the 25th March. He is considered the youngest (documented and proved) Commonwealth soldier to have been killed during the war at fourteen years of age.
He is buried in Heudicourt Communal Cemetery in the plot of three soldiers at the top end.