Diary of service on the Western Front, 1916-1917, World War One

Smith, William Douglas

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Title:: Diary of service on the Western Front, 1916-1917, World War One

Collection:: SMITH, Maj Gen Sir William Douglas (1865-1939)

Archive reference:: SMITH, WD 2/4

Catalogue record URL (AtoM):: https://archives.kingscollections.org/index.php/smith-wd-2-4

Level of description:: Item

Date of material:: 16 Jun 1916 - 11 Dec 1917

Creator:: Smith, William Douglas

Source collection title:: SMITH, Maj Gen Sir William Douglas (1865-1939)

Extent:: 1 volume

Description (scope):: Manuscript copy diary, 16 Jun 1916 – 11 Dec 1917, relating to Smith’s command of 20 Division, Jun 1916 – Mar 1917, 56 Division, Jul-Aug 1917, and 20 Division, Aug-Dec 1917, including: diversionary raids, Jun 1916; the use of vests impregnated with antiseptic to reduce the risk of wound infection, 16-18 Jun 1916; the start of the Battle of the Somme, 1 Jul 1916; inaccurate British press coverage of Western Front operations, 24 Jul 1916; a demonstration of flamethrowers, 18-19 Aug 1916; the aftermath of a successful attack on Guillemont village, 19 Sep 1916, including the shortage of troops available to bury the dead and to salvage equipment; German aerial night time bombing behind Allied lines, 28 Sep 1916; the Battle of Le Transloy, Oct 1916; the lack of aerial intelligence on German positions due to bad weather, 6 Oct 1916; inter-brigade sports competitions, 9-14 Nov 1916; cases of trench foot, 15-24 Dec 1916; four months’ leave, chiefly on medical grounds, Mar-Jun 1917; Smith’s taking command of 56 Division, 23 Jul 1917; Smith’s return to the command of 20 Division, 8 Aug 1917; the Battle of Langemarck, 16-18 Aug 1917; the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, 22 Sep 1917; start of planning, Oct 1917, for the Battle of Cambrai, Nov-Dec 1917, including training and extreme secrecy about the planned use of tanks; the start of the Battle of Cambrai, 20 Nov 1917, and the successful use of tanks to clear a way through for infantry; a German counter-attack, 30 Nov 1917. Also inserted items, including: press cuttings about Western Front operations; letters of congratulation on 20 Division operations; typescript statistics on the issue of rations, 4 Aug1916, and on medals recommended and awarded, 1916; notes on the effectiveness of experimental mortars and flamethrowers, Aug 1916; a detailed account, 7 Sep 1916, of the capture of Guillemont village; snapshot photographs of ruins, abandoned army buildings and battle sites, taken in Feb 1919; report on the capture of the German ‘Au Bon Gite’ blockhouse, Langemarck, by Captain H A Slade, commander of ‘B’ Company, 11 Rifle Brigade, 14 Oct 1917; casualty statistics, Aug and Nov 1917; personal letter to Smith from General Sir Hubert de la Poer Gough, 21 Jun 1918, including Gough’s anger at the British government; printed War Office notes on the British Armies of Occupation, 1919; press cutting from the Morning Post , 12 Jan 1937, on Gough and 5 Army, ‘Vindicated by History’.

Copyright:: Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, via the Archives.; King's College London Archives

Full text

[Pencil note in WDS's hand: After Eagle Trench had been captured one of our aeroplanes flew low over it and reported that the observer distinctly saw Germans still in the trench; the Corps was very disturbed about this & would hardly believe us when we again told them that we had captured the trench some hours ago; it transpired that the Germans whom the observers had seen were dead & were still standing in the trench where they had been killed by explosions of Stokes mortars.] The left & right of the attack progressed but the centre was held up again in spite of 200 oil drums which were projected at zero on the cemetery just north of Eagle Trench; we suffered a good many casualties & a fresh attempt was made during the night but was not successful. 22 September 1917 On the morning of the 22nd a concerted attack was again launched under a barrage of Stokes mortars, & the attacking columns got behind & on each flank of the German trench. The line was captured & about 200 prisoners taken & others killed. It transpired that the Germans had intended to attack us almost at the same hour & had assembled for this during the night, but our attack came off at the critical moment.

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