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

& [illegible] behind so as to [illegible] the forward troops being backed up in case of a [counter] attack. On the north side [of the] village the Germans were only able to get one machine gun into action, as our people were on to them so quickly & 80 prisoners were taken here before they had time to give a shout. Hand to hand fighting took place & some Germans collected & put up a fight but they were driven in & either killed or captured. All this time our aeroplanes were bringing in messages to my Head Quarters stating where the troops were; the latter had been ordered to light flares as soon as they captured a position to show the aeroplanes [where they were – crossed out] their position. After capturing the village we still had to advance & take another position on the road beyond the cemetery & this was successfully done. During the attack my left flank was exposed to an attack from the north, as Ginchy village had not been captured by another division; the Germans did counter attack from this direction, but were beaten off. Our great objective here was to retain what we had captured & for this purpose as soon as it got dark engineers & pioneers were sent up to make defences round the village etc. We managed to make good trenches that night and next day I felt we were in a position to [whole line of writing on fold of paper and illegible] attack & that the Germans could not well do as they had so many other things in hand. I think during the day we took over 500 prisoners & others were still coming in [text scribbled through] On the night of the 4th (the second day of the fight) the Brigades were getting a bit done up & that night we were relieved by another division. The officers & men were splendid & fought magnificently. I have written a long yarn I'm afraid, but I could write more but I have a good deal to do; must see the Brigades this afternoon & say a few words to them. They will now have a rest; wash; new clothes & train again for another fight. They are full of fight & highly pleased with themselves. I do not think that there is anything in this that Cavan would object to; the Germans know all about the village & how we attacked it.]

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