CHAPTER XVII
THE ADVANCE CONTINUES
The British losses had been heavy, as was only natural in view of thenature of the work they had accomplished. But the German casualtieshad been tremendously greater. This, no doubt, was because of the factthat the German general staff had been taken by surprise and had had notime to prepare against the attack.
The British, according to the report of General Byng, on the firstday's offensive, had captured in the neighborhood of 5,000 prisoners.Of artillery and munitions, great stores had fallen into the hands ofthe victors.
It was a great day for Old England and all her Allies. The victory wasthe greatest achieved by the Allies since the Battle of the Marne.
Cambrai was almost in the hands of the British. The importance of thevictory could not be estimated at that time, but every soldier knewthat if the enemy could be driven from Cambrai it would necessitate arealignment of the whole German defensive system in Flanders and alongthe entire battle front. With the victory the British menaced the mainGerman line of communications--Douai, Cambrai and St. Quentin.
Around Lavasquere, formidable defenses, known as Welsh Ridge andCoutilet Wood, had been, captured. Flesquires had been invested andthe Grand Ravine crossed. Havrincourt was in British hands.
Trench systems north of Havrincourt and north of the west bank of theCanal du Nord also had been captured. The Masnieres Canal was crossed,and the British had stormed and captured Marcoing Neufwood. East ofthe Canal du Nord, the villages of Graincourt and Anneux were now inpossession of General Byng's men; while west of the canal the wholeline north to the Bapaume-Cambrai road was stormed. Bonaires hamletand Lateau Wood had been captured after stiff fighting.
East of Epehy, between Bullecourt and Fontaine les Croisilles,important positions also had been captured by the gallant "Tommies."
"The enemy was completely surprised."
This was the laconic message sent to Field Marshal Haig by the man whohad led the British to victory, as he rested until the morrow. Alongthe entire forty-mile line the attack had been successful.
There were no American troops in General Byng's drive. The forces werecomposed solely of English, Scots, Irish and Welsh--a combinationthat more than once before in this war had proved too much for theGermans to combat successfully.
It was a happy army that slept on reconquered territory on the night ofNovember 20,1917. Men talked of nothing but the most glorious victorysince the Marne. They knew that the offensive in all likelihood wouldbe resumed the following morning, and most of the troops turned inearly that they might be fit on the morrow to make the foe hunt a new"hole." There was no doubt in the breasts of the "Tommies" that thefollowing day would take them nearer to Cambrai and, consequently,Berlin.
Hal and Chester had had no active part in the first day's fighting.They had stuck close to headquarters of General Byng, and severaltimes, while the fighting was at its height and the general was shortof aides, each of the lads had carried messages for him. Both chaffedsomewhat because of the fact that they were not in the midst of thefighting, but they bided their time, confident that they; at length,would get a chance for action.
They had followed the advance of the British troops with admiringeyes. It was, indeed, an imposing spectacle.
"Wonder if our Canadian friends are in this attack?" asked Chester.
"I don't believe so," declared Hal. "I suppose they are still at VimyRidge. They're still needed there, you know."
"That's so, but they would be good men to have around at a time likethis."
"These fellows seem to be doing fairly well, if you ask me," said Haldryly.
Then the conversation languished, as the lads looked toward thefighting front.
As it developed, Hal and Chester soon were to see their Canadianfriends again. During the night several divisions of Canadians werehurried to General Byng's support that he might have fresh blood in hisranks when he renewed his attack against the Hindenburg defenses. And,as it chanced, the commander of one of these divisions was the lad'sold friend, Colonel Adamson-general now, however.
Hal and Chester were standing close to General Byng when announcementof the arrival of the Canadians was brought to him. All of thegeneral's aides were busy. He espied Hal and called to him.
"You will carry my compliments to General Adamson," he said, "and tellhim to go into camp for the night. Instructions will be sent himbefore morning."
Hal saluted, mounted his horse, and dashed away.
General Byng summoned Chester to his side.
"Come with me," he said.
He led the way into a tent that had been erected hastily, and whichserved him as field headquarters. There the general scribbled hastilyfor some minutes, then passed a piece of paper to Chester.
"You will ride after your friend," he said, "and present this toGeneral Adamson. Then you had better turn, in for the night. You maystay with General Adamson's command and lend what assistance there youcan."
Chester was soon speeding after Hal.
General Adamson recognized Hal instantly when the lad reported to him,and professed pleasure at seeing him again. He also saluted Chester,when the latter arrived a short time later.
"And so you are going to stay with me, eh?" he said. "Well, I have nodoubt I shall be able to make use of you. However, you'd better turnin now. I suppose we'll be at it bright and early in the morning."
General Adamson proved a good prophet.
Hal and Chester met several men whom they had known when they were withthe Canadian troops at the capture of Vimy Ridge, and these expresseddelight at seeing the lads again. A young officer invited the lads tospend the night in his quarters, and they accepted gratefully.
They followed General Adamson's injunction and turned in early. Theywere very tired, and they were asleep the moment they hit their cots.
It seemed to Hal that he had just closed his eyes when he was arousedby the sound of a bugle. It was the call to arms, and the lad sprangto his feet and threw on his clothes. Chester also was on his feet,and the two lads dashed from the tent together.
They made their way to General Adamson's quarters, where they stood andawaited whatever commands, he might give them.
The Canadian troops were all under arms. Each and every man was eagerfor the fray. They had not been in the battle the previous day, butthey had heard full accounts of British success and they weredetermined to give a good account of themselves when the time came.
And the time came soon.
It was just growing light when the British army launched the secondday's drive.
Along the whole forty-mile line the troops under General Byng advancedsimultaneously. This time, however, the Germans were not caughtnapping. They anticipated the second attack by the British, and aterrific hail of shells and bullets greeted the Allied troops, as theymoved across the open ground.
But these men were not raw troops. Hardly a man who could not becalled a veteran. They advanced as calmly under fire as though onparade. Men went down swiftly in some parts of the field, but as fastas one dropped, his place was instantly filled. The lines were notallowed to break or be thrown into confusion.
The Canadian troops advanced calmly and with a sprightliness thatseemed strange for men used to the grim work of war. There wassomething in their carriage that told their officers that they wouldgive a good account of themselves this day.
General Adamson eyed his men with pride, as they moved off in thesemi-light. He dispatched Hal with a command to Colonel Brown,commander of one regiment, and Chester to Colonel Loving, commander ofanother. As it chanced, these two regiments were marching together, sothe two lads once more found themselves together in the midst of anadvancing army.
Their messages delivered, they did not return to General Adamson, andwithout even asking permission of their superiors, ranged themselvesbehind. Colonel Loving, and pressed forward with the troops.
Colonel Loving and Colonel Brown
, besides Hal and Chester, were theonly mounted men with the Canadian advance. Ten minutes after the ladshad gone forward, Colonel Loving dismounted and turned his horse overto one of his men, who led it toward the rear. Colonel Brown followedsuit. Hal and Chester did likewise.
"Good idea," commented Chester. "We make too good targets there."
Hal nodded, and looked toward the front.
The British tanks again led the way. Bullets whistled over the headsof the Canadians. Hal saw that the first-line German defenses wereless than 200 yards away.
"Good." he told himself. "Now for the battle."
The first British tank nosed into the German trench.
Boy Allies with Haig in Flanders; Or, the Fighting Canadians of Vimy Ridge Page 17
