In spite of this somewhat comforting message, our action on the 1st was a failure.  This cannot be denied.  The retaining enemy’s troops on our front was done by our Artillery and other preparation, and the extra German Division was lured into the line opposite us at least three days before the battle.  Our assault made not the slightest difference to this.  Our object on the 1st was to capture Gommecourt, and this we failed to do.  It is comparatively easy to criticise after the event and find mistakes, but there were one or two obvious reasons for the failure which were apparent to all.  The rapid dispersal of the smoke barrage, the terrible enfilade bombardment from the left consequent on the inactivity of the Division on our left, the failure of our Artillery to smash up German posts, and in some cases German wire, and, perhaps the fact that our preparations were so obvious that the Boche was waiting for us.  But in the face of all this, fresh troops in ideal conditions might have succeeded.  Ours were tired after their journey to Lucheux and back, had had to live several nights in hopelessly foul and water-logged trenches, and, so far from fresh, were almost worn before they started to attack.

CHAPTER VIII.

Monchy au bois.

3rd July, 1916. 29th Oct., 1916.

North of Gommecourt the enemy’s line, after passing Pigeon wood, ran a few yards West of Essarts village along the high ground to within a short distance of Monchy au Bois, then, turning West, made a small salient round this village, which lay in a cup-like hollow.  Between Essarts and Monchy, and on higher ground still, stood Le Quesnoy Farm, which, with some long tall hedges in the neighbourhood, provided the Boche with excellent and well concealed observation posts and battery positions.  Behind Monchy itself, and again on high ground, was Adinfer wood, and near it Douchy village, both full of well concealed batteries, while the trees in Monchy itself gave the enemy plenty of cover for machine guns and trench mortars.  Opposite this our line was almost entirely in the open.  From Foncquevillers it ran due North to the Hannescamps-Monchy road, more than 1,000 yards from the enemy opposite Essarts and Le Quesnoy; then, crossing the ridge, dropped steeply to the Monchy cup, where, at the Bienvillers road, the lines were only 200 yards apart.  The only buildings near the line were the two Monchy mills, North and South, both about 80 yards from the front line and both little more than a heap of bricks with an O.P. concealed in the middle.  Just South of the Bienvillers road a small salient, some 180 yards across ran out towards the enemy’s lines, overlooked from two sides, and always being battered out of recognition by trench mortars and bombs.

[Illustration:  Red Mill, Lens, 1917.]

[Illustration:  Bois de Riaumont from the Slag Heap.  Boot Trench in Foreground.]