Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 4. p 919

1st Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment.

[photo, portrait] Corpl. A. MILAM, 15, Hatch Ride, Crowthorne - Twice wounded.

[photo, object] THE COMMEMORATIVE BANNER. Amongst the Old Contemptibles, the 1st Batt. Royal Berks regiment holds a proud position. On December 15th, 1917, a commemoration service for the famous Seven Divisions who helped to stem the rush of the Germans was held at the Albert Hall, and the regimental banners of each of the regiments were displayed round the building. The above is a photograph of the Royal Berks banner used on this historic occasion.

[photo, portrait] The late Pte. T. G. NASH, Mayridge Farm Cottage, Theale. - Died of pneumonia in France after four years' service. Aged 29.

[photo, portrait] The late Pte. E. COLE, 68, Spring Gardens, Reading. - Killed in action.

Battle of Cambrai, November 30, 1917.

Writing in the Strand Magazine, Sir A. Conan Doyle, in his description of the Battle of Cambrai in November, 1917, pays a warm tribute to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who formed part of the 2nd Division. In the second phase of the battle, which extended from Tadpole Copse to Marcoing and Mesnieres, the British were pushed back. "To effect this small result all accounts are agreed in stating that the Germans incurred such murderous losses that it is improbable that any have been more severe since the early days of the war." The 2nd Division extended from Moeuvres to Bourlon, Sir A. Conan Doyle says:- "On the right of the 6th Brigade was the 99th Brigade, the victors of Delville Wood, who were also furiously engaged, meeting such waves of German infantry as were able to get past the zone of the British barrage.German field guns unlimbered suddenly on the crest looking down on the British lines only a few hundred yards off. The crews were shot down so swiftly that only one gun got back in three rounds. Then there came a rush of two battalions in full marching order, debouching in fours from Bourlon Village and deploying n the open. They also were shot to bits. The whole front of the brigade was dotted with broken guns and huddled grey figures, while many despairing of getting back threw up their hands and sought refuge in the British lines. Battalion after battalion was thrown in at this point until the best part of a Division was spread bleeding over some twenty acres of ground. The three battalions chiefly engaged, the 1st Berkshires, 17th Royal Fusiliers, and the 1st Rifles, from right to left, had such a day as trench warfare could ever afford. At the outset the force of the attack pressed back the 1st Berkshires, upon the right, together with the left wing of the 47th Division. For a few moments the situation was alarming. However, after three hours of ding-dong fighting, the volume of fire was too much for the stormers, and they fell back." ...

"Another splendid epic had been furnished by the posts of the 1st Berkshire Battalion upon the right of the 2nd Division. They were all drawn from one company under the command of Lieut. Valentin. The Germans surged in upon them in the afternoon, and there was a most grim and terrible fight. Three of the posts were destroyed, but when the ground was regained it was difficult to find the British bodies on account of the piles of German dead which were heaped round and over them. Six other posts remained intact after six hours of close fighting, in which they were continually attacked by superior numbers, who fell in heaps before the steady fire of these experienced soldiers. Rapid fire had been brought into perfection by the training system of the 2nd Division, and its general was justified by his wisdom. The six weary posts which remained intact after the storm had passed are said to have killed no fewer than five hundred of their assailants."

The correspondent of "the Morning Post" in his account of the fighting on this occasion said:- "The 99th Brigade will always remember that day of slaughter. They were the 22nd and 23rd Royal Fusiliers, the 1st King's Royal Rifles, and the 1st Berkshires, the riflemen being on the right in front of Bourlon village ...

Two battalions of grey infantry came out of the ruins of Bourlon village in full marching order as though on manoeuvres. Before the day was half spent the only survivors of those first waves of German infantry were dribbling through the 2nd Division to the prisoners' cages, dazed and panic-stricken, still wearing their kit. Repeatedly the German group commander sowed the fields in front of the 2nd Division with fresh troops, and as promptly our men harvested each crop with their machine guns. Their arms ached from the sheer physical effort of killing Huns."

In the larger field of strategy the whole episode was fruitful, as it stopped all reinforcement of the Germans in Italy while the Italians were settling down upon the line of the Piave. One result of the action was a reorganisation of the British machine-gun system, which was found to have acted on an unequal fashion during the operations, some formations giving excellent results while others were less satisfactory.

Sir Douglas Haig, in his despatch, said:- "The greatest credit is due to the troops at Mesnieres, Bourlon and Moeuvres for the very gallant service performed by them on this day. But for their steady courage and staunchness in defence the success gained by the enemy on the right of our battle front might have had serious consequences."