The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-05-31
Thirty-third Instanment

lnlrty-InlrQ lnStaAIIAenI
During the 18th the enemy attempted
renewed attacks on either flank OF the
FIRST Corps. but was rcpulsed with great
loss. Although the troops holding 'hF
Tpres salient were hard pressed ana got
little rest until they were relieved oy inc
Frnch, still II may Dc said that the>" at
tacks were practically the last Of the
really Determined and nearly successful
efforts made BY the Germans during the
first battle Of 1pres
The French were able to rStak" som"
OF the ground they had lost althouSh
the enemy sill held on 10 Dixmudc.
From November y onward the ch'et
anxiety had was TO get r"liet ana rest
for the troops which had been fiShting so
desperately in the Yprcs salient. particu-
larry the First Corps. | had long inter-
views with t'och and represented 10 MN
the necessity for French troops to take
over the whole Of the ground there. al
any rate for a time. AT flrSt ne Salu
there would be a great difficulty IN doing
this. but finally he promised TO meet my
wishes and agreed TO start carrying OUT
the relief on Sunday. the 18th. at latest.
On this / told Haig that no more troops
would be sent 10 him, but that he would
be gradually withdrawn into reserve. as
he was relieved by French troops. Inc
First Corps troops were TO be withdrawn
before any others and brought into re-
serve as quickly as possible.
Foch was as good as his word on the
night Of the 18th the French Ninth Corps
took over some Of Haig's trenches ana
released two brigades OF tho FIRST OWL
sion, as we'll as some artillery. THESE all
came into reserve on the 10th NJ Locre
and Westoutrc.
On the 18th our front on tho Ypres
salient was heavily shelled from 10 a. m.
and infantry attacks commenced at p.
m. up the Mcnin road and against the
Sixth and Seventh brigades (Flrst bat
TALON the Kings Liverpool regiment
Second battalion 5. Stats regiment. FIRST
hottalion r. Berks regiment. FIRST pat
TALON X. 4. r. and Third battalion "or-
csster regiment; Second battalion ,.
Laues. FIRST battalion Wits r"gini ,S
and Second battalion Royal Irish RitleS)
The latter had their line broken. Blu u
Was restored by 4 counter attack. Inc
CT cmy lost Heavily.
Heavy attacks were made carly on tho
l4th against tho Ninth Brigade lrlrs'
battalion. Northumberland Fusili"rs
Fourth battalion. Royal fuSihcrS: First
battalion Lines regiment. and FIRST Da-
tai on. Royal Scots FuSi!i"rS. in the same
area and later these Developed along 'h'
hole front, but the G'rhahS "'''
cS,rywhrc driven back.
On the 18th tho Indian corps occa'n'
heavily engaged between Arm"ntlcrees
and LA BaSsec. Som" trenches were l"S'
and regaincd during tho day and the en-
envy made no progress.
on tho carly morning OF this day very
gallant piece Of work was carried out or
cur Yprcs front by storming party
which was led by Color Sergeant MAYOR
Gibbons. Of the Fifth tNOrthumO"rianoj
FuSilicrs On tho previous evening 'h'
enemy had gained possession Of some
buildings within our Inc. y gun was
brought up by clcvcr,y conc"alcd route
1, tn. closest range. tn" buildings were
blt,crcd down and our position vas re-
stored ut IN" point Of the baycn"t.
On the nth the Nprc$ salient was
again the scene OF heavy encounters
There was severe fighting. but We nae
a very successful day. intllctlnS Srea
loss on the enemy south or The M'n''
read.
The 2lst marked the end OF ~" bait"
Of YyrcS, and had IN" satisfaction o
syciny our troops completely cvacuat
tho YDrcs salient. Tn" Who'll" of the FRS
co-ps and The cavairT wrr" in reserve
TIL fourteen battalions and the Srcon'
Cnrps, which had boon moved up 70 sup
por; the First corps N the north. marcn
cd 10 rcjo:n their corps nVrtn ot f'al1
lcul.
/ cannot close the narrativ" Of thi
great battle without particularly cmpha
sizing the par which was played by IN
FIRST Corps. They w"r" throYn in SUD
denly 10 fill up tho gap through WHO
tbs. Germans wore preparing Ia pour /
tr0nps in order To seize tho channel sea
board. They were called upon I" ad
vance ana mako good their ground !
the teeth Of numbers three or four time
their own strength and against niue
more powerful artillery. For rive w"eN
they fought day and night continuous
against vastly superior forces. an
against artillery always far above the'
own in Stength and numo"s.
In the great campaigns OF the past "
find special units singled out land hanc
cI down 10 fame. such as "Thc L'Ef
Division under crawford in the PENN
hular War or The Barndcnburs Corps
under Prince Frederick Charles or Pru!
sin IN the Franco-Gcrman War OF lS'l
think We may rest assured that n!Stor
will label the FIRST British Corps in IN
var with some such distinguished sobr
uuCi. VOL ard truly did they earn II.
Early IN IN" month certain amour
OF heavy artillery began 10 arriE"
France. Special positions w"r" S"I"cte
and prepared all along IN" front. ana u
few guns VIC had wcr" lnt"rchanSed b.
;wncn them a occasion required.
II was from such Crud" beginnings In
We reached tho wonderful development
in tho use Of hoav% artlllry which hay
been witnessed during the progress OF q
war T. * OF some interest 10 c"nlpa
tho number of 6-inCh guns and ov'
which We had at that time. with u
number which were d"pioy"d on u
same front later in the war.
During tho latter part OF the FIRST m
tie OF Yprrs the weather was very "
and stormy. The rain gave place
cold northcrly winds. and on the atte
noon OF November 10 there was hraN
fall Of snow. That evening hard FRO
set in which lasted for several days tt
men in the trenches began to suffer $
Yerely.
1t was at this time. the third week
November 1914, that the serious eN
known as trench feet" first made
appearance in tho army in France. II
cases were at first labelled frost bite
hut as they were subsequently, found
occur without any fall OF the temper
ture to freezing point. this term W
evidently misnomer. Indeed. cas-
have occurred during the month or
gust.
The condition is caused by proiong