The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, 20-25 September 1917, was the third phase of the Third Battle of Ypres, more commonly known today as Passchendaele. You can read blog posts about earlier action here:
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| A signals section of the 13th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, equipped with telescopes, field telephone and signalling lamps, watch the battalion's advance on Veldhoek on 20 September 1917, © IWM (Q 5971) IWM Non-commercial Licence |
A new commander of the offensive, General Herbert Plumer, meant a change in tactics. Units would make short gains behind a barrage of British artillery, then consolidate their position and hold it against German counter-attacks. Air support provided observation to warn of counter-attacks. Other units would then move forward to take the next objective. The fighting was to gain ground; moving east of Ypres, pushing the Germans back. This tactic was called 'bite and hold'.
There were many battalions involved in the battle as a whole, including 12th, 13th, and 20th Battalions of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI), who took part in the first days of the battle. 12 and 13 DLI were part of 68th Brigade of 23rd Division with 10th and 11th Battalions, Northumberland Fusiliers (NF). 20 DLI was part of 123rd Brigade of 41st Division. All four battalions of this brigade were from different regiments.
The following account of these battalions' actions is taken from their official war diaries held at the National Archives.
20 September 1917
3:00am
13 DLI battalion HQ moved to the Advance Brigade HQ.
5:40am Zero hour
13 DLI moved forward to Jam area trenches.
12 DLI A and B Companies moved forwards behind 10 and 11 NF and assisted in clearing a German strongpoint and snipers at Dumbarton Woods.
12 DLI C Company less the Lewis Gun Section formed up behind 13 DLI and worked as a carrying party making three journeys in total.
12 DLI D Company moved forward behind 11 NF to Jasper Drive 'encountering a strongpoint...which was successfully dealt with by a sergeant* and three men.' They dug in near Jasper Drive.
7:30am
13 DLI ordered to move forward again, arriving 8:50am.
8:00am
12 DLI A and B Companies dug in in front of Jasper Trench in support of 10 NF.
[no time]
12 DLI D Company ordered to reinforce 10 NF and remained dug in on the right of B Company.
9:00am
13 DLI Battalion HQ established.
9:40am
20 DLI received orders to 'move up to the original British front line between Shrewsbury Forest and Bodmin Copse and dig in there'.
9:53am
13 DLI advanced in attack.
10:00am
12 DLI C Company Lewis Gun Section moved to 13 DLI Advance HQ.
10:40am
13 DLI 'German prisoners passed Battalion HQ, about 150 in all'.
11:05am
13 DLI took objective and began consolidating the position.
11:45am
20 DLI D Company sent to help 124th Brigade take the second objective after they were held up by machine gun fire.
11:55am
20 DLI ordered to move up to the first objective line and dig in, and to be ready to help in the attack.
2:00pm
20 DLI received orders to push on to second objective between 122nd and 124th Brigade. Arrived in position about 3:00pm.
3:00pm
13 DLI repulsed a counter-attack by the Germans on the left company.
5:15pm
20 DLI ordered to attack the third objective on the forward slope of Tower Hamlets ridge. The orders were received 'too late' and the battalion dug in on the backwards slope. They were rejoined by D Company at about 6:00pm. The right flank of the battalion was 'in the air' as 124th Brigade had not managed to cross the stream.
Night
12 DLI A and B Company put under orders of 9th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment (Y&L).
21 September 1917
1:00am
12 DLI D Company ordered to move back.
7:00am
20 DLI received orders to attack the third objective with 10th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment.
8:00am
13 DLI dispersed another German counter-attack on the left company by Lewis gun and rifle fire. One German officer and five other ranks captured.
9:00am
20 DLI attacked, the British barrage was only 'a few shells sent over at intervals and was in consequence insufficient to keep down the enemy machine guns.' 20 DLI rushed about 200 yards before being forced to dig in, but not before suffering casualties from the German machine guns.
[no time]
12 DLI C Company made two more journeys as a carrying party.
3:00pm
20 DLI drove back a German counter-attack over Tower Hamlets ridge by 'rifle fire and Lewis guns which inflicted heavy casualties'.
13 DLI repulsed attack by Germans on the right company 'coming up the valley from Gheluvelt' after a heavy bombardment.
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| Section of map from April 1917 showing trenches, Tower Hamlets, and Gheluvelt, (Map Sheet 28 NE.3 1) 'Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland' The full map can be viewed here: http://maps.nls.uk/view/101464642 |
20 DLI A German barrage began.
7:00pm
13 DLI 'After two hours heavy shelling the enemy was seen massing on the right of the the Ypres-Menin Road near Gheluvelt preparatory to attacking. The SOS signal was sent up on our right and left and the enemy was caught by our barrage before his attack could materialise'.
7:30pm
12 DLI A and B Companies received orders to move back but due to a counter-attack, A Company were ordered to move forward to reinforce the Y&L. B Company remained in position to protect the right flank.
7:40pm
20 DLI drove off another counter-attack as it was assembling with artillery, rifle, and Lewis gun fire.
Night
12 DLI C Company Lewis Gun Section ordered to reinforce right flank.
9:00pm
12 DLI C Company Lewis Gun Section ordered to move back by the officer commanding 13 DLI.
9:30pm
12 DLI A Company 'situation became normal' and returned to Jasper Trench.
22 September 1917
3:00am
13 DLI relieved by 8th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and moved back with the exception of HQ and two platoons of B Company.
6:30am
12 DLI A and B Companies ordered to move back as per the original orders of the previous night.
Afternoon
12 DLI A and B Companies worked as carrying parties.
12 DLI C Company moved to Holy Corn dug out.
20 DLI Enemy shelling and barrage but no counter-attacks.
6:00pm
12 DLI D Company moved to Lucky dugout area to relieve D Company of 11 NF and acted as a carrying party.
Dusk
13 DLI HQ and the remainder of B Company were relieved.
23 September 1917
1:00am
20 DLI relieved by 13th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, reaching camp at 8:00am.
[no time]
12 DLI A and B Companies continued carrying work.
4:00pm
12 DLI C Company moved up to trenches near Jasper trenches.
24 September 1917
[no time]
12 DLI A and B Companies relieved by 16th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps, and returned to camp.
4:00pm
12 DLI C Company relieved by a unit of the Queen's Regiment.
4:40pm
12 DLI D Company relieved by 9 Y&L.
The battle was mostly successful in that it achieved most of its targets except for taking Tower Hamlets. However, it was not without great cost to the Allied forces (British and Australian). According to the figures in the official history, 20255 British men and officers were killed, wounded, or missing between 20 and 25 September. The Australian casualties are counted at 5013.
The 12 DLI war diary doesn't provide casualty figures but the diaries of 13 and 20 DLI were:
20 September
13 DLI
Killed – 1 officer, 1 other rank
Wounded – 4 officers, 177 other ranks
Missing – 16 other ranks
20 DLI
Killed – 1 officer, 1 other rank
Wounded – 4 officers, 6 other ranks
21 September
13 DLI
Killed – 14 other ranks
Wounded – 37 other ranks
Missing – 1 other rank
20 DLI
Killed – 2 officers, 33 other ranks
Died of wounds – 1 officer
Wounded – 6 officers, 188 other ranks (one of these officers died of his wounds 25 September 1917)
22 September
13 DLI
Killed – 1 other rank
Wounded – 5 other ranks
Missing – 1 other rank
20 DLI
Killed – 6 other ranks
Wounded – 14 other ranks
Missing – 21 other ranks
*
Sergeant B Cruddas
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions. The citation reads:
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Dumbarton Wood in September 1917. An enemy strongpoint which had been overlooked in the advance was causing heavy casualties to carrying parties and supporting troops. He left the carrying party of which he was in charge, and going forward alone, located the strongpoint. He then attacked it with three men, and captured it after a very stubborn fight, putting all the garrison out of action. He showed great powers of organisation, and was a splendid example to all ranks'.
Sources:
12th Battalion War Diary, The National Archives ref. WO 95/2182/1
13th Battalion War Diary, The National Archives ref. WO 95/2182/2
20th Battalion War Diary, The National Archives ref. WO 95/2639/1
Third Ypres - Passchendaele, The Day by Day Account, by Chris McCarthy
The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-battles-of-ypres-1917-third-ypres/
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Menin_Road_Ridge
Commonwealth War Graves Commission https://www.cwgc.org/learn/news-and-events/news/2017/09/15/13/11/8-facts-about-the-battle-of-the-menin-road-ridge
The Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E97
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