A Great War M.C. group of three to Captain W. H. Davies, 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, who won his Military Cross during the action where Second Lieutenant A. M. Lascelles won his Victoria Cross
Military Cross, G.V.R., engraved to: Lieut. W. H. Davies. 14th Battn. D.L.I. in its case of issue.
British War and Victory Medals officially named to: Capt. W. H. Davies.
Extremely fine.
M.C. London Gazette 4 February 1918, the citation pubished on 5 July 1918 states:
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. After a heavy bombardment his company was attacked and forced back from the trench. Though he had been buried three times by shells, he led a counter attack with the greatest skill and determination, and recaptured the position.'
William Herbert Davies was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on 7 July 1916 and was posted to the 14th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.
The Battle of Cambrai 1917
The Fourteenth had moved to a camp near Fins on November 17th and occupied their assembly position on the evening of the following day. The 18th Brigade were in reserve until the remainder of the 6th Division had completely broken the Hindenburg Line north of Beaucamp and Villers-Plouich. Then the 18th Brigade had to pass through the other troops and establish a defensive flank along the ridge from Premy Chapel westward towards Flesquieres., the general direction of the advance being north-east in order to make good the crossing over the Scheldt Canal at Marcoing. B Company of the Fourteenth were to lead the battalion and push on to Marcoing in order to strengthen the British hold on the bridgeheads there until such time as the 29th Division came up to push the advance beyond the canal. The task of C Company was to dig in on the track leading from Premy Chapel to Marcoing, while the other two companies were held in reserve to meet any counter-attack from the direction of Nine Wood. The advance began at 6.20 A.M. on November 20th when along a front of about 6 miles the British infantry followed the tanks forward as the barrage of high explosive, shrapnel and smoke came down. Good progress was reported from the outset, though no definite news was received by the Fourteenth for some time. At 8.15 A.M. the 18th Brigade moved up in artillery formation with the West Yorkshiremen in the van. In their left rear came the 2nd Durham Light Infantry; the Fourteenth were in a similar position on the right, with their left on the Beaucamp-Ribecourt road.
Seventy-two tanks were attached to the 6th Division and before ten o'clock some of them could be seen crawling up Penny Chapel ridge; everyone then pushed forward as quickly as possible. It was a wonderful experience for the infantry to gain round so rapidly and at so small a price. By mid-day all companies of the Fourteenth had reached their allotted positions and that with a total loss of 7 men wounded. Soon B company reported that troops of the 29th Division were beginning to pass through Marcoing and by 3 P.M. the whole battalion were consolidating the Premy Chapel position. On the left the 51st Division were still fighting for Flesquieres.
Early next morning the Highlanders entered Flesquieres, but at 11.30 A.M. they had not reached Cantaing which was still held by the Germans, though at least one tank had been in and out again. Some patrols of the Queen's Bays were held up in front of the village. The officer commanding the Fourteenth, who had been called upon to fill a gap in the line in this direction, sent on B and C companies, following himself with A company. In the face of machine-gun fire Cantaing was carried by the Durhams soon after one o'clock in the afternoon and many Germans were taken. For this exploit Lieut.-Col. J. B. Rosher was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
Almost at once Gordons of the 31st Division arrived and the Fourteenth were withdrawn to the Premy Chapel line. The boldness and promptness with which the companies had been launched at the village was well justified, casualties hardly amounting to double figures, but a very gallant and valuable officer was killed in the person of Capt. C. R. Gold, D.S.O.
Until November 26th the Fourteenth worked on their portion of the Premy Chapel line, putting out wire and creating a thoroughly strong defensive position. Losses during this period were again very slight though the ridge was shelled at frequent intervals.
The battalion then moved to cellars in the village of Ribecourt. The 18th Brigade had relieved the Guards in the new front line beyond Cantaing and the Fourteenth were now employed every night in carrying up material for the sappers. Cantaing was heavily shelled, but a belt of wire 8 feet wide was put out along the whole brigade front in two nights. On the night of November 29th parties of the Fourteenth were employed in strengthening this.
When on November 30th the enemy dealt his counter-blow the line in front of the Fourteenth held firm. During the morning the Durhams were sent to occupy a position in the Hindenburg Line on Highland Ridge, just north of Villers-Plonieh. Patrols were sent out and touch was obtained with the troops on the right and in front. In the evening Colonel Rosher was given two battalions of Sherwood Foresters and two companies of sappers to assist in holding the position. It was the transport of the battalion which was in action on this day; from Gonzeancourt a retirement had to be made to Fins, with the loss of 2 men wounded. For the whole month of November the casualties of the Fourteenth only amounted to 25.
The battalion remained on Highland Ridge with patrols out day and night until December 2nd when, under orders of the 16th Brigade, a unit of the 29th Division had to be relieved in the trenches east of the canal at Marcoing. The fourteenth moved up in the darkness and had taken over the line before dawn of December 3rd. The right flank of the battalion was thrown back along the canal in touch with troops of the 29th Division to the south: the left joined with the 1st King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
Then, were three companies in the line and, though the two on the left found themselves in fairly good trenches, A company's trench on the right was only 2 or 3 feet deep in places and very badly sited. A new one was commenced at once, but slow progress was made in the chalky soil. There was no wire at all in front.
Soon after ten o'clock on the morning of the 3rd a fierce hostile barrage came down on the whole line and German infantry attacked the troops south of the canal and also A company of the Fourteenth. Artillery support was asked for by telephone and obtained but the wretched trench of A company could not withstand the German assault, though rifle grenadiers, directed by lance-Sergt. A. Wilson, of Boldon Colliery, took heavy toll of the assailants. The company commander, Capt. A. M. Lascelles, M.C., had been wounded during the bombardment but he and Sergt. Wilson hastily collected 11 men and delivered a counter-attack. The gallant band was outnumbered by five to one, but many Germans were killed or wounded and the remainder driven from the trench.
The signal wires had been cut by the bombardment and from now onward there was no communication with the rear. At half-past eleven another heavy barrage came down and again the grey infantry eased forward to the attack. On the left the line held but there was disaster upon the right. A Company were driven back, Capt. Lascelles was captured and the enemy established a machine-gun at the house by the lock. The reserve company were thrown in to counter-attack and drove the Germans from the trench once more, in spite of deadly fire from the lock house. The indomitable Capt. Lascelles took advantage of the confusion to escape and rejoin his company.
Soon after midday came another fierce assault. This faded before the companies on the left where many Germans died; on the right the front trench was lost again and now a barricade was erected to protect this flank., but there were no bombs with which to defend it. The enemy still came on and the weight of numbers began to tell. The Shropshires on the left and the left company of the Durhams had to give ground, while from the direction of Masnieres fresh columns of German infantry could be seen advancing. Step by step the companies fought their way back and the survivors of the Fourteenth united in the reserve trench and turned to do battle anew. It was clear that the position beyond the canal could be held no longer, but for the moment the enemy was in no condition to press his advantage and so the Durhams were able to withdraw unmolested across the railway bridge.
In a sunken road west of the canal Colonel Rosher re-organised his men and moved round to lend support to the troops of the 29th Division on the right. A was occupied on a ridge south-west of Marcoing, but in this quarter a successful counter-attack had prevented the enemy moving down the north side of the canal towards the Marcoing crossings.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, supported by a company of Bedfords, the Fourteenth advanced to the attack once more. The canal had been bridges on this side by means of a barge and here the Durhams crossed. There was fierce fighting on the railway beyond but the old reserve trench was retaken, together with 4 prisoners, and many Germans were killed. Another company of Bedfords arrived and with this help the Fourteenth were able to push on and cover both barge bridge and railway bridge. The old front trenches were now all of Germans who attempted to bomb into the new position near the canal on the right. There were no bombs with which to reply but somehow the line was held till at 10:15 P.M. came the orders to withdraw again. This was done and both bridges were blown up by the sappers. Before morning the survivors of the Fourteenth reached a position in the Hindenburg support line, north-east of Ribecourt.
The battalion were about 150 strong when taking over trenches on the night of December 2nd. Two thirds of these were killed and wounded and among the fallen were Capt. J. P. Moffitt, M.C., Lieut. J. H. Stearn, D.S.O., 2nd Lieuts, D. T. Smith, G. H. Mathieson and R. M. Malcolm. Capt. C. F. B. Simpson died of his wounds; 2nd Lieut. C. E. Brogden was wounded and missing; 2nd Lieut. H. Forbes was missing and is presumed to have been killed. Capt. C. A .V. Newsome, M.C., Capt. A. M. Lascelles, M.C., Lieut. A. Rothfield, M.C., 2nd Lieuts. J. Foster and A. G. Brewer were all wounded.
Lieut.-Col. J. B. Rosher , M.C., added a bar to his newly won Distinguished Service Order. Lieut. A. Rothfield, M.C., also gained a bar to his decoration. He had walked along the parapet during the enemy bombardment to reorganise his company and, though badly wounded, remained with them until he collapsed. Lieut. W. H. Davies who led a counter-attack after being buried by shell fire on the occasions, and 2nd Lieut. E. G. Wylie, who led another successful counter attack and fought his way out with his men after being surrounded, both received the Military Cross. C.-S.-M. J. Nicholson, M.M., of Bishop Auckland, helped to bring in a wounded man lying 50 yards beyond the parapet and worked a Lewis gun during a counter-attack after the whole team had been killed. he and Sergt. Wilson received a Distinguished Conduct Medal. Lance-Corpl. J. Wharton, M.M., received a bar to his decoration, and the Military Medal was won by Sergt. C. Barrell, Corpl. G. McKane, Lance-Corpl. T. Tallentive, and Ptes. E. Stephens, J. Walker and J. W. Turner.
Capt. Arthur Moore Lascelles, M.C., commanded at the weakest part of the line in a trench he could not hope to hold. Three times wounded and then captured, he escaped and was still the inspiration of the defence. It was fitting that he should receive the highest honour of all - the Victoria Cross.
The divisional commander issued a special "order of the day," congratulating many units on their prowess during the battle. The Fourteenth are mentioned for their exploit at Cantaing, but their defence of the canal crossings at Marcoing on December 3rd is recorded as the finest achievement of all.
Davies was further advanced Lieutenant with the 22nd (Pioneer) Battalion and finally Captain with the 22nd (Young Soldiers) Battalion.
Product Code: EM3393
