Part 7 (1/2)

It was a proud and splendid Division which marched, with drums beating and colours flying, across the German frontier into the little town of Malmedy between 13th and 16th December.

Marching generally by only one road, the length of the Division, when billeted, varied from ten to twenty-five miles. It was particularly interesting for Brigades to occupy the German huts at Elsenborn Camp of Exercise, where large numbers of the enemy had a.s.sembled in the end of July 1914 for the conquest of Belgium.

The att.i.tude of the population in Germany was servile, and little hate could be felt by one or two battalions which marched into Malmedy in pouring rain and found German women lighting special fires, without being ordered to do so, to dry their clothing. It must, however, be added that the inhabitants of Malmedy speak French and have Belgian sympathies.

Pa.s.sing through the lovely little village of Montjoie, which reminds one so much of Switzerland, the Division marched to its allotted area south-west of Cologne, Divisional Headquarters arriving at Bruhl, six miles from Cologne, on Christmas Eve; Headquarters 16th Infantry Brigade at Zulpich, Headquarters 18th Infantry Brigade at Lechenich, Headquarters 71st Infantry Brigade at Eichhols (a country house), and Headquarters Divisional Troops at a chateau near Weilerswist. The route followed--220 miles--is given in the Diary.

It was with a great feeling of grat.i.tude and elation that the Division ate their Christmas dinner on the Rhine in December 1918.

The area allotted to the Division was a strip of country almost rectangular in shape, with a maximum length of twenty miles, and a maximum breadth of twelve miles, and lying to the immediate south-west of Cologne. The north-west border was on the ring of forts encircling the city, which were later included in the divisional area.

The Civil Administration was carried out by the G.O.C. Infantry Brigades and the C.R.A., who were much a.s.sisted by a Civil Staff Captain and a Provost representative, and in the town of Bruhl by the G.O.C. Division, who also generally supervised under the Corps and the Army the work of the Group Commanders.

The Germans were very orderly, and little trouble was given, but guard and night patrol was fairly heavy.

On 1st February 1919, General Sir H. Plumer presented a Colour to the 9th Norfolk Regiment, 11th Ess.e.x Regiment, and 11th Leicester Regiment respectively, and made a stirring speech to each, congratulating them on their fine appearance and steady drill, and emphasizing their duty to their King and Country.

The Division settled down to improving their billets and to education, and frequent lectures were given by special lecturers sent out from England. Some of the troops were very comfortable, and notably those in towns like Bruhl, where each man had a bed and mattress, and Warrant Officers and N.C.O.s who were billeted in private houses, but others in the smaller villages were not so well off.

As the Germans did not play football there was a general lack of football grounds, which had to be made, but the troops scored considerably by finding electric light in even the tiniest cottages, and at least one concert-room, with a stage properly fitted up, in even the smallest village. The Opera, too, was a great source of pleasure to many. But it was a period of transition--men were being demobilized freely, and it was with a sigh of relief that something definite had been fixed, as well as with many sighs of regret, that orders were eventually received that the 6th Division, as such, would cease to exist in the middle of March 1919. Farewell parades were held, farewell speeches made, farewell dinners given, and on 15th March the Machine-gun Battalion, Pioneers, Field Companies (except 12th Field Company), and Train were transferred to the newly-const.i.tuted Midland Division.

The 6th Division, B.E.F., had completed its task.

APPENDIX I

BATTLE CASUALTIES

1914 Aisne (19th Sept.--12th Oct.) 1,482 Battle of the Aisne.

1914 Armentieres (13th--31st Oct.) 4,696 First Battle of Ypres.

1914-15 Armentieres (1st Nov.--31st May) 3,940 Trenches.

1915-16 Ypres (1st June 1915--31st July 1916) 10,938 Includes 1,780 in attack on Hooge; 660 gas attack, 15th Dec; 400 Morteldje attack.

1916 Somme (5th Aug.--20th Oct.) 7,430 Battle of the Somme.

1916-17 La Ba.s.see (25th Nov. 1916--16th February 1917) 709 Trenches.

1917 Loos (2nd Mar.--25th July) 4,884 Raids and attacks, Hill 70.

1917 Loos-Lens (26th Aug.--23rd Oct.) 1,400 Trenches.

1917 Cambrai (20th Nov.--10th Dec.) 1,790 Battle of Cambrai.

1918 Bapaume (17th Jan.--20th March) 313 Trenches.

1918 Lagnicourt (21st--22nd March) 5,160 German offensive.

1918 Ypres (3rd April--24th Aug.) 4,715 Includes 750 at Neuve Eglise (71st Infantry Brigade) and 250 in attack on Scottish and Ridge Woods.

1918 St. Quentin (14th--28th Sept.) 3,163 Battle of St. Quentin.