Download or read book The History of the Second Division, 1914-1918 Volume 2 written by Everard Wyrall and published by Theclassics.Us. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ...failed because be expected his leading troops to go on ad infinitum instead of passing fresh troops through in order to capture succeeding objectives. Thus the leading troops became exhausted. ACTION OF 2nd DIVISION ON 21st MARCH. 543 With the exception of the Flesquieres Salient,1 from opposite the whole British line from La Fere to Croisilles, the enemy's troops surged across No Man's Land in vast numbers. There had been no such attack in the whole War. The battle-front was practically divided into two parts--northern and southern. In the former the Seventeenth German Army attacked from a point approximately south of Mceuvres to Croisilles; in the latter, from opposite Gouzeaucourt to La Fere. On the left-flank division (9th) of the VIIth Corps, Fifth Army, and the right-flank division (51st) of the IVth Corps, Third Army, the enemy's attacks fell heavily indeed, for a successful thrust at these two points would have entailed the immediate evacuation of the Flesquieres Salient, held by the Vth Corps, Third Army. The 2nd Division, however, spent the 21st March resting and reorganizing after two strenuous months in the front line. The last week (from the 13th to the 20th), during which the Division had suffered over 3,000 gas casualties, had played havoc with the men, who were, nevertheless, in good fettle despite their losses. The Division had to "stand fast" throughout the day, and assembly positions were detailed should it be necessary for the troops to move forward. The 10th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry were moved out in front of Metz (to the Metz Salient) during the morning, but in the afternoon were ordered to withdraw to billets in Lechelle. On the night of the 21st March the 2nd Division remained in Vth Corps...