Pushed and the Return Push

Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For a complete list, please see the end of this document . Click on the images to see a larger version. Pushed AND The Return Push Pushed AND The Return Push BY QUEX William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London 1919 To the Memory of Lieut.-Col. AUSTIN THORP, C.M.G., D.S.O., R.A., WHO COMMANDED THE 82 nd BRIGADE, R.F.A., IN FRANCE, FROM DECEMBER 1915 TO OCTOBER 1918. KILLED IN ACTION AT BEAUSIES ON OCTOBER 30, 1918. CONTENTS. PUSHED. PAGE I. BEFORE THE ATTACK 3 II. "THE BOCHE IS THROUGH!" 13 III. THE END OF A BATTERY 24 IV. THE NIGHT OF MARCH 21 35 V. A GUNNER'S V.C. 42 VI. BEHIND VILLEQUIER AUMONT 49 VII. STILL IN RETREAT 60 VIII. A LAST FIFTY ROUNDS 65 IX. FASTER AND FASTER 71 X. THE SCRAMBLE AT VARESNES 83 XI. THE G IN GAP 93 XII. OUT OF THE WAY 101 THE RETURN PUSH. I. THE DEFENCE OF AMIENS 111 II. THE RED-ROOFED HOUSE 119 III. AN AUSTRALIAN "HAND-OVER" 129 IV. HAPPY DAYS! 137 V. BEFORE THE GREAT ATTACK 146 VI. THE BATTLE OF AUGUST 8 153 VII. SHORT LEAVE TO PARIS 163 VIII. TRONES WOOD AGAIN 178 IX. DOWN THE ROAD TO COMBLES 188 X. A MASTERLY TURNING MOVEMENT 203 XI. ON THE HEELS OF THE BOCHE 211 XII. THE MAJOR'S LOST PIPE 221 XIII. NURLU AND LIERAMONT 227 XIV. THE FIGHT FOR RONSSOY 243 XV. "ERNEST" IS LOST 258 XVI. THE DECISIVE DAYS 274 XVII. WITH THE AMERICANS 283 XVIII. A LAST DAY AT THE O.P. 303 XIX. "THE COLONEL——" 326 PUSHED I. BEFORE THE ATTACK. ToC By means of a lorry lift from railhead, and a horse borrowed from the Divisional Ammunition Column, I found Brigade Headquarters in a village that the Germans had occupied before their retreat in the spring of 1917. The huge, red-faced, grey-haired adjutant, best of ex-ranker officers, welcomed me on the farmhouse steps with a hard handshake and a bellowing "Cheerio!" followed by, "Now that you're back, I can go on leave." In the mess the colonel gave me kindly greeting, and told me something of the Brigade's ups and downs since I had left France in August 1917, wounded at Zillebeke: how all the old and well-tried battery commanders became casualties before 1917 was out, but how, under young, keen,…