100 Days. August 1918
Battle of Amiens. Morlancourt, 9 Bn Royal Fusiliers. 8 August 1918.
The battalion was engaged in the Battle of Amiens fron 8 August 1918. They were operating to the south of Morlancourt on the Brai-Corbie Road
Transcript of Battalion War Diary 8 August 1918
‘Large attack being made today by 4th Army. The Brigade has been lent to the 18 Division for the operation and is operating south of the Brai-Corbie Road. Tanks are cooperating. Battalion in forming up places at 2.30am, Battalion attacking on the left of the Brigade front Bray-Corbie Rd. exclusive of 7 Royal Sussex on our right, 55 Brigade on our left. Zero hour at 4.20am. Tanks started moving forward at Zero -20 minutes and the infantry at Zero -10 minutes. Artillery of all calibres opened and heavy barrage along the while front at Zero hour. A dense mist prevailed at Zero hour and it was impossible to see 10 yards. As a result sections, platoons, companies and tanks became somewhat mixed up. By 8.00am the mist had lifted and it was reported that the first objectives had been gained by B Coy on the right and D Coy on the left. A Coy on right and C Coy on left passed through and gained second objective. The 55 Brigade of 18 Division passed through to third objective which they gained. They were then driven out by a German counter attack and by the afternoon the Battalion found that it was holding the front line. All troops to the front of the Battalion had been driven back. The Battalion held on to its objectives. Hostile shelling died down towards evening and the Battalion consolidated the lines it had gained. Troops on our right were in position but on our left the situation was not quite clear. Touch was eventually gained with 5 Bn Royal West Kents’.
Casualties – Officers 3 KIA, Lieutenant WE Hill (CWGC), Second Lieutenants RT Eager and A Nicholson, and 2 wounded, 1 missing Second Lieutenant A Hunter: ORs estimated at 350 KIA, wounded or missing. As a result of the casualties the battalion was reorganised into 2 companies.
Private 73090 Cyril Jones, 9 Bn Royal Fusiliers. 8 August 1918, Vis en Artois Memorial.
GOOGLE MAPS Satellite view centres on Bray-Corbie Road between Morlancourt and River Somme.
References and Sources WAR DIARY 3 9Bn Royal Fusiliers page 54ff
B&O 1918. 100 Days. Somme, Morlancourt, 9 Bn Royal Fusiliers. 8 August 1918.
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