Operation Bulcher-Yorck.
Battle of the Aisne. Lhery. 10 Bn Worcestershire Regiment. 29-31 May 1918.
GOOGLE MAPS – Centres on Lhery with Romingny and Ville en Tardenois to the south.
During Operation Blücher-Yorck, the third phase in the Kaiser Offensive, the 10 Bn Worcestershire Regiment was at the village of Lhery, about 25 kms west of Reims. They arrived there mid day on 29 May 1918 and began entrenching. To their right they could hear the guns and sounds of battle but the only sign of the enemy was a scouting patrol which was fired on and driven off. That night was quiet but at dawn the enemy, after a bombardment, attacked in force against the positions around Lhery.
It was a desperate fight. To the left of 10 Bn’s position the enmy broke through and turned to attack the battalion’s flank, to the right also the enemy pushed forward – the 10 Bn, along with the 3 Bn Worcs., were threatened with encirclement. The Regimental History records ‘The enemy were shot down in swathes, but their numbers enabled them to close with bayonet’. Two times the attacks were repulsed but with heavy casualties – one company had lost all its officers and 2 thirds of total strength. The position could no be held and a desperate retreat began. Covered by a rearguard the men fell back through the burning village and to a new line to the south along an exposed shallow ridge. The enemy was held for a short time but then began a fierce bombardment of the new position and renewed the attack. It became clear that the battalion would have to make another desperate withdraw – this time t a new line about 800 yards back and near to Romingny. Once the new line had been established the 10 Bn Worcs. were withdrawn to a position south east of Ville en Tardenois. The next day the Germans came again. The front line was broken and the enemy overran Ville en Tardenois, Beyond the village the advance was held up by rifle fire from the 10 Bn and 3 Bn Worcs. From positions to the south west of the village
B&O 1918. Blucher-Yorck. Battle of the Aisne. PLACE. 10 Bn Worcestershire Rgt. 30 May 1918.
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