Operation Michael.
Somme. Brie. 9th (Queens Royal) Lancers. 22 March 1918.
During March 1918 the 9th Lancers were stationed at Doingt near to Peronne. On the opening day of Operation Michael, 21 March, the Germans advanced from St Quentin along the line of the road towards Amiens. The 9th Lancers were stood to in readiness and in the late afternoon moved a short distance south to Le Mensil-Bruntel where they spent the night. In the late evening of 22 March they moved to Athies where they stayed for about an hour and then went back to Le Mensil to cover the road and the important bridge over the River Somme at Brie.
At this time they met up with the unit Pioneer Squadron. On 17 March The Pioneers, made up of 3 Officers and 150 ORs, had been assigned to Brigade and were detailed to carry out working parties near Roisel, consequently they were in the forward area when the Operation Michael started. During this time all of the unit casualties were in the Pioneer Squadron with 1 officer KIA (Lieutenant OF Stapleton-Bretherton (CWGC) and one wounded and ORs, 8 KIA, 24 wounded and 56 missing.
They stayed in the Brie area for the next 2 days before themselves retreating over the bridge to take up positions on the west back of the river and from there back again to Amiens.
GOOGLE MAPS centres on Brie and the bridge over the River Somme
(National Archives)
The 9th Lancers returning from the front near Premont, 13 October 1918. (IWM Q 80447)
References and Sources WAR DIARY 9 (QR) Lancers.
B&O 1918. Kaiser Offensive. Operation Michael. Doingt. 9th (QR) Lancers. 22 March 1918.
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