The Sambre Canal 4th November 1918

I travelled south to Ors in France today to look at part of the Battle for the Sambre. I would then also pop over to Le Cateau, scene of a battle during the Great Retreat after the Battle at Mons in 1914, which I will post separately later today.

Today I was looking at both ends of World War One. The Battle for the Sambre was right at the end of the War on the 4^th November 1918 only one week before the armistice. The Allies had the Germanys in retreat. The Battle of Le Cateau was in in August 1914 and was part of the Allies retreat when the Germans pushed them back towards Paris, although Le Cateau had to be retaken again in 1918 before the Allies got to the Sambre.

Ors is a small village located on the Sambre-Oise canal. This was a battle where Wilfred Owen, the world famous War Poet was killed. It was also a battle involving the 1^st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment. On the 4^th November 1918 companies from the 2^nd Bn Manchester Regiment and 16^th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers with Royal Engineers were tasked with crossing the Sambre-Oise canal at Ors. They had to build bridges and create a bridgehead on the German held bank.

At 5:50am on the 4^th November 1918 ‘D’ Company of the 2^nd Bn Manchester regiment including Lt Wilfred Owen lay on the bank ready to attempt crossing the canal and to take the fight to the Germans on the opposite bank. Next to them in the village near the lock and destroyed bridge was the 1^st Bn Dorsetshire Regiments. Just around the bend in the canal were the 16^th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers.

Manchesters’ officer, 2nd Lt James Kirk won a posthumous Victoria Cross here. Before being shot in the head as he had paddled himself out across the canal on a raft and opened fire with a Lewis gun on the defending German forces.

Lt.Colonel Marshall also won a posthumous V.C. being killed when he attempted to lead his men across a floating bridge which Royal Engineers had just repaired.

Even with the intense artillery and machine-gun fire at close range, both Major Waters and Sapper Archibald of 218th Field Company who had both been involved in the attempts to bridge the canal survived. They were both awarded the V.C.

Wilfred Owen did not survive. Somewhere on the bank he was killed. His friend 2nd Lt. Foulkes, who was wounded in the attack, said that Owen was last seen trying to cross the canal on a raft under very heavy gunfire.

Overall it was proving very difficult for the Manchesters and Lancs to cross the canal. The 1^st Bn Dorsets were tasked with bridging the lock by floating a pontoon carrying a pre made bridge structure down the canal to the lock. To assist this an officer was to cross the canal in a collapsible boat. The pontoon carry the bridge was hit by German shell fire and the officers boat turned over.

The Dorsets were able to give covering fire from near the lock so that Royal Engineers could build a floating bridge, using old petrol cans. This was just south of the lock. As soon as it was completed, two companies of the Dorsets ran across and spreadout to form a small bridgehead. 2nd Lt Francis Robins was the first man across and was awarded the Military Cross for his courage.

At the same time the Manchesters and Lancs were taking heavy casualties in their failed attempt to cross. They were ordered to move through the village and cross the floating bridge just crossed by the Dorsets. Once on the German side of the canal, the Manchesters and Lancs attacked La Motte Farm, which was a German strongpoint which was eventually captured.

By the end of the day the Allies were over the canal, the Germans had moved back and a bridgehead was created almost 50 miles wide with a depth of 2-3 miles.

It was great to walk the land where the Dorsets had to some degree saved the day.

I then visited Maison Forsetiere, which is supposed to be the house in which Wilfred Owen, wrote his last letter to his Mum on the 31^st October 1918. They have transformed the house into a white memorial for Wilfred Owen. I feel it should have been left as it was in 1918. The cellar is very atmospheric and you can listen to his letter to his mum while standing in the dark. Some local historians, believe this may not be the correct house but I have not seen the evidence of this.

Finally I visited the two cemeteries at Ors. The Communal Cemetery is in the village and there is a small CWGC plot. It is neat and tidy, but not the most picturesque I have seen. There are 60 fallen soldiers commemorated here, and includes Wilfred Owen’s last resting place as well as the graves for the VC winners Kirk and Marshall.

On the outskirts of the village is the Ors British Cemetery. This is the polar opposite to the communal cemetery. You have to walk 400 yards between fields to a hidden gem. Not large, but very peaceful, situated just off the banks of the canal where the Manchesters and Lancashire Fusiliers set off from. Until recently, you had to cross an open field to get to the cemetery and the local famer kept a Bull in the field, which made it interesting. This has all changed now with a clear fenced path.

This is a great village to visit and walk the battlefield. It has not changed much and you get the sense how difficult the task was back in 1918. You also have to keep in mind that this was only one week before the armistice and yet some many brave men were putting their lives on the line to complete their objectives. Then you have the last resting place for one of the 20^th Century’s most famous war poets. If you are ever in this area of France, please make a detour and pay your respects.