ANCRE HEIGHTS

The Battle of Ancre Heights

The battle honour “Ancre Heights” represents one of the grimmest and most costly chapters of the Somme campaign for both of the Regiment’s perpetuated Great War units—the 2nd Battalion, CEF (the “Iron Second”) and the 77th (Ottawa) Battalion, CEF.

The Battle of Ancre Heights was awarded to the 2nd Bn, CEF by GO 110/29 and is perpetuated on the Colours of the Governor General’s Foot Guards by GO 32/32.  That Battle Honour is adorned on the Colours of many Canadian units that perpetuate regiments and battalions from the First World War including some that are on the supplementary order of battle and others that have been disbanded. The 77th (Ottawa) Battalion, CEF was broken up to provide reinforcements. A remarkable 807 other ranks originally of the 77th Battalion fought in the mud of Ancre Heights under the banners of other Canadian units (principally the 87th and 38th Battalions).

It was an intense period of fighting from 1 October to 11 November 1916 that was part of the Somme offensive.  The area known as Ancre Heights sits roughly 15 to 20 km north of the Somme River acting as a high plateau that separates the smaller Ancre River valley from the broader Somme River valley. The 2nd Battalion arrived in Somme area on 31 August 1916 and with approximately one month of fighting the Battalion had 345 casualties; 129 dead and 216 wounded.  One name that stood out in the Somme offensive was Cpl Leo Clarke who distinguished himself at Pozieres Ridge and would learn later that he was to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic actions.

The task in early October for the allies was to push North from their present position near Amiens (35 km to the southwest) and Courcelette (about 1.5km away) and break the german defences.  The main stronghold was a large defensive line that the Germans called, Staufen Riegel, known by the allies as Regina Trench. It was 4 km long following the natural contours of the ridgeline on the reverse slope of the ridge making it difficult for artillery to hit or even gauge its depth.  The trench system was a standard defensive position with deep dugouts and communication trenches with layers of barbed wire make it difficult to penetrate.  The task to take Regina Trench was given to the Canadian Corps under Lieutenant General Julien Byng.  The Corps attacked four times with devastating losses until victory was achieved on 11 November 1916.

The Canadian Corps attacked on 1 October 1916 with the 2nd Battalion as part of 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade as part of the Division reserve.  The real battle for the 2nd Battalion was on the second attempt which was launched on 8 October 1916.  No 3 and No 4 Companies were on the right flank supporting the assault of the 3rd (Toronto) and 4th (Central Ontario) Battalions while No. 1 and 2 Companies were held in defensive lines and “Stood To” through out the operation.  OC 2, Capt Hudson, was killed in a communication trench while conducting a recce forward.  A total of ten were killed and 43 wounded in the operation from the Battalion before they were withdrawn until the 14th of October when they pushed forward once again to hold the line around Courcelette.  It was during this last action for the 2nd that another five were killed and seven wounded bringing the total casualties at 18 Officers and 601 Other Ranks in a six week period.  A/Sgt Leo Clarke was buried in debris from an exploding artillery shell near Regina Trench.  His brother, Charlie, dug him out alive – but Leo was paralyzed and suffered serious internal injuries to which he succumbed on 19 October 1916 which sadly was the same day the British army announced his VC.  (source: The Canadian Encyclopedia).

The third assault on Regina Trench took place on 21 October 1916 but the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade of which the 2nd Battalion was a unit was considered a spent unit and left out of battle having lost near half of its fighting force.  The assault was a partial victory which was led by the 4th Canadian Division under Major General Swift (a former Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion).  One of the units in the 4th Canadian Division was the 87th Battalion (Canadian Grenadier Guards) as noted made up of many former members of the 77th Battalion.

The fourth and final assault on Regina Trench took place on 10-11 November 1916 led exclusively by the brigades of the 4th Canadian Division and captured the eastern side of the trench system.