"A" Company's Report on Valenciennes Operation 

 November 1st 1918

After the various meetings of all Officers by the Commanding Officer and details of scheme explained, the scheme was carefully gone into with the whole Company and the following points explained.

That "A" Company attack on a two platoon frontage with one platoon in support. Lieut. Johnston with No.1 Platoon on the right and Lieut. Cook with No.2 Platoon on the left and Company Headquarters and Sergt Cairns with No.3 Platoon forming the support wave and that we advance on lines of sections in file at forty paces interval and 100 paces distance, and that the Company advance behind the 44th Battalion with our right flank resting on the main FAMARS-VALENCIENNES road until the cemetery in AULNOY was reached, at which point the Company were to slightly change direction by swinging to the right and crossing the FAMARS-VALENCIENNES road and that they were to get in behind the 44th Battalion's left flank and taking care of all buildings on main road running out of AULNOY.

The Battalion left present billets in THIANT for jumping off position by 0100 hours November 1st 1918 meeting guides and L.A.R.'s (Lewis machine guns) at Railway cutting as set out in orders. From here guides took respective platoons to their positions. Reported to B.H.Q. time 0255 hours that Company was in position.

The barrage opened at 0515 and the whole line moved off in good order. After we had gone about 500 yards we came under heavy machine gun fire from the left, just to the back of MOUNT HUOY and from the top of a building in K.3.c.40.30. I ordered one section of No.1 Platoon to mop up buildings which they did very satisfactorily, killing a large number of Boche and taking none prisoners. The M.G. on the left still gave us considerable trouble but we got forward with very few casualties as the resistance was overcome during the advance to the sunken road by the leading waves of the 44th Battalion. When within 400 yards of the sunken road we encountered heavy machine gun fire from houses at junction on sunken road and main FAMARS-VALENCIENES road.

At this point the 44th Battalion had some trouble so I ordered No.1 Platoon to assist them overcoming their resistance. They captured some machine guns and many prisoners besides killing a great number. The advance then continued without any check until about 50 yards beyond the sunken road when direct machine gun fire was encountered from the trench and main road behind us. At this particular stage I only had about 20 men under my direct command as Lieut. Johnstone had taken something like 20 men with him who were now merged with "B" Company on the left. Realizing that I had not sufficient men to tackle the area allotted to "A" Company I called upon two sections of "C" Company, one to assist on the right flank and one on the left. The barrage playing here for 15 minutes enabled me to organize for the second stage and upon barrage lifting the line went forward in good order.

A platoon from the 46th Battalion entering the outskirts of Valenciennes under fire on 1 November 1918

Opposition was not met with until we got practically in line with the houses at the junction of the roads in E.27.b.70.70. Here they held us up for a few minutes when the left L.A.R. section got their guns into action allowing the right to advance. The Boche were now retiring down the sunken road to the brickfields and we bought to bear heavy fire from our L.A.R.'s and rifles on them which was very effective. The advance continued without further trouble until we reached the south side of the brickfields. At this point we came under very heavy machine gun fire and there was a fight on for over 20 minutes, when finally I ordered C.S.M. Gibbons, Sergt Cairns and 4 other ranks with 2 L.A.R.'s to outflank them on the right. These men crawled on their hands and knees while we covered them with rapid rifle and machine gun fire, resulting in them getting within 75 yards of the Boche. The Boche Officer became a casualty and the whole position fell. We captured 3 field guns, one trench mortar, 7 machine guns and over fifty prisoners and the ground had plenty of dead on it. The advance then continued to the south edge of the factory without much opposition. Here I ordered Sergt Cairns with 8 other ranks and 1 L.A.R. to seize the railway crossing in E.16.c.85.30. I then went over to the right flank to straighten things out as this flank was held up by machine gun fire from the railway in E.23.a.60.20. I found nothing could be done by be as the fire came from the east of the river so I directed them to remain where they were until the situation cleared on the left. I proceeded to the left and met Lieut. Johnstone coming over with 10 O.R's (ordinary ranks) and two L.A.R.'s of "A" Company and 20 other ranks of the 44th Battalion he had taken charge of. He was proceeding to rejoin the Company. I ordered Lieut. Johnstone to mop up the factory and established posts on the railroad, while I proceeded to the left to find out how Sgt. Cairns had made out. Sgt. Cairns had established a post covering all the approaches and was then moving down the railway to connect with Lieut. Johnstone. The situation here was now clear. I once more went to the right to see if the bridgehead could not be taken but found a very limited field of fire and not a satisfactory postion to be taken up so retained the positon in E.22.b.60.00. The whole line was established by 0900 hours.

I then notified Lieut. Jones of "C" Company to have patrol report to me at once (as per O.O.181 of Oct.31/18). Lieut. MacLeod reported to me and I gave him the necessary instructions and he moved his party forward at 0920 hours. With him were 1 Sgt., 10 O.R's with L.A.R. They entered the factory just the other side of the railway in E.16.c.90.40. Lieut. MacLeod left 7 O.R's in the houses while he and Sgt. Cairns and 2 O.R's with L.A.R. proceeded to examine factory, Sgt. Cairns handling the gun himself. Just as they were crossing the street a Boche opened on them with an automatic rifle. Sgt. Cairns made a run for the swinging door opening into the courtyard shooting his L.A.R. from the hip. Those he did not kill or wound ran down a back street. At this time Lieut. MacLeod and one O.R. entered the courtyard and as they proceeded around the corner they discovered about 50 more Boche in a passage in a south-easterly end of the yard. Here they ordered them to put up their hands which was done immediately with the exception of one Boche who retained his rifle. Lieut. MacLeod immediately covered him with his revolver when a Boche Officer made a motion as if to put the rifle aside at the same time drew his pistol and shot Sgt. Cairns through the stomach. Sgt. Cairns then opened fire from the hip killing and wounding about 30. The Boche then saw they must fight for their lives and commenced firing a machine gun from a high brick wall. Sergt Cairns was again hit through the wrist but continued to fire his L.A.R. when he finally got a bullet through his hand nearly taking it off. This bullet also broke the L.A.R. He then threw the L.A.R. in the face of one of the Boche who were firing at him, knocking him over. He then staggered to the gateway and collapsed. He was being carried back to our line when M.G. fire opened from the left killing one of the carrying party. Lieut. MacLeod then dragged him into our lines and reported to me at 1315 hours what he had done and reported casualties as 1 killed and 1 wounded.

In conclusion would say the barrage was splendid though there were a number of shorts during the latter stages of the advance. The smoke barrage was effective and enabled us to get close to the Boche, and preventing him from knowing our strength which, had he known, would have caused us considerably more trouble and more casualties. The men did all I expected of them and I wish to specially mention the valuable services throughout the entire operation of the following O.R's.

Sgt. Cairns C.S.M. Gibbons Privates Slack, Dennis, and Windrim Also Lieut. MacLeod of "C" Company

I consider the work done by the above mentioned greatly assisted in the success in the action of my Company. Total casualties; - All ranks - 42

R.W. Gyles Capt. C.C. "A" Company

 Extract from the Canadian 46th Battalion War Diary for November 1918.   From:  The Sgt. Hugh Cairns page