Déjà vu

Alfred McNair Dykes had joined the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) in December 1893. During the South African War he served with the 2nd Battalion, first as a Lieutenant and then as a Captain, participating in the relief of Ladysmith and witnessing first-hand the carnage wrought by the Boer artillery on the exposed and ill-prepared British positions at Spion Kop, a battle in which he was severely wounded. Fourteen years later he was now a Lieutenant Colonel, commanding the 1st Battalion, a position he had held since August 1st, 1913.

Alfred McNair Dykes, photographed in Dundee, South Africa (King's Own Museum).

The 1st King's Own were part of the 12th Brigade in the 4th Division. They'd missed the epic action at Mons, having only landed in France on the 23rd of August. Three days later found them camped in an open field outside the nondescript little French village of Haucourt-en-Cambresis with rifles stacked and eating their breakfast. Their orders were to cover the left flank of the retreating British II Corps commanded by Lieutenant General Horace Smith-Dorrien, who, more in desperation than anything else, had decided to turn and give battle to the Germans along the line formed by the road running between Cambrai and Le Cateau.

At this point it would be easy for me to just copy out the relevant passage from Cowper's Regimental History; it would also make tedious reading. Instead, I'll let one of the 'poor bloody infantry' describe what happened:

Wednesday [26th].- Moved about midnight, and marched till daybreak. Just marched up hill onto ridge and halted for breakfast, when we came under terrible rifle fire, machine guns, and shrapnel from enemy concealed about 600 yards away. German rifle fire very inaccurate, or we would have been annihilated. Got order to retire. Had to run about 100 yards, in full view of the enemy, to cover in sunken road. Bullets whizzed past on all sides, but reached the road in safety. Retired in extended order down slope to road. Shells were bursting all round. Our own artillery had not yet got into action. Entrenched ourselves just behind road. Kept up continual fire at enemy on skyline about 1400 yards away. Shells still bursting uncomfortably near, but many went into ground without bursting. Enemy’s fire ceased about two o’clock, and I was with a party that advanced back to the ridge to try and collect the wounded who had been left in the morning. Got shelled again, and had to retire. Went out with three others and officer to draw fire. Laid down in cabbage patch, and stayed there a couple of hours under shell-fire. Retired down road to village, where church had been converted into a hospital for the wounded. Great artillery duel in progress. Towards dusk the Germans, who outnumbered us by three to one, began to advance. Party of infantry entered village. Bayonet charge under Capt. [Sparenborg], who was killed, but the Germans who survived fled down the street, but were met by a company of [Lancashire] Fusiliers, and not one escaped. Had to leave seriously wounded in church, which was blown up by the Germans. Got separated from battalion.

The man that wrote the above passage in his pocket diary survived the debacle; Alfred Dykes didn't. Apparently he was one of the earliest casualties of the maelstrom of artillery and machine-gun fire which descended upon the exposed and ill-prepared 1st Battalion, felled while shouting encouragement to his men. His last words were reported to have been 'Men, if you want your lives for God's sake extend,' and 'Good bye boys!'

History had repeated itself. You'd think he might just have learned a lesson at Spion Kop, wouldn't you?