JH Read

WW1 experiences of Sir Herbert Read MC DSO. Poet, critic, anarchist. Captain, 2nd Battalion Green Howards. 21 Brigade, 30th Division.

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

Tweeting extracts of my grandfather's account of the retreat from St Quentin, March 1918. Captain Herbert Read, 2Bn Green Howards

#Kaiserschlacht

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

To the NE lay the squat towers of Amiens, a city in whose defence we had endured hardships until the flesh had been defeated and the brave heart broken, My mind held a vague wonder at her fate, a wonder devoid of hope. I could not believe in the avail of any effort.

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

26th March, Roye. In the morning we congregated in the square and I was amazed at the numbers there. The streets were congested with infantrymen from several divisions, with French armoured cars, cavalry and staff officers. We fell in by divisions and marched off. #Kaiserschlacht

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

At Rouvrel the rest of the battalion joined us having been withdrawn from the line without further serious casualties. On the 29th I set off on horseback with the transport to trek down the valley of the Somme.

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

But here a few hours later were the survivors, chatting over a blazing fire, passing a bottle of coffee round, very unperturbed, not in any way self-conscious. We stacked the fire high and stretched on the floor in front of it, and slept for a few hours.

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

At the stragglers post in Carrepuits we found and officer, very harassed and bored. Men were collected and separated into divisions and ordered to report to such and such a place. I found about 50 men from my division and was instructed to report to an HQ in Royes.

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

They put it to the vote: there, with death literally staring them in the face, they called on the men to show hands if they would surrender or make a run for it. They had voted unanimously for the run. Half of them perished in the attempt.

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

"We shall have to fight every inch back again" he said "These Frenchmen will never hold them". I went on too tired to answer. I saw a sign with an arrow and "Stragglers Post" in bold letters. So I was a straggler. I felt very bitter and full of despair. #KaisersBattle

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

Daybreak on the 25th was less misty. Bread and bully-beef had arrived during the night. The sun was soon up and we began to feel almost cheerful again. The only plan seemed to be the obvious one of holding our positions. Engineers were ready to blow the bridge if need be

[JH Read @cornelius_vane]

We came across French machine-gunners who looked at us curiously and asked for news but did not seem very perturbed. At the village (probably Solente) an officer of the engineers stood by his horse, smoking. He asked my why I was retreating. The question seemed silly.