Ancre

The reformed division, both veteran units and newly joined ones such as the SR battalions, had been thoroughly trained for operations on the Western Front, and its first offensive operation, the Battle of the Ancre was meticulously planned. The attack was launched at 05.45 on 13 November behind a Creeping barrage. 7th Royal Fusiliers (7th RF) were in support behind 189th Bde, which successfully overran the German front system of trenches. Thereafter confusion set in, with troops attempting to move onto the next objectives through fog, shellholes and waterlogged communication trenches. By 06.30 the results were patchy: some parties were in the German support and reserve lines, in other places the front line had not been secured. 190th Brigade was now ordered forward, but 7th RF was held up by fire in the German front line. Disorganised attempts to get forward to the first or even second objectives went on all day, at the end of which a mixed force of 63rd (RN) Division was just short of the second objective in front of Beaucourt-sur-l'Ancre, and part of 7th RF was on the first objective, but by then it was too dark to reorganise. Next morning the barrage was renewed at 06.20, but only about 80 men of 7th RF were in position to take part in the attack, which captured Beaucourt. A protective field gun barrage deterred German counter-attacks, and 63rd (RN) Division was relieved on the morning of 15 November. 7th Royal Fusiliers had gone into action with 22 officers and 629 ORs; they lost 13 officers and 331 ORs.^{[34][35][37][38][39]}

63rd (RN) Division was back in action on the Ancre Heights in January and February 1917, including the Actions of Miraumont (17–18 February), but 190th Bde did not take part in the attacks.^{[34][35][40][41]} On 23 February the Germans began their withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line (Operation Alberich). Patrols from 7th RF discovered this next day, and pushed forward fighting patrols. On the morning of 25 February the battalion advanced nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) in 'artillery formation' (open order) as 63rd (RN) Division followed up through Miraumont until it was relieved by a fresher division later in the day.^[42][43]

Arras

The division went back into the line for the Arras Offensive. It stood fast on the opening day, and was in reserve thereafter, until it was committed to the attack on 23 April (the Second Battle of the Scarpe). The assembly trenches the battalion dug 200 yards (180 m) from the German positions were destroyed by shellfire and a new line had to be dug during the night of 21/22 April. Its objective was the village of Gavrelle, but despite lavish artillery support it found that the barbed wire had not been cut sufficiently. The hold-up to 7th RF exposed the left flank of 190th Bde, which the battalion had been assigned to protect. However, the division did succeed in capturing Gavrelle and holding it against fierce counter-attacks. Casualties to 7th RF had again been heavy.^{[34][35][44][45]}

For the next attack (the Battle of Arleux) the battered 7th RF formed a composite battalion with the 4th Bedfords. The attack by 188th Bde and 1st HAC on 28 April failed, and for its renewal next day the only reinforcement available was the composite battalion: 1st HAC and this battalion recaptured a strongpoint won and lost the previous day, and then 'bombed' their way forward through the German defences to get in touch with 22nd (Kensington) Bn Royal Fusiliers of 2nd Division. 2nd Division was able to 'dribble' some reinforcements from 23rd (1st Sportsman's) Bn Royal Fusiliers up to help, and together the mixed parties then worked their way up to within 200 yards (180 m) of Oppy Wood. Later the much-reduced 63rd (RN) Division was relieved, but fighting continued at Oppy Wood for another two months.^{[34][35][46][47][48][49]}

Winter 1917–18

The division remained in the now-quiet Oppy Wood sector from July to September and was not committed to the offensive again until the final stages of the Third Ypres Offensive, the Second Battle of Passchendaele. On 26 October the division tried to advance up the valley of the Lekkerboterbeek, but the mud was knee-deep and the advance proceeded at a pace of less than a yard per minute, falling far behind the creeping barrage, and with rifles clogged with mud. The men fell back to their starting position if they could. On 30 October they tried again, this time on higher ground above the Lekkerboterbeek, but the mud was still knee-deep, the men lost the barrage, and were caught by the enemy artillery, casualties being particularly heavy in 190th Bde. All attempts to get forward failed and men lay out in the mud all day and the next night under fire from an uncaptured pillbox until a final failed attack on 07.45 on 31 October. The battalion was relieved that night^{[34][35][50][51][52]}

After the Ypres operation the CO, Lt-Col Playfair, was sent to hospital and Maj E.G.L'Estrange Malone took command. After resting and refitting, the 63rd (RN) Division moved south and by 21 December was holding the front line on Welsh Ridge, where the German counter-attack after the Battle of Cambrai had been halted. The battalion was ordered to capture a prisoner for identification purposes; it was a bright moonlit night with frost on the ground so any movement in No man's land was likely to be seen. The raid sent out under Lance-Corporal Norris spotted an enemy patrol on the same mission, and lured it towards a standing patrol of the 7th RF, which captured one of the Germans, securing the identification only three and a half hours after the order arrived. Lance-Corporal Norris was awarded the Military Medal (MM).^[53]

On the night of 29/30 December, with snow on the ground, the Germans heavily shelled the division's supporting artillery with Mustard gas, then at 06.30 began an intense bombardment of the front line, smashing trenches, dugouts and dumps. Fifteen minutes later the German infantry attacked in snow camouflage and employing flamethrower detachments. The British artillery, machine guns and rifles took a heavy toll of them, but in places they broke into the British forward outposts in the old Hindenburg Line. 7th Royal Fusiliers were pushed out of Eagle Trench, with many of the outposts captured, because there were no communication trenches back from the old German trenches and the ground behind was still covered by the old German wire. The Medical Officer and Regimental Aid Post were among those captured. A counter-attack by the brigade reserve recovered most of the ground at noon. A second attack next day made no headway. Casualties were heavy on both sides, with 7th RF losing 9 officers and 244 ORs; the battalion's 'trench strength' was now only 11 officers and 167 ORs. The battalion was temporarily amalgamated with the 1st Artists Rifles.^{[34][35][55][56][57][58]}

Spring 1918

When the German spring offensive (Operation Michael) was launched on 21 March 1918, 63rd (RN) Division was occupying part of the Flesquières Salient, the last remaining gain from the Battle of Cambrai. This was recognised as being vulnerable, so was only held by the outpost line, the main battle zone being a shorter line further back. The Germans steadily shelled the salient with mustard gas between 10 and 16 March, possibly hoping that the British would withdraw from it anyway; by the time it was relieved 7th RF had about 250 men evacuated to hospital, but it had to go back into the line on 20/21 March. The battalion received a draft of over 100 reinforcements at 01.00 on 21 March: after a three-day journey in lorries they were sent straight up into the line in the dark, never having been in a trench before.^[59][60][61]

The German bombardment began at 04.00 on 21 March and the infantry attacked out of the morning fog. B Company of 7th RF beat off the attack to their front but found their left flank uncovered where the Germans had got into the trenches of the neighbouring battalion and they had to withdraw, with their company commander killed. C Company came up to counter-attack, finding men from both flanking battalions mixed up in the Royal Fusiliers' trenches. A Company counter-attacked to retake the trenches to the right. Having stabilised their front the battalion held on all day, but were ordered to begin withdrawing from the salient at 01.00 on 22 March, destroying the heavy equipment before leaving. The battalion withdrew along a duckboard track under artillery fire; about 11.00 the British artillery opened up and stopped the Germans from following up further. The division now held the old British front line. However, the retirement was resumed at 20.00 that evening.^[62][63][64]

The battalion went back through Trescault to the Metz Switch trench at the southern edge of Havrincourt Wood. This was part of the British 'Green Line', but the trenches were barely started, being only 2 feet (0.61 m) deep, with no dugouts and no field of fire, though there were some huts in Léchelle. At this point the 1st Artists Rifles and the 4th Bedfords were holding a line east of Ytres, with 7th RF in support. The position rapidly grew critical, with heavy shellfire driving the men out of the huts. Gaps were opening along Third Army's line as neighbouring divisions fell back, and without further withdrawal 63rd (RN) Division's frontline troops were in danger of being cut off. 7th Royal Fusiliers had to fall back over the open to the Rocquigny–Bus road under Shrapnel shell and machine gun fire. By the time the battalion arrived, Lt-Col Malone and the second-in-command had both been evacuated to hospital so it was commanded by Capt J. Forster, who rallied the scattered men with a hunting horn. At 19.00 7th RF was ordered to fill the gap between 190th Bde and 47th (1/2nd London) Division, but the gap was too wide and the Germans were already in Bus.^{[63][65][66][67]}

The nearby ammunition dumps and stores had been set alight and blazed all night. At dawn on 24 March 7th RF was covering the Rocquigny–Bus road and held up the enemy's advance for a time while Rocquigny was heavily bombarded. At 08.00 the battalion fell back on Le Transloy, where the men were congratulated by the divisional commander on their fine work. But in a few hours the enemy pressure on their position was such that the battalion was ordered to fall back once more. It retired over the old Somme battlefields through Flers and High Wood to Bazentin le Petit, acting as the division's flank guard. The battalion reached Bazentin at 18.00 after several encounters with the enemy and was ordered into divisional reserve, spending the night in the open in a chalk quarry at Courcelette.^{[63][65][68][69]}

At noon next day (25 March) the battalion took up position on the ridge covering Courcelette as the troops in front were forced back. Thinking that the British were on the run, the Germans attacked in masses and were shot down in large numbers on the slopes, but with both flanks 'in the air' 7th RF was forced to withdraw slowly towards Thiepval at 14.00, covered by a rearguard as the Germans pressed on both flanks. Many of the men were cut off as the engagement became general. By 20.00 the battalion was in old German positions along the Thiepval ridge, where 63rd Division was covering the Ancre crossings, and it held this position until 04.00 on 26 March. It then crossed the river, 7th RF using Authuile bridge, and held the eastern edge of Aveluy Wood. From this high ground they watched the Germans moving towards Aveluy at 08.00, when the bridges were blown. An hour later the battalion was relieved and withdrew though the wood to Martinsart and Englebelmer.^[70][71][72]

During the day the Germans had occupied Albert, and that night they began advancing out of the town. 190th Brigade was alerted to counter-attack at 03.00 on 27 March, for which 7th RF was in support. The German advance was halted and the battalion remained on the Bouzincourt–Aveluy. line. Later the Germans secured a foothold in Aveluy Wood but were halted when 190th Bde was brought up again. By now the brigade was too weak to counter-attack, and the fighting died down.^[73][74][75]

Although completely exhausted, 63rd (RN) Division, remained close to the line in reserve while drafts of reinforcements began to arrive. While this process was still going on, 7th RF went back into the front line near Mesnil on 3 April, under the command of acting-Major P.L.E. Walker of the 7th Hussars. The final phase of Operation Michael (the Battle of the Ancre) came on 5 April. The German preliminary bombardment cut all communications and most of the officers were casualties. German infantry got round both flanks and were firing into the battalion from the rear. With many of the men overwhelmed the whole brigade was forced back after hand-to-hand fighting in the afternoon. At 04.30 next day 7th RF was still out of touch with the 4th Bedfords on the left until the adjutant filled the gap with a Lewis gun team. Early in the day Maj Walker and all the officers were casualties and a non-commissioned officer took over. The survivors joined a counter-attack by the Royal Marine Light Infantry that regained much of the lost ground at 07.45 and a position was consolidated by 14.00. The 7th RF was relieved at dusk, having lost 12 officers and 205 ORs in two days, but the Germans had made little progress.^[76][77]

Summer 1918

63rd (RN) Division took no further part in the Spring fighting while its battalions were slowly brought back to strength. By July the division was in the Mailly area, and the reconstituted 7th RF was active in carrying out trench raids that progressively advanced the divisional front. On 4 July the battalion carried out a raid that did considerable damage to the German front line and took prisoners. Sergeant West with his prisoner got lost in No man's land, but he stuck to his prisoner and eventually brought him in through another part of the division's line; West was awarded the MM. On the night of 22/23 July 7th RF captured and occupied the enemy's forward posts.^[78]

Hundred Days Offensive

The Allies launched their Hundred Days Offensive on 8 August and 63rd (RN) Division joined in at the Battle of Albert on 21 August. Zero hour was 04.55, and the leading formations found themselves attacking through a thick fog; by the time 63rd (RN) Division's leading brigades passed through the fog was thickened by smoke and the advance became confused. The attack was held up, and when 7th RF with 190th Bde passed through in turn it took them until after dark to consolidate positions alongside Logeast Wood.^[79][80][81] The Germans counter-attacked next day and shortly after 12.00 they pushed into a gap between 63rd (RN) and 3rd Divisions, turning 7th RF's position. There was a fierce struggle before the ground was recovered. The day was hot and the battalion was suffering from lack of water and ammunition. Arrangements to air-drop ammunition to the forward positions did not work well – it fell in No man's land and in the wood – and 7th RF had to borrow ammunition from 4th Bedfords until supplies were brought up at 18.00. The division was relieved that night^[82][83]

The supporting artillery having been brought up, 63rd (RN) Division renewed the attack on 26 August, attempting to capture Thilloy, Ligny Thilloy and Riencourt-lès-Bapaume, near Bapaume. The two attacking brigades were held up and in the renewed attack next day 7th RF advanced with the 4th Bedfords. The barrage at Zero (11.00) fell short, causing casualties among the troops assembled for the attack, which failed. In the afternoon another attack was delivered, and the troops penetrated into Thilloy. But the battalion was now seriously weakened, with particularly heavy losses among the officers. The leaderless survivors withdrew and the battalion was relieved after what the regimental history admits was 'a disastrous day'. 190th Brigade did not take part in the division's next few operations.^[84][85]

190th Brigade was back in the line for the Battle of the Canal du Nord on 27 September, when it crossed the canal after some stiff fighting, and then crossed the old Hindenburg support line. Here they were held up at about 08.00 and requested artillery support did not materialise, so the advance was halted until the rest of the division passed through. The advance continued over the next two days, across part of the Marcoing Line and the St Quentin Canal. At 06.30 on 30 September 7th RF put in an attack towards Cambrai from near Proville, but it was difficult ground and the battalion was held up by converging machine gun fire after advancing only 200 yards (180 m).^{[86][87][88][89]}

There was then a pause before the Battle of Cambrai was launched on 8 October. 63rd (RN) Division's objective was Niergnies, and 7th RF held its position while the attack went in. During the day the Germans counter-attacked using captured tanks, but the division recovered from its surprise and beat off the attacks: 7th RF only suffered three casualties.^[90][91][92]

63rd (RN) Division was then pulled out and sent north to join First Army. The advance was now turning into a pursuit, and the division's last action was the Passage of the Grande Honnelle on 7 November when the division pushed its way across the river. On 10 November the division secured the high ground beyond Harveng, south of Mons.^[93] 7th Battalion Royal Fusiliers was at Harveng when the Armistice with Germany came into effect next day.^[29] It was disembodied on 3 June 1919.^[4][94]