On This Day ... in 1356 & Others
Edward, the Black Prince, secured a crushing victory over King Jean II of France at Poitiers. Based in Bordeaux, the Black Prince took perhaps 7,000 men on an extended raid into the Loire valley. Jean II led an army of at least twice as many men towards Poitiers in an attempt to cut Edward off. The English took up a defensive position behind a thorn hedge. Repeated French attacks, mainly on foot, were driven off, until only King Jean's division remained. At this point Edward decided to go over the attack, and led the English in a charge. The French broke when a small force of English troops under the Captal de Buch worked their way round to take the French in the rear. The true prize was the capture of King Jean, which gave the English significant bargaining power.
Poitiers was a victory of English strategic defense over French military ineptitude and of the commoner armed with a longbow over the French knight. It was a resounding defeat for the forces of chivalry. It was the second great victory for the English in the Hundred Year's War, the first being Crecy.
1917: Near Ypres, at the infamous Polygon Wood, Private (later Sgt) Roy Inwood, 10th Australian Battalion, went forward alone through the midst of an Allied artillery barrage, to surprise and capture a heavily defended strongpoint.
On subsequent days, he secured invaluable intelligence during a patrol, then helped a comrade destroy a German machine-gun nest. He received the Victoria Cross.
1940: During the day, Luftwaffe activity was much reduced, although one Junkers 88 bomber was captured intact after it was forced to land at RAF Oakington. As was by now usual, London was bombed during the night.
1944: At Arnhem, the pilot of an RAF Dakota transport, Flight Lieutenant David Lord, managed to keep control of his aircraft after an anti-aircraft hit. He kept the blazing Dakota on course to complete a supply drop to 1st Airborne Division, trapped at Arnhem, then held it level just long enough for his crew to bail out safely. He died in the crash.
On the ground, Captain Lionel Queripel of "A" Company, 10th Parachute Battalion (formerly the Royal Sussex Regiment) distinguished himself in fierce fighting lasting many hours, then stayed behind to cover the withdrawal of his troops. His body was never found.
Both Lord and Queripel were awarded posthumous Victoria Crosses.
A Bailey Bridge had been constructed overnight at Son in the Eindhoven area, allowing the Guards Armoured Division to resume XXX Corps' advance at first light. The Grenadier Guards took over the lead from the Irish Guards, who had led for the first two days, whilst the Welsh Guards attempted to open up a second route north via Helmond. During the morning, the Grenadier Guards reached the bridge at Grave, which had been secured by the US 504th Parachute Regiment of 82nd Airborne Division. The next major obstacle was the bridge at Nijmegen, which repeated attacks by US paratroopers had failed to seize.
At Arnhem itself, German reinforcements continued to arrive, including more heavy armour, but 2 PARA continued to hold the northern end of the bridge despite mounting losses, continual bombardment, and a lack of supplies. The bulk of 1st Airborne Division, off to the west, had to abandon its efforts to break through to the bridge as German counter-attacks took their toll.
Comments
A truly glorious day.
Posted by: thud | September 18, 2008 5:53 PM
Which side actually won the 100 years War? (in reality 116 years War) History tells us much about the crushing English victories at Crecy, Poitiers & Agincourt, courtesy of the Welsh Longbow, but it would seem, totalling up the eventual balance sheets so to speak, England had all but lost its claim to French territory? Basically only hanging on to Calais? It was several hundred years, before any English/British force returned to Continental Europe in strength. I'm sure some one will put me right.
Posted by: SeanS | September 20, 2008 11:04 AM