Liberation of Le Quesnoy

On 4 November, the next phase of the Allied advance began with the Battle of the Sambre. The division was tasked with the capture of Le Quesnoy and extending the front line past the town.

Having effectively surrounded Le Quesnoy, on two occasions captured German soldiers were sent into the town to explain the hopelessness of the German position. On the final occasion the Germans returned saying “the men were willing to surrender but that the officers refused.”

Shortly after noon, with German machine gun fire from the walls of Le Quesnoy harassing New Zealand troops within range, it was decided to make another attempt to capture the town. Concentrated Lewis gun fire cleared the main rampart of German troops. “Barrowclough accordingly ordered Averill to take a Lewis gun section of the centre company and reconnoitre the inner line of island walls. Carrying the scaling ladder with them the party climbed without difficulty one of the outer bastions, pulled the ladder up after them, walked down an. easy grassy slope on the far side unmolested, and along an 8-foot high bank to the second line of demilunettes Scaling this also successfully they were now able to view the sheer face of the final rampart.”

A decision was made to scale the main rampart.

“Quietly they raised the ladder against the wall. It reached the top of the bricks with a foot to spare, resting against a 2-foot high grassy bank which crowned the rampart and prevented the projecting top of the ladder from being seen from the interior of the town. Two of the riflemen steadied the ladder on its insecure perch, and Averill started to mount it”

“It was now about 4 p.m. Averill quickly reached the top of the brick-work, and stepped over the coping on to the grassy bank. Crouching behind it, he peered over. It was one of the most dramatic moments in the Division's history. There was an instant crashing through some brushwood on the far side, and Averill saw 2 Germans of the bombing post running off panic-stricken.”

“By this time the remainder of the battalion were swarming up the ladder. The Germans recognising the fait accompli threw up the sponge, and some 15 minutes later the 2nd Rifles marched in through the Valenciennes Gate.” [Excerpts From: Col. H. Stewart. “The New Zealand Division 1916 - 1919: A Popular History Based on Official Records.”]