Free The Forgotten Spy by Nick Barratt Page A

knowledge. It is also possible that Oldham underwent some elementary counter-intelligence fieldwork – including a demonstration of his ability to extract information from a stranger and the art of disappearing in crowds.
    However, either Oldham’s German was not up to scratch or his military knowledge deemed too limited and he was not selected. It did not help that, at the time he was applying, a request to the War Office to expand the Intelligence Corps establishment in the light of increased signals activity was rejected, with the note that any new capacity for wireless and communications work had to be found from existing numbers. 52 Doubtless dejected at this setback, Oldham returned to the front line on 14 July.
    By this stage, the Second Battle of the Marne was about to start – a key moment in which French forces first repulsed and then reversed a German assault, resulting in a series of counter-attacks known as the Hundred Days Offensive, as Allied numerical superiority against stretched defences finally punctured the German lines. The Battle of Amiens that started on 8 August and was described as ‘the black day of the German Army’ created a 15-mile gap, shattering German morale; the Second Battle of the Somme which opened a week later produced similar results. From this point onwards, the German Army was in retreat towards the Hindenburg Line.
    During this period, Oldham’s battalion was stationed at Dickebusch and in the lines at Ouderdom, and thus escaped most of the fighting. However, towards the end of August, they were on the move – including a ‘very trying march’ from St Momelin to Quelmes on which one of the soldiers actually died. 53 From there, they moved to Licques on 28 August and were treated to a battalion dinner at the Hôtel des Voyageurs. Thereafter followed several weeks of intensive attack training interspersed with rest, including bathing in the River Ancre at Heilly or baths for those who did not want a dip. There was also a variety of evening performances performed by a local troupe of entertainers called the ‘Kancies’ in the grounds of Heilly Château.
    On 11 September the battalion moved back into action, first marching to Aubigny and then embarking on 14 September onto buses and driving the 30 or so miles to their final destination at Trefcon, arriving at 1.30 pm the same afternoon. Having settled in their billets, they spent the next few days in reconnaissance operations, checking the line were they were to be posted to, ostensibly in case of enemy attack but in reality to put all the recent assault training into practice – ‘making preparations for the coming show’, as their commanding officer wrote in the war diary. 54 The coming show turned out to be the Battle of Épehy, an attack on German outpost positions that were stationed on high ground in front of the Hindenburg Line – a preliminary attack ordered by Field Marshal Haig before a planned major offensive along the entire line. This was sparked by an earlier success at the Battle of Havrincourt on 12 September that saw Allied troops breach the Hindenburg defensive line for the first time. It was none other than General Sir Harry Rawlinson who oversaw operations.
    From their base at Trefcon, the men of the battalion made their final preparations. On the afternoon of 17 September, the troops moved up to the west side of St Quentin wood in readiness for an assault on the German lines the next day. At 8.30 pm, the company commanders met up with the senior officers to receive their instructions for the next morning’s action, with all necessary stores moved in readiness for the attack. The officers returned to their men and ordered everyone to don service dress. By 11.00 pm it had started to rain and a torrential thunderstorm thereafter raged constantly from midnight until the early hours, the nervousness of the soldiers compounded by heavy enemy bombardment.
    At 3.20 am on the morning of 19 September, with rain