Somme 2011

Battlefield Tour Map

Northumbrian Volunteer Artillery Association

Somme 2011

Somme - Delville Wood

Delville Wood, Longueval, is the site of the magnificent South African war memorial, which commemorates the fallen in both World Wars. The location is significant as it eas the first major engagement of the 1st South African Brigade on the Western Front.

Delville Wood was vital ground to the Germans. The South Africans had originaly taken the wood on 14th July 1916. They with stood repeated German attemps to dislodge them, and at one stage the Germans completely surrounded the South Africans, but they held the position. When relieved on 29th July 1916, initialy only 120 men out of 3,153 emerged from the carnage. Another 500 men would eventulay be accounted for.

South Africa World War One
Battle of Delville Wood

Delville Wood 1916

Delville Wood 2011

South African Memorial Delville Wood

Somme - Pipers Memorial Longueval

The Pipers memorial at Longueval is dedicated to all pipers who fell in the Great War. Cap badges belonging to regiments with pipers are set into the wall of the memorial. This includes the Tyneside Scottish, 11 pipers were killed or died of wounds on 1^st July 1916.

Somme - Flatiron Copse Cemetery

During 250^th Brigade’s occupations in the area of Flat iron Copse, C/250^th Battery suffered more casualties from counter battery fire than the other three sub units. Amongst those killed was Sgt P. Hearty.

 In the War History of the 1^st Northumbrian Bde. RFA (TF), it is recorded that Sergeant Hearty was a member of the Elswick Battery in South Africa. He was in South Africa, but not with the Elswick Battery, he was in fact a Royal Dublin Fusilier. However he was an original Territorial member of the Elswick Battery.

Sgt P.Hearty was buried in Flatiron Copse Cemetery.

CWGC Flatiron Copse Cemetery

Flatiron Copse Cemetery

Laying wreath Sjt PH Hearty C/250th Battery
Flatiron Copse Cemetery

 

Sjt PH Hearty
C/ 250 Brigade RFA (TF)

CWGC Serjeant P HEARTY

Sergeant Patrick Heal HEARTY Born South Dundalk 1875 Royal Dublin Fusiliers 1st Boer War Transvaal Laings Nek Cape Colony Tugela Heights Orange Free State Lady Smith 2nd Boer War South Africa 1901 South Africa 1902 Royal Artillery Enlisted 1st Northumberland RGA 1st January 1905 Enlisted 1st Northumbrian Bde RFA (3rd Northumberland Bty) Elswick 15th June 1908 on formation of TF.

Somme - Elswick Battery Position

The 3^rd Northumberland Battery (known as the Elswick Battery) became C / 250 Battery in the May 1916 reorganisation of the Royal Field Artillery. It was deployed along with the three other batteries of 250^th Brigade just off the road between Contalmaison and Bazentin le Petit.
During 250^th Brigade’s occupations in this area, C/250^th Battery suffered more casualties from counter battery fire than the other three sub units.

Elswick Battery position
Somme September 1916

Somme - Contalmaison

The 5oth Northumbrian Division did not deploy to the Somme till August 1916. The Division moved into the line in September, in preparation for the Battle of Flers Courcelette. This was the Northumbrians first set piece battle; it was to be the first time the Divisional Artillery was to fire a creeping barrage, and it was going to be the first battle that the British Army used tanks.

The 250^th Brigade RFA (1^st Northumbrian Brigade) occupied gun positions in the area of Contalmaison. The Brigade HQ was in the crypt of the church.

Contalmaison Church

NVAA briefing 2011

Contalmaison Church

250 Brigade RFA HQ 1916



                                              

Somme - Albert Communal Extension Cemetery

Albert Communal Extension Cemetery

CWGC Albert Communal Extension Cemetery

In the Albert Communal Cemetery extension is a communal grave of 12 soldiers, 11 Gunners from the 41st (Durham) Siege Battery RGA, and 1 attached from the Army Service Corps. The Soldiers were killled 14th July 1916. The Extension was used by fighting units and Field Ambulances from August 1915 to November 1916. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The 41 Sge Bty was formed under Major H.C. Hall, and was composed half of regulars from Hong Kong and Singapore, and half of territorials from the Durham RGA. 41 Siege were were equipeed with 2 x 6 inch Howitzers,and went out to the Western Front 9th Dec. 1915.



Laying a wreath in memory of the Durham RGA Gunners



Durham Royal Garrison Artillery
Gnr JP Frankland
Gnr JH Henderson
Gnr TW Lee
Gnr J Sweeting

41st Siege Battery RGA
Gnr JW Burr
Gnr S Caldicot
Gnr FE Goldsworth
Gnr E Hickman
Gnr CJ Hutchings
Gnr JJ Mulhill
Gnr CE Scott

Army Service Corps
Pte G Atkins

41st (Durham) Siege Battery
ConnunalAlbert Communal Extension Cemetery

Somme - Montabaun

On the 1^st July the 30^th Division was to attack to the right, 18^th Division left, with the 9^th Division in reserve. The three stage plan was supported by a creeping barrage. The 3oth Division was tasked with securing their first objective between the Maricourt Ridgeand Montauban by 8:28 am, and  the plan was to achieve this with two Brigades. Once the initial objecto9ves were secured, the remaining Brigade would pass through and seize Montauban

Montauban was another success for the British. Counter Battery fire had destroyed many of the German guns so there was little enemy artillery response to the British advance. The preliminary bombardment had been effective. Many of the German soldiers were suffering from exhaustion and shell shock. Consequently only small pockets of resistance existed. In Montauban it’s self the only thing found alive was a fox.

  In sharp contrast to the Pals memorial at Serre which signified the slaughter on the Somme, the Pals from Liverpool and Manchester who secured the village on 1^st July 1916 had achieved their objective, and advanced the furthest of any unit on the first day of the Somme

Somme - Fricourt and Mametz

The objectives of XV Corps were the villages of Fricourt and Mametz.  The strong defences in Fricourt and Fricourt Wood ruled out a direct frontal attack. The plan was the 21^st Division would outflank Fricourt to its north. The 7^th Division would capture Mametz, link up with the 21^st Division, and then a brigade from each Division would assault Fricourt.

The British finally achieved some success. In this area counter battery fire had been effective and many of the German guns were destroyed or neutralised. A creeping barrage was used allowing the infantry to close on the German trenches. Mametz was secured; Fricourt would fall on the 2^nd July to the 21^st Division, which included the 12^th and 13^th Battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers.

Success was not without casualties. The 10^th West Yorks at Fricourt sustained the heaviest casualties for a British Army unit on a single day throughout the war, 22 Officers and 688 other ranks.

Included in those casualties was Major JL Knott of Close House, Wylam, and son of Tyneside shipping owner John Knott. John Knott used his influence to have his son buried next to his brother in Ypres, the latter being killed in action in 1915





Memorial Fricourt

Somme - Lochnagar Crater

Lochnagar Crater

In preparation for the assault on La Boiselle two large mines had been laid under the salient formed by the trenches around La Boiselle. To the north was Y Sap, 40,000 pounds, and to the south, Lochnagar, 60,000 pounds.

The mines were detonated 2 minutes before zero hour, the crater left by the Lochnagar explosion remaining to this day.
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=50.015601&lon=2.697328&z=15.1&r=0&src=msl

 Friends of Lochnagar Crater

Somme - La Boiselle

 The plan was the 34^th Division (including the Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish Brigades) to attack on the right. The axis of attack was on the Fricourt Spur astride Sausage Valley as far as La Boiselle. On the left, the 8^th Division would capture the German defences north of the Baupane Road on the western slope of the Ovillers spur, as well as the village of Ovillers.



Counter Battery fire had failed to silence the German guns mainly as a result of poor cooperation with the Royal Flying Corps.
The 34^th Divisional Artillery had conducted a series of 6 lifts. Each lift would then search back form its line meaning the infantry could not stay close to the fire. The attack failed.

In October 1914 the Tyneside Irish requested Artillery Brigade. The 160th Brigade RFA was raised in early 1915 by Alderman Stanefield Richardson, the Mayor of Sunderland and the Recruiting Committee. The Brigade was allocated to the 34th Divisional Artillery and supported the Tyneside Brigades during the Battle of the Somme.

The Tyneside Scottish and Irish seat was unveiled on the 20th April 1922 by Marshal Foch.

Marshal Foch unviels Tyneside Scottish memorial April 1922

Tyneside Scottish Memorial April 2011

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MARSHAL FOCH

Somme - Thiepval

 The 32^nd Division’s objective was to capture the village of Thiepval. On the left flank, the 96^th Brigade, including the 16^th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Newcastle Commercials) kicking a rugby ball ahead of them, were cut down by heavy machine gun fire on leaving their trenches, many being forced into the 36^th Division area,




The preliminary bombardment saw a good concentration of guns of all calibre allocated counter battery fires. However, with only six, eight or twelve rounds per target, fire was nor affective, and the enemy guns were not silenced.

During the attack, the barrage ran away from the infantry as they were slowed down by the heavy German machine gun fire. Command and control was at a higher level, consequently deviations from the plan to deal with troublesome machine guns could not be dealt with by the batteries. Two 9.2 inch howitzers tasked with the destruction of machine guns at Thiepval were themselves destroyed when one had a premature.

Thiepval

Laying a wreath on behalf of 101 Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers)

Somme - Ulster Tower

The plan was that X Corps would capture the whole of the Thiepval Ridge.

The 36^th (Ulster ) Division on the right was to capture the ground between Thiepval village and St Pierre Divion which was inclusive to the Division, and included the formidable Schwaben Redoubt.

The wire had been cut, so the Ulstermen were able to advance over the 300 to 450 yards of no mans land and the 109^th Brigade broke through the defences to overrun the Schwaben Redoubt.  The Brigade continued to advance exploitting to the second objective, the Stuff Redoubt. Moving 10 minutes ahead of ahead if schedule, they began to advance the 6oo yards, only to be shelled by the British Artillery in the pre planed bombardment. Only 50 men reached the Stuff Redoubt.

During the attack, the barrage ran away from the infantry as they were slowed down by the heavy German machine gun fire. Command and control was at a higher level, consequently deviations from the plan to deal with troublesome machine guns could not be dealt with by the batteries.

Ulster Tower

Somme - New Foundland Park

Newfoundland Regiment Memorial

The heaviest casualties of any battalion during the first day of the Somme occurred just after 9:00 am. The 1st New Foundland Regiment advancing forward from the 3rd line position found the trenches full of dead and wounded soldiers, and had to move outside the trenches in the open, they sustained 710 casualties out of 800 men.

The New Foundland Park is maintained by the people of Canada. As well as a memorial to the Newfoundland’s, the park contains the trench systems of both the British and German lines.

British position viwed from German trenches

Somme - Beaumont Hamel

Near Beaumont Hamel, a mine of 40,000 pounds had been placed under the Hawthorn Redoubt, a German strongpoint on the Hawthorn Ridge. 

Controversially the mine at Beaumont Hamel was blown at 7:20 am, 10 minutes ahead of zero hour. The German defenders were now alerted and rushed to the crater. The British did gain the near side, establishing machine guns and mortar positions. However, the supporting ammunition carriers were cut down by machine gun fire.  Around 10:30 am the Germans counter attacked, and the crater fell into German hands

                    

The Corps had ordered the divisional artilleries to lift slowly at a pace of 50 yards in the minute. However, all three divisions prepared lifts of 100 yards. The effect of this was the infantry were unable to keep pace with the barrage, and the initial lift took it beyond the German front line as no mans land was so short. This left the infantry exposed in no mans land with disastrous consequences.

Hawthorn Ridge April 2011

Hawthorn Ridge Mine 1st July 1916

Somme - Serre

 The German front line occupied spurs of high ground on which the village of Serre was situated, then ran across the Redan Ridge, to Beaumont Hamel, and ended on the banks of the River Ancre at Beaucourt.

Each of the villages of Serre and Beaumont Hamel had been turned into mini fortresses, and strong positions had been built on the ridge and at the Y Ravine.  

The plan was to conduct a simultaneous attack on Serre, Redan^st Division would wheel at right angle to the axis of attack, and form flank protection to the Corps.

The Corps had ordered the divisional artillery's to lift slowly at a pace of 50 yards in the minute. However, all three divisions prepared lifts of 100 yards. The effect of this was the infantry were unable to keep pace with the barrage, and the initial lift took it beyond the German front line as no mans land was so short. This left the infantry exposed in no mans land with disastrous consequences.

The 'Pals Battalions of the 31st Division sustained heavy losses, a memorial to those who fell from Accrington, Barnsley, Bradford, Durham, Halifax, Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and the T’Others records the sacrifice of the New Army Soldiers.

Somme - Gommecourt

The aim of the assault on Gommecourt was to provide a diversion, draw artillery fire and reinforcements from attacks in the south. In addition, it was envisaged that this would also remove a bulge in the German line that projected into the British lines. The attack would take place with no contact with the Fourth Army flanks, a distance of 2 miles (2.3km) existed between the Third and Fourth Army units.

The assault was to be executed by two Territorial Divisions, 46th (North Midland) to the north and the 56th (London) to the south. The concept of operations was to deliver the attacks into the flanks, then converge on the village of Gommecourt.

The failure of the preparatory bombardment to destroy German guns contributed to the heavy losses and the failure of the attack on Gommecourt.

Gommecourt 1st July 1916

One of the units involved in the preparatory bombardment was 94th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery. This unit consisted of men drawn from the Tynemouth and Durham RGA Equipped with 9.2 inch howitzers, their chief target was a system of trenches from Gommecourt Wood to Rossignol Wood.

94th Siege Battery OP Position  Gommecourt

Somme - Bapaume Post Cemetery

CWGC Bapaume Post Cemetery

The Bapaume Post Cemetery is located near the village of La Boiselle where the Tyneside Scottish assaulted 1st January 1916. The Tyneside Scottish, together with the Tyneside Irish, sustained some of the heaviest casualties that day, some of whom are buried in the cemetery.

Tyneside Irish and Scottish graves



Lt.Col. W Lyle - CO 23rd NF (4th Tyneside Scottish)

 

Lt.Col. CCA Sillery - CO 20th NF (1st Tyneside Scottish)

 

Killed in Action 1st July 1916

 

Somme - Thiepval Memorial

Thiepval. The memorial is dedicated to the 72,000 officers and men who died on the Somme before March 1918, andhave no known grave. Of those lost, 90% fell during the Battles of the Somme in 1916.

Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, it was built between 1928 and 1932, and unveiled in 1932 by the Prince of Wales.

CWGC Thiepval Memorial

THEIR NAMES CUT DEEP & CLEAR!

Somme - Albert Trench Museum

The Somme Trench Museum is located in tunnels that run underneath to town of Albert. It contains some interesting vignettes that set the scene on activities and conditions of soldiers on the front.

Albert Somme Trench Museum