Richard Porter
Battlefield Guide
Battlefield Sites
Click on the links below to read one of the articles:
Professional Footballers Memorial, Longueval: The story of football and the First World War.
Delville Wood
The South Africans, 15th - 2oth July 1916
Delville Wood is one of the most regularly visited locations on the Somme Battlefield, this is not surprising since the beautiful woodland setting has a certain draw. The wood is a living memorial with its dense mass of trees and abundance of wildlife which includes a number of deer. It’s no wonder on a Sunday afternoon in Summer locals frequently walk as a family under the canopy of the mature trees. Nature can easily deceive us into thinking this tranquil scene could never have been a place of epic barbarity. Delville Wood, which is also known as “Devils Wood” was once a wild contrast to what we see today.
Remains of a trench in Delville Wood, 2016
Remains of a trench in Delville Wood, 1916
In his excellent book ‘Delville Wood’, Ian Uys wrote:
'Delville Wood is named because of its proximity to the village of Longueval. It was known as Bois de la Ville (wood of the village) by the locals. Long open avenues had been cleared within the wood to allow the local landowner to ride a horse to all parts. These “rides” were also used to bring out cut wood.'
'The wood is slightly less than a mile square (156 acres). At the time it was overgrown with gorse and thick grass and underbush.'
'It was described by someone who knew it before the war as “a thick tangle of trees, chiefly oak and birch, and a dense hazel underbush."
'With the exception of the rides, vision within the wood was limited to approximately 30 yards between the trees. The rides were given names by the British – the main one Princes Street bisected the wood from east to west. Names of London streets were given to the rides running northwards from Princes Street and names of Edinburgh streets to those running south. Rotten Row ran parallel to Princes Street in the south.'
British trench map, trenches marked in red correct on 5th May 1916. The names of the rides have been annotated onto the map
On 14th July, 1916 the 9th (Scottish) Division captured the majority of the village of Longueval which was incorporated into the German second line of defence. Longueval was one of the primary objectives of the day due to its elevated position on the battlefield. The following day the South African Brigade expanded the divisions boundaries by entering and occupying the greater part of the wood. What happened next is chronicled in the Official History of the War, France and Belgium 1916:
'The South African Brigade, ordered to take Delville Wood "at all costs" moved up before dawn on the 15th. After a preliminary bombardment the South Africans advanced at 6:15 am. They cleared the southern half in less than two hours, although progress was very difficult among the shell holes and the tangle formed of the trunks and branches which heavy bombardments had brought down.'
'The South Africans had covered themselves with glory at Delville Wood, which is now laid out as a memorial to their dead. In spite of terrible losses, they had steadfastly endured the ordeal of the German bombardment, which seldom slackened and never ceased, and had faced with great courage and resolution repeated counter-attacks delivered by fresh (German) troops. Since their first advance into the wood on the morning of 15th July they had defied all attempts to drive them completely from it.'
The South African Memorials (fore & mid ground) and Museum (rear)
Accounts from the book 'Delville Wood' written by Ian Uys:
'Lt Walter Hill and his platoon led the advance along Strand Street toward the northern edge of the wood. Hill was a fine officer and much loved by his men, among whom were Privates Duggie Brice-Bruce and Henry Pauls.'
Pte Duggie Brice-Bruce:
"At dawn we enter the wood to take over from the Highlanders. We saw these brave Highlanders lying dead everywhere, some still caught up in the wire entanglements. We came into contact with the enemy, the Bavarians. To give them credit, they were very fine fighters and well-disciplined soldiers. We attacked on the eastern and northern flanks, contacting at very close quarters, using machine guns in support. Hand grenades, rifle fire and bayonets were mostly used; it was a gruelling affair. I saw a lot of brave deeds done on both sides. Our stretcher-bearers are wonderful. You could hear the wounded groaning and screaming. There were many casualties on both sides. Capt Bamford our adjutant had a miraculous escape, he was shot through the cheeks, through one side and out of the other. We managed to chase the Germans out of the wood, with a considerable number of casualties on both sides. What was left of us were assembled, a tired and hungry lot. We found a deep shell-hole about 30 yards from the edge of the wood, and settled down for the night."
Pte Duggie Brice-Bruce:
"The Germans opened up on us from behind and our left flank, with grenades and rifle fire. By now we were completely surrounded. We were not the only ones caught up, as most of the pockets on the edge of the wood were cut off."
Using the darkness of the night the Germans infiltrated back into the wood.
By dawn on the 16th July there were mixed pockets of South Africans and Germans scattered around the northern and eastern edges of the wood.
The dense undergrowth, fallen branches, up rooted trees and fallen soldiers of both sides created an altogether disorientating and ghastly scene.
Pte Henry Pauls continues the story:
"We fought to the very last, every bomb being used, and then Lt Hill surrendered, as to fight on and be killed would not have helped the general operations."
Twelve men, half of them wounded were taken prisoner by the Germans. The prisoners were disarmed, split into small groups and placed in shell holes with a German guard watching over them. Lt Hill, Pte Pauls and three others were put together.
"Lt Hill gave us quiet word that he intended to escape and after being prisoners for an hour or more Lt Hill sprang on the sentry and stunned or killed him and shouted to us, 'Come on boys!' We had to go through the German lines and they were firing at us continuously. On three sides of us were Germans at distances of 20 to 50 yards. There was only one side free of the enemy which was the side towards our own lines and which we took when we escaped. Lt Hill and myself being untouched, the other three killed or wounded."
That night the German artillery pounded the wood paying extra attention to the northern edges. The South Africans were now few in number forming a thin line of resistance. At times the German rate of fire reached a staggering 400 artillery shells per minute. The wood and the South African Brigade was being systematically destroyed with a large number of those in the wood being killed or wounded not only by the jagged shards of high explosive shells but also by falling branches and trees.
As expected the German artillery lifted and a deluge of German infantry threw themselves into the lightly held South African line. The overrun South Africans were either cut off or forced to fall back to new positions.
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German snipers seemed to be everywhere hiding amongst the tangle of fallen branches and perching themselves in trees which had escaped the destructive force of the shelling.
Pte F Marillier:
"After our tenth comrade had been killed, one of our chaps thought he saw a slight movement in a tree some distance to our rear. We gave the tree a burst and out fell a German sniper. A brave man; he must have crept into the wood in the darkness of the previous night and set himself up, well hidden, in the branches. I'm sure he must have known that his chances of survival were very slight. He had a telescope on his rifle, I was very lucky not to have been his next victim."
Pte Duggie Brice-Bruce:
"I crawled along tensed for the slightest movements. About 15 yards from the edge of the wood, I came across a broken tree and lifting myself up to get over I came face to face with a German sniper who was lying on his tummy, I don't know who was the most frightened, he or I. Fortunately my reflexes worked and I shot him in the face. It was horrible, something which has haunted me all my life."
South African Forces Museum, Delville Wood
A textured art expression of the shattered wood and mutilated soldiers
Artefacts found in Delville Wood
One of the bronze panels depicting the history of South Africans in war
One disadvantage for the South Africans was the salient they had created with their entry and occupation of the wood. This gave the Germans the ability to pour converging artillery fire onto the South Africans from three sides. The German infantry also benefited from the advantage of being able to attack the salient at the centre or either flank.
The 18th July proved to be the toughest test of courage and human endurance for both South African and German infantry. A heavy and sustained bombardment by German artillery proceeded a full on infantry counter attack.
Extracts from the book 'Longueval' by Ian Uys:
'The massive bombardment began at 8 am and was to last for seven and a half hours. At times the South African defenders were subjected to seven high explosive shells a second, a total of over 200,000 shells that morning. Trees were uprooted and holes the size of rooms gouged out of the tangled wood. Smoke and dust rose up from the exploding shells and the ground shook with the impact. The noise of the of the incoming shells merged with the explosions to form a continuous high pitched screeching and ear-shattering blast.'
'At 3.30 pm the barrage ceased. The stupefied survivors waited for the expected attack amid the crackling of burning trees and the cries of the wounded.'
A German officer who visited the scene afterwards noted in his diary:
"The wood was a wasteland of shattered trees, charred and burning stumps, craters thick with mud and blood, corpses, corpses everywhere. In places they were piled four deep. Worst of all was the lowing of the wounded. It sounded like a cattle ring at a spring fair."
A soldier of the 3rd Coy, I/153, recalled the assault of the 18th:
"At daybreak our artillery began to bombard the wood and at midday an intense bombardment began with guns of all calibres. In spite of the devastating fire, snipers sat in the trees and caused us many casualties. On the evening before we had received Flammenwerfers. Before the attack several specially trained "assaulting parties" arrived as reinforcements. Although we suffered heavy losses in the assault the English, who defended themselves bravely, could not hold the wood and we advanced to the further perimeter. However, as we were too weak, we could not hold on there and had to retire to about the centre of the wood."
The Official History of the IR 153:
'The enemy again brought reinforcements into the battle from the sunken road south-east of Longueval. Their 53rd Brigade (18th Div) then relived the absolutely exhausted 9th Division. The fight against the enemy, who had grown stronger, moved backwards and forwards in the wood. Communications were partially destroyed and the confusion was compounded. The coming night made it almost impossible to get an overall view of the situation.'
At daybreak on the 19th the situation within the wood became apparent. The battlefield was devoid of separate front lines and a no man's land in between, the opposing infantry had simply merged together. Pockets of soldiers defended their linked up shell holes pointing their weapons in all directions.
Over the next few days the fighting in Delville Wood stabilised and all troops dug in with their positions slightly readjusted to create an almost definite German front line and British front line.
The fighting in Delville Wood had come at a terrible cost for both sides and this was just the beginning of a long drawn out stand off in what remained of the wood in name only.
The Official History of the War, France and Belgium 1916:
'Both the wood and the South African battalions were almost completely destroyed. The South African Brigade had gone into battle here on 15th July 1915 with a strength of 121 officers and 3,032 other ranks. At roll call on 21st July they numbered only 29 officers and 751 other ranks.'
This bronze panel depicts the moment the South Africans were relieved from Delville Wood
The History of the 9th (Scottish) Division:
'The attack on Longueval and Delville Wood will rank as one of the greatest examples of the fine fighting qualities of the Division. The operation was undertaken against a brave and alert foe. The Germans expected an onset and were prepared for it. When all these things are considered, the marvel is that the Division was able to accomplish as much as it did. And the full magnitude of the achievement was probably not realised for some time; for not till more than a month later were the Germans driven from their last defences in Longueval and Delville Wood. The melancholy roll of the killed and wounded was the monument of the devotion with which the men had attempted to do more than men could do. Out of the total of barely 3,000 the 27th Brigade lost 81 officers and 2033 men, and the great majority killed and missing, 569 in all, left their bones in the blood soaked undergrowth of the orchids of Longueval.'
'The most difficult part of an attack is not the winning of an objective but the keeping of it after it is gained. The Germans knew all about the art of war. Their counter stroke on the 18th July was adorably planned and skilfully carried out, and it was made when the Division was at its weakest. Never did the Ninth rise to greater heights. Here and there under a hellish bombardment a few dazed men straggled back, but the great majority of them stood their ground. The defence of Delville Wood by Lieut-Colonel Thackeray's small band rightly takes its place as one of the classic feats of war.'
The 1926 inauguration ceremony of the South African
Great War Memorial Arch & Wall
The memorial wall & arch in 2016
The museum in the rear was opened in 1986
Glorious
In the days long gone by when the 1st S.A.I.
Took part in a battle arboreous,
Mid Delville Woods trees with a vertical breeze
I don't recollect feeling glorious.
When the battle was o'er and we counted the score
We didn't feel very victorious.
With most of our band in a far better land
Not one of us said it was glorious.
When a pal fell down dead with no top to his head
We may have used language censorious,
But whatever we said as we looked at our dead
I'm certain we never said glorious.
Memorial walkway commemorating by name around 13,000 South Africans who died in the First World War
around 3,000 of which served in British units
There are many stories of courage and selfless acts during the South Africans
occupation of Delville Wood. One man was chosen above all the others to be awarded the highest ranking gallantry medal bestowed upon British and Commonwealth military personnel. He was also the first South African-born man serving with South African forces to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War.
William Frederick Faulds (1895-1950) was born on 19th February 1895 at 34 Market Street, Cradock, Eastern Cape, South Africa. He was known as “Mannie”. His father, Alexander, was a carpenter originating from Scotland. His mother was Wilhelmina Ernestina nee Neseman, who was a native of Cradock. His parents had married on 2nd February 1881 at the Wesleyan Chapel Church in Cradock. Mannie had six siblings, and was the second youngest.
He enlisted in 1st South African Infantry (Cape) at Potchefstroom on 23rd August 1915 and served in Egypt. He went to France with his Battalion on 16th April 1916.
Map showing the location where Pte Faulds carried out his selfless and courageous act (18 -20 July)
Pte William Faulds Victoria Cross citation reads:
A bombing party under Lieut Craig attempted to rush over 40 yards of ground which lay between the British and enemy trenches. Coming under very heavy rifle and machine gun fire the officer and the majority of the party were killed and wounded. Unable to move, Lieut Craig lay midway between the 2 lines of trench, the ground being quite open. In full daylight, Pte Faulds, accompanied by 2 other men, climbed over the parapet, ran out, picked up the officer, and carried him back. Two days later Private Faulds again showed most conspicuous bravery in going out alone to bring in a wounded man, and carried him nearly half a mile to a dressing-station. The artillery fire was at the time so intense that stretcher-bearers and others considered that any attempt to bring in the wounded man meant certain death. This risk Private Faulds faced unflinchingly, and his bravery was crowned with success.
Links
Click on this link to visit an excellent website 'A Willow in the Wind' following the story of Aburey Neville Hutchinson of the 2nd Regiment South African Infantry who was killed in action at Delville wood on 15th July 1916.
Click on this link to read the amazing story of 'Jackie' the Baboon' mascot of the 3rd South African Infantry Regt.
Click on the links below to visit websites which have very good information about visiting Delville Wood.
WW1 Battlefields, Delville Wood
Professional Footballers Memorial
Longueval
Next to Longueval Communal Cemetery and only a hundred metres or so away from Delville Wood stands the Professional Footballers Memorial which was unveiled at 11.00am on 21st October 2010 by Greg Clarke, Chairman of the Football League. The memorial is dedicated to the professional footballers who served with the 17th & 23rd Middlesex Regiment.
On the outbreak of war in August of 1914, young men answered the call to arms by the newly appointed Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener. Hundreds of thousands of young men from all walks of life enlisted into the army. Most sporting leagues and matches were cancelled as the war took priority. The Football Association decided to continue with the 1914/15 season believing that the war was going to be a quick one and possibly as some others thought that it would be over by Christmas. Heated debates took place concerning professional footballers and why they were not enlisting to fight for King and Country. Large sections of the press accused the players of being unpatriotic shirkers who put their own interests before those of their country. For just over four months the players and fans alike faced the query of whether to carry on as usual whilst others were bearing the deadly brunt of the war.
A letter written by Frederick Wall was printed in the Morning Post:
“It's a national shame and disgrace to our country if we have our best athletes charging one another on the football field, instead of charging the Germans on the battlefield”.
Undeterred by the criticism, the FA proceeded with plans for the 1914/15 FA Cup, provoking a celebrated `Punch` cartoon on 21st October entitled 'THE GREATER GAME' (lower right). It featured a shame-faced professional footballer being told by Mr Punch that “No doubt you can make money in this field, my friend, but there`s only one field today where you can get honour”.
A meeting was held on 15th December at Fulham Town Hall, the reason was to raise the `1st Footballers Battalion’ which was to be adopted by the army as the 17th Service Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. The Middlesex Regiment were known as the “Die-Hards”. It was announced that the battalion had been granted special permission so that players under contract could play football on Saturdays, this would apply until their contracts expired. The meeting held by the Rt. Hon Joynson Hicks was a success and the new battalion was born.
Some 35 professional players enlisted straight away. Over the next few months, another 300 or so professional players enlisted from around fifty football clubs. The ranks of the 17th Middlesex were further swelled by numerous amateur players, officials and football fans eager to serve alongside their favourite players. It was said that “The battalion role call read like an autograph book”.
During musketry training one of the Sgt Major`s, Mc Fadden, used to joke with the footballers saying that “They could not shoot like soldiers, just like they could not shoot as footballers”.
The 17th were not involved in the Great Battle of the Somme until the 27th,28th & 29th July. Their objective was to consolidate and hold the 156 acres of Delville Wood.
The 17th Middlesex moved up to the front from the Montauban-Carnoy road, with a fighting strength of 38 officers and 872 men. Before they had reached the wood they had taken casualties from German artillery intent on killing and harassing supporting troops.
At 06:10 am on 27th July a massive barrage, provided by 369 guns, was unleashed on Delville Wood and Longueval, which resulted in the area being torn apart by some 125,000 shells. An hour later the 99th Brigade attacked Delville Wood from trenches just north of South Street.
The officer commanding 99th Brigade, Brig Gen Richard Kellett reported:
“Our artillery was most effective. Hundreds of freshly killed Bosches were met in the line of advance, and at least three Bosche machine guns were destroyed, thus saving hundreds of our lives. Their shooting inspired our men with complete confidence, and though we apparently suffered a good many casualties from short shell`s, principally heavies, the shooting of our guns was admirable and provided a curtain of fire close behind which our men moved with little loss”.
The men from the 17th were held in reserve during the Brigade`s initial advance into the wood.ColHenry Fenwick received the orders to move up to Delville Wood, shortly after 11:00 am. The 17th Middlesex passed through Montauban, Bernafay Wood and Trones Wood. Progress was painfully slow on account of heavy German artillery barrage designed to prevent reinforcements reaching Delville Wood. Proir to the Somme offensive, the German guns had carefully registered the probable routes of an advancing enemy in the event of the First Main being breached. From 21:20 hrs, three companies of the 17th Middlesex undertook the relief of the three right companies of the 1st King`s Royal Rifle Corps, the front line at the time being at the south junction of Regent Street and east along Princes Street.
The incoming soldiers of the 17th Middlesex were shocked by the scenes of utter devastation. After nearly two weeks of constant fighting, Delville Wood was now little more than a cratered tangle of blackened tree stumps, splintered branches and rusty barbed wire, interwoven with the debris of battle. A continuous storm of shells had poured upon the unfortunate enemy, had piled destruction upon destruction. Branches of trees had been flung about in all directions, the thick undergrowth of the wood was pitted with shell hole. The dead were everywhere, equipment littered the ground, and above all, in the momentary pauses between shell-burst and another, the moans or agonised cries of the wounded, calling for water or assistance, lent a final touch to an altogether ghastly scene.
William Jonas (left) and Richard McFadden (Right)
One of the ranks killed that day was Private William Jonas, an ex-forward for Clapton Orient. CSM Richard Mc Fadden had been a friend of his since childhood.
Both Willie and I were trapped in a trench, Willie turned to me and said, “Goodbye Mac. Best of luck, special love to my sweetheart Mary Jane and best regards to the lads at Orient.” Before I could reply to him he was up and over. No sooner had he jumped up out of the trench, my best friend of nearly twenty years was killed before my eyes.
William Jonas is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial
Pier & Face 12 D and 13 B
On the following day the 28th , the Germans increased their shell fire in preparation for a counter attack. At 21:00 hrs the German bombardment suddenly intensified. The wood was hit by a cross fire of artillery, from Ginchy to the east and Flers to the north. At 21:30 hrs two Lieb Grenadier Regiments advanced forward with bombing parties supported by snipers.
The 17th Middlesex were ready for them. Private George Whitworth recalled that: “The Germans attacked us, and what a reception they got. They didn't get twenty yards before they turned and ran away”.
Private Allen Foster wrote to his wife:
“We made old Fritz hop about a bit. They were running about like lost sheep, but we were popping away at him like blazes. I don`t think he expected us to be quite so near him, but we were, of course. We had to pay for getting so near but as luck would have it I managed to get without a scratch”.
The confused nature of the fighting in the descending darkness meant that men had little idea of what was occurring barely a few yards away. That night the Germans attacked three times.
The following day the 29th saw no German infantry attacks in the wood, however their artillery was very busy. The 12th Gloucester’s (Bristol’s Own) & the 1st East Surreys advanced on the north of Longueval and finally cleared the Orchard.
At 21:00 the 13th Essex relieved the 17th Middlesex. Since entering Delville wood on the evening of the 27th July, the 17th Middlesex had lost 1 officer killed and a further 8 wounded, 35 other ranks killed and 192 wounded. The 2nd South Stafford’s who were to the left of the 17th incurred a similar number of casualties. Such was the intensity of the fighting in and around Delville Wood during the summer of 1916 that only 13 men of the 17th Middlesex, who died during this period, have known graves. Twelve of these graves can be found in Delville Wood Cemetery, which was created after the Armistice. The cemetery contains 5,523 graves.
Extracts and notes were taken from the following books:
'When The Whistle Blows' by Andrew Riddoch & John Kemp