Tuesday, 19 July 2016

Day Nineteen on the Somme

Wednesday 19th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field



Early this morning 3rd (Transvaal) Battalion, South African Battalion in Delville Wood suffered an attack from the rear which succeeded in capturing nearly two hundred of their number. The remaining battalion members seem to have been killed meaning that the formation has, effectively, ceased to exist. An attack by Scottish battalions of 9th Division into the wood was repulsed by the strong point in the north-west corner of the wood. Their failure to capture this on the first day of their attack has been quite deadly to the South Africans. The situation in Delville Wood now looks very grave. There is a feeling that the sacrifice of the men from the veldt must not be allowed to be in vain and there seems a quiet determination amongst those in the army to avenge them and their Scottish comrades.

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