How to Deal with Reinforcements

Monday 8th January 1917

The adjutant of the 1st Battalion told me today that they are now in support to the front line near Cuinchy. He also explained that their brigade (15th) has established a Brigade Training Depot at Beuvry two or three miles due west and thus two or three miles away from the firing line. This depot, under the command of Major Deakin of 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, is tasked with taking all drafts of reinforcements sent to the Brigade. They will remain at the depot until fully qualified in musketry and all branches of training at which point they will be sent to their allotted battalions. Second Lieutenant A J Fyson from the battalion has been sent to this depot as an instructor

Source: X550/2/5

Day One Hundred and Five on the Somme

Captain E S M Poyntz

Friday 13th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The 2nd Battalion tell me that the night passed quietly and the enemy did not counterattack. Today I have learned a little more about the Battalion’s attack of yesterday. Captain Poyntz told me that they reckon to have gained about 200 yards of Bite Trench and about 70 yards of Gird Trench. He commented: “The Battalion did magnificently and were the only Battalion to gain any ground on the whole of the Corps Front, all the others having to withdraw to their front trenches”. I am very pleased to say that the message carried by second Lieutenant Pitts reached Captain Beal's party last night and they were able to withdraw to the original front line.

Second Lieutenant Chadwick

The total of dead comes, so far, to 82 dead. Officers killed were: Second Lieutenant Joseph Chadwick; Second Lieutenant Harold Fyson; Second Lieutenant Lawrence Walker and Lieutenant William White. Amongst the wounded were Lieutenant-Colonel Poyntz, Second Lieutenant William Bird, Lieutenant R. Hopkins and Second Lieutenant J P Pitts. The latter two were both slightly wounded but remain at duty.

The 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, are in front line trenches near Gueudecourt. Enemy artillery has been active, as have snipers. There was an intense bombardment this evening which ended about three-quarters of an hour ago, which we hope does not foreshadow an enemy attack. So far today casualties have been four other ranks killed and eleven wounded.

Sources: X550/3/wd; X550/9/1

Day One Hundred and Four on the Somme

Thursday 12th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Lieutenant-Colonel Poyntz

This morning 2nd Bedfords spent preparing for their attack on Bite Trench. Things did not begin well when the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel H S Poyntz was wounded whilst explaining plan of attack to company commanders at 11 a.m. 

Second Lieutenant Fyson

A curious incident occurred about this time - a party of Germans (two officers and about fifty men) appeared in Gird Trench without any arms. They made signs of surrender, but hesitated to come over for fear of being shot, Second Lieutenant H G Fyson, however went out and spoke to the German Officer who got back into the trench, but just as he got in, someone fired a shot at him, and after this, naturally they did not surrender and come over to our lines.

2nd Bedfords' sketch map of the plan of attack

This might have seemed a good omen. The attack commenced just after 2 pm but owing to the Battalion’s trenches not facing the objective the companies on the left had to make a turn across the enemy's front which was only 250 yards away.

The attack was made in four waves, C and D Companies forming the first two waves, C Company under Lieutenant R Hopkins on the right and D under Captain L F Beal on the left. B Company formed the third wave under Captain E S M Poyntz and A Company formed the fourth wave, in support, under Lieutenant W White. The distance between each wave was one hundred yards.

Second Lieutenant (later Captain) Reiss 

At first all went well on the left until the first wave of attackers reached a small ridge about sixty yards in front , when it came under terrific machine gun and rifle fire from the left and front in Gird Trench, causing many casualties. They pushed on and got within fifty yards of Gird Trench, but the fire was so great that they were held up owing to having so many casualties. Second Lieutenant Fyson, the would-be negotiator of the morning, was killed and Second Lieutenant J Reiss wounded in the first five minutes of the attack. Here the attackers had to lie out until nightfall, as the 17th Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment on their left were also held up and could not advance.

Second Lieutenant L H Bird

Further right, however, C and D Companies made better progress and passed over the Southern end of Gird Trench towards Bayonet Trench. They also came under heavy machine gun fire, this time from Gird Support Trench and got held up. At this time, about 3 p.m., Second Lieutenant Bird and Second Lieutenant Walker, who supervised digging of the assembly trenches last night, were killed.

Captain E S M Poyntz

On B Company reinforcing the attack they pushed on again and captured about 200 yards of Bite Trench, which is a shallow communication trench, much blown in. Seeing that Gird Support Trench and Bayonet Trench were very strongly held and being under very heavy enfilade fire from Gird Support Trench, Captain E S M Poyntz and Lieutenant R Hopkins decided it was useless to attempt to get further, so they dug in along the captured portion of Bite Trench. 

Captain R Hopkins

This they did under heavy enfilade fire. This portion of Bite Trench was converted by B and C Companies into a magnificent fire trench and is very important owing to the observation that can be obtained from it. Half of A Company converted the Southern portion of Gird Trench and placed a block about 70 yards up. An attempt was made to cut a trench from here to contact up to D Company who were isolated and digging in about seventy yards to the West of Gird Trench, but this had to be given up owing to the enemy's fire on this point.

Captain L F Beal

All hopes, I have been told, have given up of trying to get in touch with D Company under Captain Beal, who is isolated with about fifty men. Several messages have been sent, but the runners were either killed or wounded. Eventually 2nd Lieutenant J P Pitts got back to Headquarters with a message and he took back orders for Captain Beal to withdraw to his original position after dark. We hope he finds him.

Second Lieutenant J P Pitts

Thus the attack by 30th Division on Gird Trench has had mixed fortunes. Less has been achieved than was hoped but not everything has ended in failure, with some ground having been taken. On the left of the division 9th (Scottish) Division made an attack towards the Butte de Warlencourt but were only able to progress about one hundred yards due to intense fire.

To the left of 30th Division, 9th (Scottish) Division attacked the Butte de Warlencourt and a small stand of trees known as Little Wood. These places were not taken, but an advance of 200 yards was made

To the right of 30th Division, 6th Division, though not 8th Bedfords, made an attack today on Zenith Trench between Lesboeufs and Gueudecourt but were repulsed. The 8th Bedfords are in front line trenches east of Gueudecourt from which they relieved the attacking battalions yesterday. Other attacks by the Division gained some small success. 12th (Eastern) Division made some small gains also. One of the attacking units was the Newfoundland Regiment, temporarily attached from 29th Division. These men from the wild east coast of Canada suffered terrible casualties in unsuccessful attacks on 1st July. Today they enjoyed a bit more success and have suffered many less casualties. Their bravery in July was an exemplar to all in the army and their work today, though slight in its gains was, we understand, carried out with the same gallant determination.

On the right flank of the British Army on the Somme, 4th Division attacked alongside the French and managed to get five hundred yards forward. Attacks on Rainy, Dewdrop and Spectrum trenches have met with failure, however.

Source: X550/3/wd

Day Twenty Seven on the Somme

Thursday 27th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The shelling of Pozières, which was so severe last night has, mysteriously, melted away this morning with no German attack(1). Today the scene of activity has been east of Pozières at Longueval and the now infamous Delville, or Devil’s, Wood.

A massive bombardment, on top of the almost continuous fighting since 14th, has reduced the wood to a shambles of splinters, shell holes, trenches, bodies and smashed equipment. Today 99th Brigade of 2nd Division took almost all that remains of the wood, save for a strip on the northern edge, though a German counter-attack mid-morning succeeded in retaking a portion of the place by attacking from the east. For a time rumours were circulating that the whole wood had been lost again but, fortunately, these proved to be untrue. As I write sounds of battle, though more muted now, are still heard occasionally from the direction of the wood.

On their left flank 15th Brigade assaulted the ruins of Longueval. The 1st Bedfords took part in this attack. The assault was begun by 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment at 7.10 and at 7.40 the commanding officer of the Norfolks despatched a message requesting help due to heavy shell-fire. The first objective had already been taken by the Norfolks and it was the job of A and B Companies of the Bedfords to assist the Norfolks take the second objectives and for C and D Companies to then move through and take the third objectives. The 16th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment was requested to occupy front line trenches when these were vacated by C and D Companies. A Company was responsible for that part of the ruins east of the former road running north-south through the village with B Company to the west of this road.

Lieutenant Fyson

A Company assisted the Norfolks to attack a German strong point and Lieutenant Fyson’s platoon succeeded in taking 32 prisoners. Just after 9 am C Company crossed the trench known as Princes Street, extending from Longueval more or less across the middle of Delville Wood but were held up by machine gun fire from the cross-roads in what remains of the village. The ruins holding the gun were taken by a party of the Norfolks and at the same time A Company reached the junction of the main road running south through Longueval and the road running north-east to Flers which skirts the edge of Delville Wood. Here they met a German counter-attack and brushed it off leaving around fifty of the enemy as casualties. From here A Company could see enemy posts on the ridge to the north.

Half an hour later C Company was able to cross Princes Street and took up a position along the main north-south road in touch with two companies of the Norfolks. Heavy machine-gun fire from Duke Street in the area just north of the name “Longueval” on the map (i.e. west and south-west of C Company) prevented any further advance and so they consolidated the position.

This machine-gun at Duke Street also prevented any advance by an officer and thirty men from B Company sent forward as a patrol to reinforce a company of the Norfolks. A Stokes mortar battery was requested to assist but did not. Later under cover of a British artillery bombardment B and D Companies were able to improve their position but at the cost of 2 officer and 54 other ranks and and 2 officers and 106 other ranks respectively.

1st Field Company, East Anglian Royal Engineers was supporting the attack by 2nd Division in Delville Wood today, ready to consolidate any ground taken. This they did, constructing works to prevent a successful counter-attack. Towards evening such a counter-attack seemed to be in the offing and the sappers manned the parapet and, to quote their commander: "After a considerable amount of rifle fire and bombing the attack was repulsed". Only one sapper was wounded

We have just heard that Royal Fusiliers on the right have been forced to withdraw meaning that A Company has had to move back slightly from the junction of the Flers road. It is expected that B and D Companies may also be ordered to withdraw tonight such is the danger of their position. Much of the fighting today has been hand-to-hand and the brief resumé of activities given above does not do justice to the ferocity of every small action undertaken.

Source: X550/2/5; X550/WD3

(1) Evidence points to the massive British counter-bombardment giving the Germans cause to think another British assault was on the way and so they moved onto the defensive.