Day Fifty Six on the Somme

Friday 25th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

We understand that the French attack yesterday finally saw them recapture the village of Maurepas, south-east of Guillemont. Meanwhile the German attack on the 23rd/24th August has meant that the British Army continues to consolidate and plan its next move

The adjutant of 1st Bedfords has wired me to say that his unit is back on the Somme. They are currently occupying a sandpit south-east of the village of Méaulte, a few miles behind the lines.

14th (Light) Division made an attack in Delville Wood early this morning. It is reported that they have pushed the enemy from a section of trench on the eastern edge of the wood.

Source: X550/2/5

Day Forty Nine on the Somme

Friday 18th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today has seen more activity than any other day this month so far. On the left of the British line as it attacks from south to north, 33rd Division attacked High Wood. This novel attack was intended to use a German tactic, first used against British troops in July last year at Hooge near Ypres and used against 1st Division yesterday – flame-throwers, as well as oil drums hurled by Livens Projectors(1). Unfortunately the flamethrowers failed and the Livens Projectors were damaged and buried by the British barrage which fell short of its target. Given these failures it is not surprising that the infantry were unable to get forward in any numbers. Despite the setbacks, however, the imaginative thinking employed can only be applauded. At least Wood Trench between High Wood and Delville Wood (and north-west of Delville Wood) was captured.

In the centre of the attack Delville Wood has, once more, been attacked, along with the trenches immediately bordering it to the west and east. This time the unit drawing the proverbial short straw was 14th (Light) Division. Some prisoners were taken in the centre of the remains of the wood and gains were made, with a number of trenches falling to the attackers in the wood and either side of it.

An old and hated name resurfaced briefly in conversation today - Trônes Wood. 24th Division began an attack east on Guillemont from there this morning, following the line of the remains of the track leading from the remains of wood to the remains of the village. The attack mostly ground to a halt in front of the German wire, stopped by machine-guns. However, the German line was penetrated near the quarry on the west side of Guillemont and the position has been consolidated. In the area between the north-west of Guillemont and south-east of Delville Wood progress was made and around one hundred prisoners taken.

The right flank of the attack was south of Guillemont. 3rd Division attacked a trench called Lonely Trench east of Maltz Horn Farm near the road south from Hardecourt-au-Bois to Guillemont – a place which has become as infamous to Tommy Atkins as Delville Wood or High Wood and is generally known as the Gillymong Road. Trenches south-east of Arrowhead Copse were also attacked. Most of these attacks were unsuccessful. Meanwhile French troops took some more of the village of Maurepas and joined up with 3rd Division south of Guillemont. We have just heard, however, that the French have, again, been pushed back by a German counter-attack.

Meanwhile the Australians on the Pozières Ridge made further attacks towards Mouquet Farm as wel las south-east of the road from Albert to Bapaume. We understand some progress has been made here, too.

(1) Essentially large buried mortars

Day Forty Seven on the Somme

Lieutenant D A Roeber

Wednesday 16th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The 6th Bedfords are saying farewell to the Somme, at least for the present. They have marched to the village of Behencourt and are reported to be heading north to the area around Loos. They will no doubt be exhaling a collective sigh of relief after a rough time of it here.

The 7th Battalion is not far from this town at the moment, being in the front line opposite Armentières..Yesterday night we understand they carried out a dummy raid. This involves using artillery and trench mortars on a section of the enemy front line then simulating a lift in the bombardment to positions further to the rear, as if to impeded enemy reinforcements. At the same time poles are shown above the British front line trenches to simulate men and smoke is released.  This forces the enemy to man his parapet to shoot at the “raiders”. The dummy raid was successful in doing this and the enemy front line trench was then shelled by field artillery and Stokes mortars. The adjutant remarked to me: “It is thought that the enemy suffered severe losses. His artillery reply was feeble”. The Bedfords themselves lost Lieutenant Roeber and three other ranks killed and two other ranks wounded.

Today the French 153rd Division has again advanced between Maurepas and Guillemont. The British 3rd Division attacked east towards and reached the road running south from Guillemont to Hardecourt-au-Bois.

Sources: X550/7/1; X550/8/1

Day Forty Four on the Somme

Sunday 13th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

There have been no French attacks between Maurepas and Guillemont today and so no units from our army have advanced either(1). So far August has seen considerably less activity than July and all of it seems to have been concentrated into small areas rather than the sweeping attacks which characterised 1st and 15th July. It is not clear to we “newspapermen”whether this is a well-thought-out strategy by High Command or local responses made by officers on the ground.

The fighting continues at Pozières. 12th (Eastern) Division, supporting the Australians, has been involved in hand-to-hand fighting with the enemy west of the village and south-west near the fortress village of Ovillers, which fell a month ago on 14th July.

(1) In the event the French were receiving German counter-attacks following French successes on the previous day and so no advance could be made.

Day Forty Three on the Somme

Saturday 12th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

It seems as if the Somme battle is now revolving around the small village of Guillemont, or rather around its remains. The French today attacked and seized a considerable amount of ground around Maurepas, to the south-east. This evening troops from 55th (West Lancashire) Division attacked the spur of ground south of Guillemont expecting a French effort alongside them. By the time the attack had been underway for a while it became clear that the French were “no shows”. We understand that the attack has been aborted and that the troops will be withdrawn after dark.