Day One Hundred and Thirty Four on the Somme

Saturday 11th November 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

After two inspections in two days the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, have today left Puchevillers for Varennes, much closer to the front line. They seem to be heading towards Beaumont-Hamel. This village lies at the meeting place of two interlocking spurs of land close to the west bank of the River Ancre. High Command had planned to capture it on 1st July but the casualties here were so terrible and the failure so complete nothing further has been tried against it since.

Trench Mortar at the Imperial War Museum

Today Stokes mortars fired lachrymatory shells, or tear gas, on it five o’clock this morning. At three this afternoon nearly fifty drums of poisoned gas were fired into the village, with nearly forty fired at a feature called Y-Ravine which lies just south of the village.

Last night the Canadians seized the parts of Regina Trench east of the road from Courcelette to Pys by a midnight attack. Appropriately one of the attacking battalions was the 46th (South Saskatchewan), the province of which Regina is the capital. Nearly one hundred prisoners were taken and counter-attacks during today have been beaten off. First class work by the Canucks.

Source: X550/5/3

Day One Hundred and Seventeen on the Somme

Wednesday 25th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Proof of the dreadful conditions facing our soldiers here on the Somme was demonstrated today by 4th Canadian Division. The Canadians are second to none in dash and determination and today they tried to push their position in Regina Trench a little further. 

The trenches are knee and sometimes thigh high or higher with dirty water. Going “over the top” is no better as the ground is slimy and glutinous with deep mud. This saps a man’s strength before he can go very far. Add heavy machine gun fire and shrapnel from bursting shells to the ingredients and one can easily understand that such attacks are often doomed to failure before they even begin.

Conditions such as these were known even to the English longbowmen, hardy as they were. Today is the 501st anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt.

Day One Hundred and Fifteen on the Somme

Monday 23rd October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today we have heard that 7th Bedfords are holding the front line at Regina Trench, recently taken by the Canadians. Further east, 8th Division have attacked German positions east of Gueudecourt. The ground has had no chance to dry and the attack took place through thick, sucking mud. It seems little has been gained. 4th Division, attacking alongside the French north-east of Gueudecourt encountered similar problems and, likewise, were able to achieve little. The weather, it seems, is quickly bringing this campaign to an end. Het us hope that one last hurrah can carry the army to Bapaume.

Source: X550/8/1

Day One Hundred and Six on the Somme

Saturday 14th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Last night the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment were relieved in the front line by 18th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment and withdrew to reserve trenches west of the village of Flers. Just before this, about 8.10 pm in Gird Trench Sergeant F Brown successfully bombed a party of the enemy, capturing one, who was a Saxon. This proved important, as it showed that a relief had taken place, as Bavarians had occupied the trench during the attack on October 12th. Total casuatlies for the attack on 12th are now reckoned to be 10 officers and 242 other ranks killed and wounded.

It appears that another hard-fighting battalion of the regiment is preparing for a third attack in this battle. 7th Battalion have today received orders to the effect that the 18th Division had opened advance Divisional Headquarters at Albert: the 53rd Brigade have moved up in readiness for an attack on Regina Trench and the 54th Brigade will move to Beauville. All necessary arrangements are being made for the Battalion to move tomorrow morning. Advance billeting parties were detailed to proceed ahead at 2 pm today - but, this was cancelled just before time to march off.

This afternoon 25th Division made a successful attack on an area known as The Mound, west of the River Ancre and Saint-Pierre-Divion. Seizing this objective gives them observation of the village.

Perhaps the most momentous news of the day is the capture of the last parts of the Schwaben Redoubt. This was achieved by the 39th Division, specifically the 4th/5th Battalion, Black Watch, the 17th Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps and our close neighbours from 1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment. About 150 prisoners were taken. So the position first attacked by 7th Bedfords and others on 28th September has finally fallen.

About half an hour ago we were told that 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders of 4th Division have assaulted Rainy Trench and gun pits south of Dewdrop Trench east of Lesboeufs. 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers have also attacked gun pits in front of Hazy Trench.

Source: X550/3/wd; X550/8/1

Day One Hundred on the Somme

Sunday 8th October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The Canadians have been in action today in cold, stinging rain. They attacked another position on the battlefield called, due to its shape, The Quadrilateral. This particular quadrilateral is north-west of Le Sars. Sadly, the gallant men from the prairies lost two-thirds of their strength and were forced to retire to their starting positions. Regina Trench still holds out against the Canadians.

The fighting from Le Sars in an arc south-east to Lesboeufs begun yesterday continues today. It rained all night and the battlefield is very muddy. 23rd Division have got as far as a point around half a mile north-west of Le Sars. 47th (1st/2nd London) Division managed to enter Snag Trench but were soon evicted again.

Away on the right 56th (London) Division attacked north-east. However, once again their progress was very difficult and we understand that they will retire back to their original line under cover of darkness as there are too few men to hold the positions gained.

Second Lieutenant A H Waddy

7th Bedfords are training behind the lines. Captain Bridcutt tells me that they have been joined by Second Lieutenant H M Woodyer, Second Lieutenant R J Clarke, Second Lieutenant J J Murray and Second Lieutenant A H Waddy. He commented to me: “These are a good stamp of recruit officers”.

Source: X550/8/1

Day Ninety Four on the Somme

Monday 2nd October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The 7th Bedfords have today travelled to the villages of Vacquerie and Gorges, well behind the lines south-west of Doullens. The 8th Battalion, also in billets behind the lines, has had the honour today of congratulations from General Officer Commanding 6th Division on their performance in terrible circumstances on 15th September as well as on 25th September.

Sadly, strong German counter-attacks in the early hours of this morning pushed the Canadians out of the gains they made in Regina Trench yesterday. The 47th (2nd London) Division carried on the fight around Eaucourt-l’Abbaye but this still remains in enemy hands. 50th (Northumbrian) Division cleared some of the area on the Londoners’ left flank.

The Schwaben Redoubt remains a point of contest. Today 55th Brigade of 18th Division was attacked in its positions in the redoubt and driven from some of them by an attack which has lasted all day

Today has been wet and chilly and the fighting has definitely taken on the characteristics of Autumn. There is mud everywhere and this tires the men as quickly as being in action itself.

Sources: X550/8/1; X550/9/1

Day Ninety Three on the Somme

Sunday 1st October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

After being relieved from the captured Thiepval position, the 7th Battalion has been resting in huts for the day in Mailly-Maillet Wood. The General Officer Commanding 54th Brigade, T H Shoubridge, visited the battalion and addressed them in very high terms of congratulation on their morale and stubborn fighting.

The Brigadier said: "The 7th Battalion, Bedfordshires are one of the best fighting battalions it is possible to find and I am very proud to have such a battalion under my command". The Brigadier particularly referred to the severe fighting and the daring manner the Battalion had snatched from the enemy a position they boasted of being "impregnable and impossible for the English to take".

Today has been another day of vigorous attacks on the Somme. Moving from left to right across the battlefield – the Canadians captured a portion of Regina Trench lying north-west of the village of Courcelette this afternoon but have yet to succeed in holding it as counter-attacks are expected. 

On their left 23rd Division attacked and took ground. Private George White from Aspley Guise, who is known to your correspondent, told him that his unit, 8th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry together with 11th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters took all their allotted length of Flers Trench and most of Flers Support Trench. Other units from the division were unable to enter le Sars, however.

An attack by 50th (Northumbrian) Division took some of its allotted part of Flers Trench. 47th (2nd London) Division attacked the hamlet and abbey buildings of Eaucourt-l’Abbaye and, with the help of two tanks (later destroyed), they seized it. However, 1st/7th Battalion, London Regiment failed to advance very far due to uncut wire, allowing the Germans to retake Eaucourt.

The New Zealanders also went forward and gained ground. This attack was assisted by 36 Livens Projectors which created a wall of blazing fire on the German positions, though did not succeed in neutralising the enemy machine guns which did a lot of damage. Nevertheless the New Zealanders, once again, performed splendidly, taking around 250 prisoners and sections of Gird Trench, for the loss of about 850 of their men killed and wounded.

Source: X550/8/1

Day Eighty Eight on the Somme

Tuesday 26th September 1916: From our Correspondent in the Field

Today the attacks of yesterday have continued, albeit at a more local level. But the principal action today has taken place on the great bastion of German defenses on the Somme, Thiepval Ridge. Without this place being captured any meaningful advance towards Bapaume is impossible, as it dominates the whole battlefield. We have heard from the adjutant of the 7th Bedfords, Captain Bridcutt, that they are likely to have a hand in this struggle, but more of that later.

Another major advance took place today on the Somme, a fine, clear day with temperatures in the low seventies. 56th (London) Division took the northern end of Bouleaux Wood and met up with the French at Combles which they then took, adding another village to the trophy list for this long battle. On their left 21st Division took the village of Gueudecourt along with the dismounted 19th Lancers from 1st Indian Cavalry Division. 

The capture of Gueudecourt is another very important event but your correspondent hopes that readers will forgive him if he now concentrates on events around Thiepval. The attacking forces here, from east to west were: the Canadians between Courcelette and Mouquet Farm, 11th Division around Mouquet Farm and 18th (Eastern) Division at Thiepval itself.

The Canadians attacked just after midday and advanced their line by about 1,000 yards north. This evening they are dug-in, expecting a counter–attack. They are just short of a main German defensive position called they have dubbed Regina Trench after the principal city in Saskatchewan.

11th Division have finally completed the capture of Mouquet Farm, begun by the Australians on 14th August, so to that division belongs the glory of achieving something the Antipodeans could not quite manage. Most of the ruins above ground had been taken but it was the cellars and dug-outs beneath that restricted capture and here a subterranean battle has been fought through the day with the 6th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment (Pioneers) completing the capture and taking over fifty prisoners into the bargain. The rest of the division was less successful as they ran into a very strongly fortified German position called Zollern Redoubt north of Mouquet Farm. The division has suffered very large numbers of casualties owing to this redoubt.

There are three of these redoubts that ring Thiepval from the east (Zollern) to the north. That to the north of Thiepval is called Schwaben Redoubt and that between Schwaben and Zollern is named Stauffen, or Stuff, Redoubt.

The village of Thiepval has held out against attacks ever since 1st July and today it has been attacked again. 18th Division, of course, were one of only two divisions to achieve all their objectives on the opening day of this battle so to them has fallen that enormous task of finally taking Thiepval. 53rd Brigade made an attack from the south and manage to advance as far as Zollern Trench which runs eastwards from Thiepval and this trench they took.

7th Bedfords formed the reserve for the attack by 54th Brigade. This attack was conducted on a very narrow front- just 300 yards, the right flank resting on the road from Thiepval to Authuille, and involved going up the slope south-west of the village. The attack was held up by machine gun fire from the ruins of the château which lay directly in the men’s path, but then a “tank” arrived and managed to keep the machine-gunners heads down long enough for the position to be taken. This evening a large part of the village is in the brigade’s hands with the northern part still holding out. Captain Bridcutt mentioned to me a few minutes ago that this looks as if it will be the Bedfords’ task for tomorrow – the final capture of the village of Thiepval.

Source: X550/8/1