Twenty Seventh Day of the Third Battle of Ypres

Sunday 26th August 1917

There has been rain again today, in this blighted month of August - steady at times, which has made the battlefield once again into a stagnant lake in places. With a temperature of 70 degrees(1) it has also been muggy and sapping. It has been the enemy’s turn to launch small, local attacks today. An outpost of 24th Division was seized in the vicinity of Shrewsbury Forest, but it was immediately retaken.

At dawn the Germans attacked four posts of 23rd Division south of Inverness Copse. Using flame-throwers they managed to force one of these posts back, but the men at the others beat them off.

(1) 21˚C

Day One Hundred and Fourteen on the Somme

Sunday 22nd October 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today 19th (Northern) Division has relieved 25th and part of 39th Division near Thiepval. More prisoners have been taken today, bringing the total for the last two days to over a thousand. These are all men the German Army here can ill afford to lose.

Day Twenty Nine on the Somme

Saturday 29th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

In the ruins of Delville Wood there has been some smaller scale activity today than of late. We are given to understand that an advance of 500 yards has been made in the west of the wood and a smaller advance in the east. The 1st Bedfords have taken no part, their brigade having been withdrawn yesterday.

The main fighting today has been taking place to the north-west on the high ground around Pozières. An attack has been made by 2nd Australian Division and 23rd British Division. The attack was due to start just after midnight but an incessant German bombardment meant that the Australians were late in starting and when they did attack they were met by a wall of machine-gun fire, 5th Australian Brigade does not seem to have been able to leave its front line trenches whilst 7th Brigade found German barbed wire uncut. 6th Australian Brigade was able to make some slight progress, we believe. 23rd Division got bogged down in a bomb-lobbing contest with its German opponents.

A rumour is doing the rounds that the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Douglas Haig, is not happy with the performance of the Australians, telling their Corps commander, General Birdwood: “You’re not fighting Bashi-Bazouks(1) now” or words to that effect. Given that the Australians seem to resent any form of criticism at any time from High Command, such a rumour, whether true or not, will not do the effort in general any good.

(1) Turkish soldiers – a reference to the fighting at Gallipoli the previous year.

Day Ten on the Somme

Monday 10th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The Battle for Trônes Wood began in earnest yesterday, with the wood being taken and then lost by 30th Division. Last night a trench was dug by 30th Division on the south-west edge of the wood and early this morning troops from 90th Brigade used this to move into the wood, which seemed empty. However, the enemy then moved back in and fighting has been confused throughout the day, dead British and German bodies are intermingled and, added to the fallen and splintered trees and shell-holes have made a once pleasant wood into something from Hell. It is a thoroughly confusing place where it is easy to lose one’s bearings according to men who have been in and come out again alive.

2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment forms a part 90th Brigade but has not yet been used in any attack in this ten day-old battle. Tonight the adjutant has received orders that they are to go into action in the wood tomorrow. It is believed that it is currently only lightly held by the enemy but these things can change quickly. Certainly the defenders have put up a stiff fight today. Tonight the Battalion rests near an old French brickworks close to the south-west edge of Bernafay Wood which lies a few hundred yards west of Trônes Wood.

This afternoon the village of Contalmaison was finally captured by 23rd and 34th Divisions. This place has been in the army’s sights for over a week and great satisfaction is felt that it is finally “in the bag”. 6th Bedfords did not take part in the capture but formed a defensive flank against German counter-attacks, which cost them 6 dead, 4 missing and 40 wounded.

The 38th (Welsh) Division has been involved in heavy fighting in Mametz Wood. It is understood that they have managed to infiltrate and capture a good portion of it.

Source: X550/3/wd

Day Nine on the Somme

Sunday 9th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Attacks on Trônes Wood and Contalmaison have continued today. Maltz Horn Farm was rushed by 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers (which is in the same brigade as 2nd Bedfords) whilst it was still dark this morning. The 30th Division pierced the wood and, despite the chaos of poisoned gas, splintered trees, shells holes and resistance, captured the pace in its entirety. Sadly an intense German bombardment around lunchtime caused it to be abandoned again, though some groups of men seem to have remained behind and we have to assume they were killed or captured when the Germans re-took the place a short time ago. In the last few minutes we understand that men from 30th Division have advanced again and begun to dig a trench along the south-west edge of the wood. No doubt this will be the jumping off point for further attacks tomorrow or in succeeding days.

Meanwhile 23rd Division continues to give its attention to Contalmaison. No major attack was planned today but the Germans made an attack themselves which was, we are pleased to report, quickly dispersed. This evening the enemy have made another attack but we understand that his, too, has been dealt with. One of the units fending off German counter-attacks is 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment of 112th Brigade. In so doing today they have lost 14 dead, 1 missing and 75 wounded.

17th Division attacked a trench called Quadrilateral Trench south of the village of Contalmaison. This has been in dispute for some days. Again, little has been achieved.

Day Seven on the Somme

Friday 7th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

As the 7th Bedfords withdraw from this battle, now in its seventh day, the adjutant has passed on the congratulatory telegrams received in the wake of the successful attack on 1st July. General Rawlinson, commander-in-chief of 4th Army wrote, on 2nd July: "please convey to 18th Division my best congratulations and thanks for their dashing attack yesterday. They have done excellent work and I desire to thank them most heartily." The commander of XIII Corps, General Sir Walter Norris Congreve wrote: “please convey to all units my intense appreciation of their splendid fighting which has attained all asked for from them and resulted in heavy losses to the enemy, nearly 1,000 prisoners have already passed through the cage”. And the commander of 18th Division, Sir Ivor Maxse wrote simply: “well done; it's what I expected; now hold on to what you have gained so splendidly”.

Today 17th Division made a determined attack on the area south of the village of Contalmaison this morning. They began at 2 am but their attack failed due to strong defence and uncut wire. The Germans then counter-attacked but were defeated by 7 am. Another attack was then made by 17th Division but this, too, was defeated.

23rd Division, next-door to 17th, also made an attack this morning, with the aim of taking the village of Contalmaison itself. Despite furious machine-gun fire they entered the village as far as the church, but suppoting attacks failed and, with ammunition running out, the gallant men of 23rd Division were forced to abandon the village. This ended what has been a frustrating day, like so many in this war.

Source: X550/8/1

Day Five on the Somme

Wednesday 5th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, is still resting after its heroics on the first day of this battle, which is now in its fifth day. They remained all day in Carnoy and Caftet Wood. The adjutant today issued a congratulatory letter to all ranks from Colonel Price, which reads as follows: “It is difficult for the Commanding Officer to add to the great praise bestowed on the Battalion by the higher commands. While we all deplore the loss of our brave comrades fallen in the great fight, the knowledge that the Battalion won its objective, in spite of stubborn resistance encountered and with such steadiness, determination and gallantry, is a great compensation for those who have fallen on the slopes of the Pommiers Redoubt”.

“It is a great honour to command a Battalion which has shown such fine fighting qualities and the Commanding Officer, in tendering his heartfelt thanks to Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men, feels sure that whenever called upon the Battalion will live up to the high reputation it has earned on the field of battle”.

The night attack which we mentioned yesterday was to be undertaken by 17th Division towards the village of Contalmaison was duly carried out. The Quadrangle, just north of Bottom Wood was seized and 23rd Division, attacking on the left flank also made ground, though pushed back by a determined counter-attack. A fresh attack by 23rd Division has just (6 pm) retaken the lost ground.

Sources: X550/8/1

Day Four on the Somme

Tuesday 4th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

It has been another busy day, if a very wet one, the fourth day of what we are now calling The Battle of the Somme. 18th Division, of which 7th Bedfords forms a part, occupied a small wood called Marlboro’ Wood, just north of Caterpillar Wood which was taken yesterday, unopposed. Just over the ridge to the north lies the village of Bazentin-le-Grand and its accompanying wood to the west, both, no doubt, full of Germans. The battalion itself is resting further south around Carnoy Wood. Total casualties for the battle so far have been calculated by the adjutant as 2 officers killed and 13 wounded; 79 other ranks killed, 212 wounded, 6 missing and another 9 who subsequently have died of their wounds – a total of 306 officers and men.

The 2nd Battalion continue to consolidate the division’s positions, again under considerable shellfire, which wounded a number of people including Lieutenant Leonard Dolman(1). This evening they hope to be relieved by the South African Brigade. This Battalion has also been totting up its casualties so far: 2nd Lieutenant W. E. Boulton was reported as suffering from shell shock on 1st July(2). Seven other ranks have been killed, eight are missing, five also have shell shock and two, though wounded, are still at duty; 56 have been wounded making a grand total of 78.

Lieutenant Dolman [X550/1/82] (left) and Second Lieutenant Boulton [X550/1/81] (right)

Elsewhere another attack was made on the hamlet of la Boisselle by 19th and 23rd Divisions. The attack was hampered by the flooded ground which has turned to a deep, sucking mud. The attack began at 8.30 and by 2.30 most of the village was in British hands, despite counter-attacks. 17th Division made a short advance north towards Contalmaison, much hampered by the weather and state of the ground and so an attack is prepared for the hours of darkness tonight.

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

(1) He died on the last day of 1917, from wounds received in a trench raid by the Germans on 21st December, whilst serving with 8th Battalion, and is buried at Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension.

(2) Neurasthenia was the medical name given to this ailment. Today it would probably be labelled as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.