Advance on Bapaume

Saturday 24th August 1915

The advance continued today with IV Corps busy west of Bapaume. Whilst it was still dark the gallant New Zealand Division attacked the shattered foliage of Loupart Wood and the remains of the village of Grevillers. Meanwhile 37th Division attacked Biefvillers north-east of Grevillers. The intention was then for the men from the Land of the Long White Cloud to go on and take the town of Bapaume - the target, it may be remembered of four months' fighting in 1916. Around two dozen tanks were available to help the Kiwis in their endeavours.

Despite the rather poor weather today the New Zealanders quickly took Grevillers, though at some cost. At this time 37th Division was fruitlessly struggling to get up to Biefvillers under very heavy fire. rather than making a dash for Bapaume the commander of the New Zealand 2nd Brigade decided to add his numbers to those of 37th Division, surely the correct decision, and by ten o'clock this morning the village was taken. By this time the Germans, seeing the danger of this attack rushed reinforcements to the locality and a counter-attack pushed the leading British and New Zealand troops back from Avesnes-le-Comte. Bapaume may not have fallen today but the Kiwis are confident that it will fall tomorrow.

Meanwhile in the early hours of this morning 38th (Welsh) Division recaptured Thiepval and the Schwaben Redoubt. It will be remembered that Thiepval first fell to 7th Bedfords on 26th September 1916 and was held by the 4th Bedfords for a while during March. Seizing this high ground is vital as it overlooks enemy positions. 

La Boiselle and Ovillers, or rather the pathetic little cairns which mark the graves of the houses in these settlements were also taken by 18th Division. We are given to understand that the Welshmen have captured nearly 150 enemy machine guns today. One hundred and fifty! The enemy usually gives up a single one of these weapons up about as willingly as a healthy man would give up a hand, a fact very suggestive as to the state of the enemy's morale. 

In the south 18th Division has taken the hamlet of Becourt and its wood and elements from three divisions (12th 47th and 58th) have retaken Grove Town. During the 1916 battles Grove Town Camp was a huge staging post for men and material moving up to the front line. Finally the Australians have recaptured the remains of the town of Bray on the north bank of the River Somme. Any of these gains would be significant in itself and so many on one day means that the army is really beginning to believe that the dam of German resistance has cracked and it will only take a determined effort to break it completely.

Attack in 2nd Battalion

Tuesday 6th August 1918

Yesterday we mentioned that 2nd Battalion was in the same positions 7th Battalion had occupied just before their triumph on the Somme in 1916. Many of the men in 2nd Battalion recently came from 7th Battalion and saw their current position as an omen for a successful attack, which the whole army seems to feel is coming. However, the enemy beat them to it. 

Last night the battalion was due for relief by 8th Battalion, London Regiment, part of 174th Brigade. Arrangements were made accordingly, and owing to the bad state of the trenches and the heavy shelling, guides for the incoming units were ordered to start with their relieving Platoons from further forward, in order to get as far as possible before dark. At the last moment the incoming 174th Brigade altered all arrangements and postponed the start till 9.30 p.m. and it was actually 10 p.m. and quite dark before the guides were able to start. The men were by then very exhausted and distressed from the start, and progress was slow.

At 3.30 a.m. this morning the leading company was stuck in the communication trench 600 yards short of the front line. One incoming company had relieved the right company of the Bedfords overland, but the other three incoming companies were sticky and exhausted. At this period it became obvious that the relief could not be completed by night, and all available officers and N.C.O.s. from Battalion Headquarters were sent forward to expedite the completion of the first relief. 

At 4 a.m. the enemy put down a heavy barrage on the old British Front line, all communication trenches and back areas which was followed by a strong Infantry attack at about 4.30 a.m. By then the two right companies of the Bedfords had been relieved and were moving to their new positions in support. The two companies on the left had not been completely relieved. There was no communication with companies except by runner, and it took more than an hour to get a message forward. 

The result of all this muddle was that the enemy had captured the Bedfords' outpost line and penetrated deeply on the front of the Battalion on the left (the East Surreys) particularly on the Bray-Corbie road where a quarry was entered by the enemy and prisoners were taken. The two left companies holding the original British front line put up a very strong resistance which prevented any further penetration. The two left-hand companies then counter-attacked on their own initiative and regained the outpost line which was handed over to the London Regiment.

The supporting companies with the East Surreys' stragglers cleared up the situation and occupied the front line intact. Local fighting has taken place during today and all positions were maintained and improved. 

Source: X550/3/wd

Some Will Remember This Place

Monday 5th August 1918

The 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment have taken over from 8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment in the front line west of Albert. In fact some of the old hands of 7th Battalion remember the place very well. They are astride the road from Bray-sur-Somme to Corbie. It is here that the 7th Battalion spent their last few hours before going into the line to take part in the operations of the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916, a bloody day, to be sure, but a day when the untried battalion made a great name for itself. Chatting with the adjutant on the "blower" this evening he joked that he hoped it was a good omen and that a similarly successful attack awaits the battalion in the near future.

Source: X550/3/WD

Day Fifty Seven on the Somme

Saturday 26th August 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today the 1st Bedfords have moved from Méaulte to Bronfay Farm near Bray-sur-Somme. This is still well behind the lines.

The other regular battalion of the Regiment, 2nd Bedfords, are currently at Gorre near Béthune, miles to the north. Their adjutant has wired that Sergeant R A Foster, Corporal F Selby, Private S F Burrows and Private A Girdlestone have all been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the recent Somme battles(1)

The Australians have had another crack at Mouquet Farm today and have occupied a trench leading to it. Sadly, no further progress could be made.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/3/wd

(1) 18551 Private Samuel Foster Burrows MM, of B Company and from Fulham [London] would be killed on 11th February 1917. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 10835 Private Albert Edward James Girdlestone MM would be killed on 5th January 1918. He also has no known grave, being commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial near Ypres.

Casualties Whilst Practising

Lieutenant-Colonel Poyntz as a captain [X550/1/82]

Wednesday 21st June 1916: Raids and attacks need to be practised and, to be realistic, live ammunition is often used. We understand that 2nd Battalion has suffered two casualties whilst practising for a forthcoming raid. Lieutenant-Colonel Poyntz and the adjutant Lieutenant J W Hurrell had gone to Bray to supervise the training for a raid and witnessed Corporal W Eade killed by an exploding grenade. This man was an exceptional soldier, having been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry. Lance Corporal W Tyrrell was wounded in the same explosion.

By contrast with the tragic death of Corporal Eade, Corporal F Johnson, perhaps partly seeking to emulate the example of Private Chambers, whose death was reported yesterday, wounded himself in the left foot. He had only been with the Battalion for three days, having joined with a draft on 18th.

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) Corporal Eade, from Islington, is buried at Chipilly Communal Cemetery Extension. Self-inflicted wounds were a serious offence, carrying a maximum sentence of a lengthy period of imprisonment. Over 3,800 men were sentenced for this offence during the war. 

Suicide

Lieutenant Warren [X550/1/81]

Tuesday 20th June 1916: Another officer joined the 2nd Battalion yesterday, Second Lieutenant D D Warren. The raiding party, we understand, are still practising at Bray.

17796 Private Thomas Stephen Chambers, aged 22, killed himself yesterday. Perhaps the strain of the impending offensive which everyone is talking about, preyed on his mind(1), certainly yesterday was a very quiet day.

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) He has no known grave and is commemorated on the le Touret Memorial.

Planning a Raid

Dennis P Cross [X550/1/81]

Monday 19th June 1916: Another officer has joined the 2nd Battalion to bring it up to strength before the big push which it is rumoured will take place in the next week or so. Second Lieutenant T. J. Pemberton has joined from 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and came with a draft of fifty other ranks.

Second Lieutenants G A Anstee and D P Cross took fifty other ranks to Bray-sur-Somme. They are to practise for a trench raid(1)

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) Dennis Cross would die 24th August 1918 as a captain 

T J Pemberton [X550/1/81]

Back to the Front Again

Tuesday 13th June 1916: the 2nd Battalion have finished their training for the expected offensive(1). Yesterday they took a troop train from the town of Ailly-sur-Somme to the town of Heilly, from which they marched to Bray, just behind the front line after a four hour march.

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) See 5th June 1916

Inspection on the March

Sir Ivor Maxse 

Monday 6th March 1916: The adjutant of the 7th Battalion informs us that yesterday the battalion moved from Corbie the short distance to Bray-sur-Somme. On the march they were inspected by Brigadier Thomas Herbert Shoubridge, in command of 54th Infantry Brigade and Major-General Sir Ivor Maxse commanding 18th (Eastern) Division(1), who both expressed satisfaction with the march discipline on display and general appearance of the troops.

Source: X550/8/1

(1) Shoubridge went on to command 7th Division from 1917, Maxse was made commander of XVIII Corps in 1917 then, in 1918, Inspector General of Training.

Death of a Particularly Brave Bedford

Friday 14th January 1916: the adjutant of the 1st Battalion, currently at Bray-sur-Somme tells us that Sergeant Albert Higgins from West Ham in Essex was killed about two o’clock this morning whilst out repairing barbed wire in no man’s land. This is, sadly, a relatively common occurrence but Sergeant Higgins’ death is made more poignant by the fact that he did not quite live a see his name in the newspapers, for having been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery – an award second only to the Victoria Cross(1).

Source: X550/2/5

(1) He is buried in Carnoy Military Cemetery – his death is given erroneously as 13th January on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and in Soldiers Died in the Great War.