Day Thirty on the Somme

Sunday 30th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

Today the attack on Guillemont, anticipated since 16th of this month, has got underway. This attack has been undertaken by 30th Division, including 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. Having spoken with the Battalion’s adjutant it seems they were in reserve for the attack which was spear-headed by 19th and 20th Battalions, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment with 17th Liverpools in support. The attack was made in conjunction with an attack by the French, 30th Division being the most right-hand units of the British Expeditionary Force in France. A Company of the Bedfords, however, was part of the assaulting troops. As well as the attack on the village, 89th Brigade of 30th Division attacked Falfemont Farm, south-east of the village. On the other side of 90th Brigade Guillemont station and trenches north-west of the village were attacked by 5th Brigade of 2nd Division.

The attack began at 4.45 am and A Company, under Lieutenant White, operating with the French 153rd Regiment on its right flank it advanced north and seized Maltz Horn Farm(1) without opposition. This place was taken on 8th July but subsequently abandoned. There is a rumour that Lieutenant White and his French counterpart advanced arm-in-arm for part of the way, though I have not been able to verify this. The attack was a brilliant success, from seventy to eighty Germans being killed in the Maltz Horn Trench in front of the farm and one prisoner taken. The farm was found to be unoccupied. Once the position was taken the company rejoined the rest of the battalion in reserve and the farm was abandoned. The company lost about thirty men killed and wounded in this small operation, including Lieutenant H C Lovely, who was wounded.

Lieutenant Lovely

The main attack by the Liverpools was greatly hampered by a German bombardment last night and a dense fog this morning and about 6.30 am reinforcements were called for. B and C Companies of the Bedfords, accordingly moved out, but the Commanding Officer of 17th Liverpools stopped them from going too far as he had no word from his fellow commanders of the two assaulting battalions as to where exactly the support was needed. So the two companies stayed at the 17th Liverpools’ headquarters. Fifteen minutes later Lieutenant H A Chamen was seriously wounded(2).

Lieutenant Chamen

At 9 o’clock Lieutenant J T Coe and Lieutenant A L Gordon were both wounded and an hour later Lieutenant White again led A Company off to get back in contact with the French. Their attack had also been held up and they were digging in, so A Company dug in on their flank, just south of Maltz Horn Farm. Second Lieutenant F A Sloan was wounded just before midday.

Second Lieutenant Sloan

About 1.30 this afternoon it became clear that the attack on Guillemont had stalled and the Bedfords were ordered to consolidate a line along the low ridge from a small wood called Arrowhead Copse, just short of Guillemont, east to the French left wing. This they did, digging a new trench about 300 yards long. It is anticipated that the battalion will be relieved tonight, having suffered 6 officers and 186 other ranks dead and wounded.

I have just heard that this morning’s attack succeeded in entering Guillemont. However, due to the inability to communicate due to fog and telephone wires being cut Major-General Shea commanding the division took the decision to consolidate the line from the west side of Guillemont south-west to Maltz Horn Farm rather than losing what had been gained to any German counter-attack. The attack by 2nd Division on the north-west of Guillemont was a complete failure. The final line now extends from Maltz Horn Farm, to the road running south from Guillemont to Hardecourt, then north-west to Arrowhead Copse.

To assist the attack on Guillemont subsidiary attacks were made to the north-west at Longueval and Delville Wood again. This attack was confused and extremely costly and seems to have gained little or nothing. The fighting in this area may be described, not melodramatically, as a blood-bath and one of the Battalions of 5th Division is reported to have been reduced from 1,000 at full strength to just 175.

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) The proper name was Maltzkorn Farm after its founder, an 18th century German called Paul Maltzkorn. Today the farm buildings are long gone but a large crucifix stands on the site.

(2) Aged 22, he died on 1st August and is buried at Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension.

Day Eleven on the Somme

Tuesday 11th July 1916 From our Correspondent in the Field

The 2nd Bedfords have taken their first truly active part in the Battle of the Somme today – its eleventh day. As I write this despatch the battalion is still in Trônes Wood where it has been since early this morning. The men were drawn up at 1.30 am and began their advance on the south-west portion of the wood at 3.10 when the first pre-dawn light was beginning to suffuse the sky. They advanced in columns of half-companies, A Company leading the way, and spread out, five yards between each man and his neighbour. They were about a quarter of a mile from the wood when the German machine-guns opened up. This was soon followed by artillery and the battalion suffered many casualties before it entered the wood.

By 3.45 every surviving man was inside the wood, at its southern end. Wounded men returning from the fight told me that the undergrowth is luxuriant, unaffected by shellfire, and makes it difficult to see more than about four yards ahead. They also say the wood is full of enemy trenches and dug-outs which one does not see until one is right upon them. As soon as they entered the wood Lieutenant R B Gibson was killed and Second Lieutenant F E Plummer was wounded.

Second Lieutenant Plummer

After a lot of fighting, A and B Companies dug themselves in on the south-east side of the wood with C and D Companies digging in on the south-west edge. By 4.20 am Captain L F Beal, commander of C Company had led 27 men of D Company and 13 men of B Company under their commander Lieutenant H A Chamen up to the north-east edge of the wood where they dug-in. Sadly no other reinforcements came up and a large number of Germans were seen advancing south from the village of Longueval, causing these 42 men to abandon their position and withdraw south in order to avoid being surrounded. They eventually reached C Company’s position in the south-east corner the wood about 5 pm.

Lieutenant Fox

Around 8 am Lieutenant L H Fox led a patrol into the interior which has not returned. I understand they are believed to have been captured(1). At 11.30 a third patrol followed those of Captain Beal and Lieutenant Fox. This was led by Captain C G Tyler along with Second Lieutenant L H Walker and Second Lieutenant D P Cross with about forty men. They worked north up the eastern edge of the wood but encountered a strong-point where a track from the village of Guillemont enters the wood. Captain Tyler was badly wounded and ordered the party back to their starting position. Distressingly the captain had to be left where he was(2). The men, now back in their trench fought off several German counter-attacks. From the above it is clear that the fighting in the stifling conditions of this wood was even more confused than normal for this war.

Captain Tyler

As I write this A, B, C and half of D Company are believed to be dug-in at the southern part of the wood. Every company is reported as having suffered many casualties. Patrols have been sent into the middle of the wood to find stragglers and to bomb and the enemy out of their trenches there. Thus the 2nd Battalion’s first day, whilst not as clear-cut as that of the 7th Battalion has been satisfactory and ground has been gained.

Fighting continues in Mametz Wood. The Welshmen of 38th Division have captured more of it today.

Sources: X550/3/wd

(1) In fact Lieutenant Leslie Herbert Fox had been killed and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

(2) Captain Cornelius George Tyler either died of his wounds that day or was subsequently killed by the enemy. Again he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Detailed Attack Training

H A Chamen [X550/1/81]

Monday 5th June 1916: The adjutant of the 2nd Battalion tells us that though behind the lines they are not idle. They are busy practicing attacks over ground selected as almost identical to that near Maricourt, with trenches laid out to imitate those of the enemy.  Clearly a major attack is anticipated. The adjutant is also happy to report the return to the Battalion of Second Lieutenant H A Chamen who was posted to 3rd Entrenching Battalion back in February(1).

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) He would die of wounds one month in to forthcoming battle.

French Attack

H A Chamen

Sunday 13th February 1916: The adjutant of the 2nd Battalion at Maricourt on the Somme tells us that the French on their right have made an attack on the village of Frise, taken by the Germans at the end of last month. They have taken a hundred prisoners. The Battalion has lost the services of Second Lieutenant Chamen who has been dispatched to 3rd Entrenching Battalion(1).

Source: X550/3/wd

(1) He would rejoin on 4th June and be seriously in the Battle of the Somme in an attack on Guillemont on 30th July, dying of wounds on 1st August.