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Thread: 100 Years Ago Today

  1. #1551

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rebel View Post
    Dear Esteemed Editor
    I must take issue with you on one point of your Verdun report in the latest issue of The Snipers Times where you state, "This day General Nivelle gives a moving order of the day, in which the French troops are praised for their perseverance and their persistency. He concludes with the famous sentence: 'Ils ne passeront pas!' ['They will never pass']. Surely this was first uttered by Petain to Joffre! Nivelle may have repeated it but he certainly did not initiate the phrase.
    That being said I must again congratulate you on your sterling work in bringing this excellent publication to the troops.
    It makes life in the trenches just that bit more bearable.
    You are correct Reg it was Petain (or was it Galdalf?) that first uttered the phrase, I think my reporter was merely stating that Nivelle had used/appropriated the phrase in this situation rather than giving him credit for its first utterance, but I can see how the wording is open to interpretation.. Thank you for obviously reading things so thoroughly to pick up on that - no extra biscuits with his tea for our reporter for a while....

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  2. #1552

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    13th July 1916


    There were five airmen who died on this day - interestingly, all were air mechanics, and none died in combat (three died of illness either Cholera or Malaria, one died in an accident, and one alas we have no details for)

    Air Mechanic 2nd. Class Thomas Gemson RFC Recruits depot - Accidentally Killed 13 July 1916

    Air Mechanic 2nd. Class Percy Gorringe 36 Squadron RFC - Died of cholera 13 July 1916

    Air Mechanic William Henry Lord Australian Flying Corps - Died of Malaria in American hospital, contracted while a Prisoner of War at Adana, Tarsus Asia 13 July 1916 aged 22- Son of William John and Deliah Lord; husband of Annie Moya Lord, of 23, Wordsworth St., St. Kilda, Victoria. Born at Fitzroy, Victoria.

    Air Mechanic 2nd. Class M. James Simpson No.1 Squadron RFC - no further information located.

    Air Mechanic Leo Thomas Williams
    - Australian Flying Corps - attached 30 Squadron (Kut Garrison), Royal Flying Corps
    Captured 29 April 1916 when British Garrison at Kut el Amara surrendered. Died in American Hospital at Adena 13 July 1916 while a Prisoner of War in Turkish Hands in Asia Minor. Had been ill at the Railway Workers Work Camp at Garahbashae, close to Bagtch

    I do have one report of an plane crash that killed its pilot but his name doesn't crop on on the usual memorial lists -Maurice Farman Longhorn 8923, RNAS, Eastchurch Crashed on landing, Old Ride's Farm, Eastchurch Flt Sub-Lt Edmund Alleyne Freeman (22) killed

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    There were no aerial victory claims on this day...

    Friday 14 July 1916 – We Lost 2,671 men

    At 04:30 a battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment leads an attack on Trones Wood. At 06:00 they rush the redoubt in the southern part of Central Trench in the face of strong resistance. The wood is under British control by 09:00.

    Private William Cobb (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed at Trones Wood at age 34. His older brother was killed last January.
    Private Bertram Reuben Aldridge (Northamptonshire Regiment) dies of wounds at age 21 received in the attack. His brother will be killed in August 1918.

    The Leicestershire Regiment suffers heavy losses today at Mametz - amongst those lost are

    Captain Tobias Mortimer Moll
    killed at age 26. He is a South African rugby union player who was awarded a single cap on 27th August 1910 against the British Isles team on their 1910 tour of South Africa.
    Captain David Westcott Brown killed at age 23. He is the son of the Reverend George Gibson Brown of Mary’s Rectory, Bedford and is one of the Great War Poets.
    Captain Frederic Herbert Emmet is killed at age 26. He is the Assistant Master at Allen House School Woking and the son of the Reverend William Edward Emmet Vicar of Whaddon.
    Lieutenant Lionel Pilkington Abbott is killed in Mametz Wood at age 28. He is a school master at 1st Bramcote School and later at Glebe House School and the only son of the Reverend Arthur Abbott Vicar of Corby.
    Lieutenant Noel Compton-Burnett is also killed. His sister Ivy will become a world famous novelist.

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Lieutenant Colonel Dudley George Blois DSO (Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 41. He is a veteran of the South Africa War. Son of the late Sir John Blois (8th Bart.), of Grundisburgh and Cockfield Hall, Suffolk, and of Dowager Lady Blois, of 8, Ennismore Gardens, South Kensington, London; husband of Georgiana Blois (daughter of Admiral Sir Compton Domvile, G.C.O., G.C.V.O.).
    Major Gerald Maitland Clark (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed at age 35. He is the son of the Reverend William Maitland Clark Vicar of Kilmeston.
    Major Wilfred Noel Leggett (Royal Garrison Artillery) is killed in action at age 30. He is the second son of Colonel Leggett to be killed in the Great War and his older brother will be killed later this month becoming the third brother to die.
    Captain Marcus Herbert Goodall (York and Lancs Regiment) is killed at age 21. He is the son of the Reverend Canon Goodall Vicar of Rotherham.
    Captain Cyril Francis Harrison Oliver (West Yorkshire Regiment) dies of wounds at age 35. He is the son of the Reverend Henry Francis Oliver Vicar of Fenny Stratford.
    Captain Robert Stewart R Smylie (Scots Fusiliers) is killed. He is the headmaster of the County Grammar School Sudbury Suffolk.

    At 04:30 a battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment leads an attack on Trones Wood. At 06:00 they rush the redoubt in the southern part of Central Trench in the face of strong resistance. The wood is under British control by 09:00.

    Corporal David Watts (King’s Shropshire Light Infantry) is killed at age 30 at Bazentin Ridge. He is a Welsh international rugby union forward who played club rugby for Maesteg. He won four caps for Wales, all in 1914. Watts came to prominence in Welsh rugby when he was part of the Maesteg team that won the Glamorgan Challenge Cup in 1912. In 1914 Watts was selected to represent Wales as part of the Five Nations Championship. His first game was in the 17th January game against England at Twickenham. Wales lost the opening game but won the final three games of the tournament. Of all Watts’ matches, the most notable was the final game at the Balmoral Show Grounds against Ireland. Watts played one final game for his country, in a exhibition game against the Barbarians in 1915. The game against Ireland was the final Welsh international game before the outbreak of the Great War.

    "They try their best but can't succeed , for he is of pure and Noble breed" - David Watts by the Jam 26 August 1978 (although originally penned by Ray Davies of The Kinks and nothing to do with this David Watts - but you know how a song gets stuck in your head)

    Western Front

    The Battle of Bazentin Ridge (Part one - part two tomorrow)

    The Battle of Bazentin Ridge (14–17 July 1916) was part of the Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November) on the Western Front in France, during the First World War. The British Fourth Army (General Henry Rawlinson) attacked the Braune Stellung at dawn on 14 July, against the German 2nd Army (General Fritz von Below) from Delville Wood west to Bazentin le Petit Wood. Dismissed beforehand by a French commander as "an attack organized for amateurs by amateurs", the attack succeeded. Attempts to use the opportunity to capture High Wood failed due to the German success in holding on to the north end of Logueval and parts of Delville Wood, from which attacks on High Wood could be engaged from the flank. Cavalry intended to provide a faster-moving force of exploitation was badly delayed by the devastated ground, shell-holes and derelict trenches. In the afternoon, infantry of the 7th Division attacked the wood, which could earlier have entered the wood unopposed and found that German troops had occupied parts of the wood. The Germans also held the Switch Line along the ridge that cut through the north-east part of the wood. The cavalry eventually attacked to the east of the wood and overran German infantry hiding in standing crops, inflicting about 100 casualties for a loss of eight troopers. The attack was assisted by an artillery-observation aircraft, whose crew saw the Germans in the crops and attacked them with Lewis gun fire. The British struggled to exploit the success and the 2nd Army recovered, leading to another period of attritional line straightening attacks and German counter-attacks, before the general attacks of September.

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    By mid-June, the certainty of an Anglo-French attack on the Somme against the 2nd Army (General der Infanterie Fritz von Below), had led General Erich von Falkenhayn, the Chief of the Großer Generalstab (German General Staff), to send four divisions and artillery reinforcements from the Oberste Heeresleitung (OHL, Supreme Army Command) reserve, enough to contain the British offensive. The 2nd Army had plenty of time to construct a defence in depth and was better prepared than any previous army to receive an Entente offensive. On 15 June, Falkenhayn had informed the 6th Army (Generaloberst Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria) that the main Entente attack would be against the 2nd Army, with a limited attack near Lens on the 6th Army, which held a shorter line than the 2nd Army, with 17 1⁄2 divisions, plentiful heavy artillery and with three divisions of the OHL reserve close by.[1]

    The maintenance of the strength of the 6th Army at the expense of the 2nd Army on the Somme, was to conserve the means for a counter-offensive north of the Somme front, once the British offensive had been shattered by the 2nd Army. A German attack on Fleury at Verdun from 22–23 June succeeded and then on 24 June, the Verdun offensive was reduced to conserve manpower and ammunition for the coming Entente offensive, except for preparations to attack on Fort Souville in July, to gain control of the heights overlooking Verdun. The fort was the last significant French position on the east bank of the Meuse, the final objective of the offensive that had begun in February 1916, which had been intended to take only a few weeks. The power of the Anglo-French offensive on the Somme surprised the Germans, despite the costly failure of the British attack on 1 July, north of the Albert–Bapaume road. The extent of Entente artillery fire caused many casualties and much of the 2nd Army artillery, vital to the defensive system, had been lost. The policy of meeting any Anglo-French success with an immediate counter-attack was also costly and in the first ten days, the Germans suffered 40,187 casualties, against 25,989 losses in the first ten days of the Verdun offensive. After a lull on the Eastern Front, the Russians had resumed the Brusilov Offensive in June and forced Falkenhayn to reorganise the Eastern front, send German divisions to bolster the Austro-Hungarians and make limited counter-attacks, which had little effect. In late June and early July the Russians inflicted more defeats and then began to attack the German sector of the Eastern Front at Baranovitchi on 2 July.

    On 2 July, seven divisions had been sent from the OHL reserve and from the 6th Army to the 2nd Army and another seven were en route by 9 July. On 7 July, Falkenhayn abandoned the plan for a 6th Army counter-offensive against a defeated offensive, for lack of manpower. After the failure of the attack on Fort Souville at Verdun on 12 July, Falkenhayn had ordered a "strict defensive" at Verdun and the transfer of more troops and artillery to the Somme, the first visible strategic effect of the Anglo-French offensive. Falkenhayn adopted a strategy of defeating the offensive on the Somme, to show the French that the German army could not be beaten and that a negotiated peace was inevitable. Casualties on the Somme were so high that by mid-July Falkenhayn had sent the best divisions remaining in the 6th Army, reduced the OHL reserve to one division and begun reorganising the Westheer (Western Army), to allow complete divisions to be transferred to the Somme; the Entente had taken the initiative on the Western Front.

    On 1 July, the French Sixth Army and the right wing of the Fourth Army had inflicted a considerable defeat on the German 2nd Army. From the Albert–Bapaume road north to Gommecourt, the Fourth Army attack was a disaster, where most of the c. 60,000 British casualties were incurred. Against the wishes of Marshal Joseph Joffre, General Sir Douglas Haig abandoned the offensive north of the road, to reinforce the success in the south. During the Battle of Albert (1–13 July), the Fourth Army pressed forward south of the Albert–Bapaume road, through several intermediate defensive lines towards the German second position. The attacks were hampered by supply routes which became quagmires during rainy periods (lengthening the time for round trips), behind the French XX Corps and the British XIII Corps (Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve), XV Corps (Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Horne) and III Corps (Lieutenant-General William Pulteney).La Boisselle near the road was captured on 4 July, Bernafay and Caterpillar woods were occupied from 3–4 July and fighting for Trônes Wood, Mametz Wood and Contalmaison took place until early on 14 July. The Germans opposite the Fourth Army were kept disorganised and the British closed to within striking distance of the German second position, a significant but costly victory. The Fourth Army attacks were un-coordinated, tactically crude, wasteful of manpower and gave the Germans an opportunity to concentrate their inferior resources on narrow fronts, multiplying their effect. The loss of c. 60,000 British casualties on 1 July was not repeated. From 2–13 July, the British attacked 46 times and lost c. 25,000 casualties, a change in the rate of loss from c. 60,000–2,083 per day. Around 14 July, Fayolle wrote that the French had taken 12,000 prisoners and 70 guns, the British 7,500 men and 24 guns but that the British had 70,000 men "in the ground" (sic) and were still short of the German second position. After Falkenhayn sacked his Chief of Staff, Generalmajor Paul Grünert and General Günther von Pannewitz (XVII Corps), after Grünert allowed Pannewitz to make a withdrawal to the third position south of the Somme, to shorten the corps front; Grünert was replaced by Colonel Fritz von Lossberg. First-class German reinforcements reaching the Somme front, were thrown into the battle piecemeal, which caused higher casualties. Attacks were poorly-organised, insufficient time was allowed for reconnaissance and the infantry was inadequately supported by the artillery, which sometimes fired on German troops. German counter-attacks were even less well-organised than their British equivalents and most failed.

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    The Germans defending the Braune Stellung (second position), which had few deep dug-outs, suffered many casualties on 7 July from British guns directed by artillery-observation aircraft, a battalion of Reserve Infantry Regiment 122 (RIR 122) losing 243 casualties. British artillery-fire cut communications and the XIV Reserve Corps (Lieutenant-General Hermann von Stein) lost touch with the front line, not knowing if the line from Contalmaison to Pozières still existed. A counter-attack by RIR 122 and Infantry Regiment 183 (IR 183) was postponed and lack of information led to the attack being cancelled next day. The commander of the 185th division, which contained a mixture of units from four other divisions, was put in charge of the line from the south of Mametz Wood to Ovillers, to fill the gap from Contalmaison to Pozières by dawn on 9 July. I Battalion, RIR 122 relieved I Battalion, Lehr Regiment, which had suffered 618 casualties in Contalmaison from the constant British artillery-fire, its troops having had to lie in mud, among the sick, wounded and dead. The battalions in the area received about 100 recruits each as reinforcements and RIR 77 arrived from the 2nd Guard Reserve Division. The IV Corps (General Friedrich Sixt von Armin) with the 7th Division (Major-General Friedrich von Bernhardi) and 8th Division was en route for the Somme. From 6–13 July, 63 heavy artillery batteries, three artillery flights, two reconnaissance flights and a bombing flight of the Fliegertruppen (Imperial German Air Service) arrived and Below asked for more machine-gun units, on which the defence was being based. On 12 July, Falkenhayn ordered the 5th Army at Verdun to assume a "strict defensive", ordered artillery to the Somme and urged Below to hold on to the area of Hardecourt to Trônes Wood, to counter French or British attacks from the flank, if it became possible to deliver an organised counter-attack. Below wanted to attack south of the Somme, where artillery-fire could be concentrated but needed five fresh divisions, which did not exist and next day all counter-attacks were cancelled. Such confusion had been created by the arrival of units milked from divisions beyond the Somme, that the battlefield was divided into permanent corps areas, the corps headquarters, heavy artillery and supply services to remain as a permanent administrative organisation. Brigades and divisions were to be transferred in and out, with the group maintaining the command arrangements and continuity of policy. On 13 July, the 2nd Army created Group Gossler (VI Reserve Corps) from the Somme to Hardecourt, Group Armin (IV Corps), Hardecourt to Pozières and Group Stein (XIV Reserve Corps) from Pozières across the Ancre to Gommecourt.

    Before the Fourth Army had captured Trônes Wood, Mametz Wood and Contalmaison, Rawlinson issued a warning order for an attack on the German second position and engineers and pioneers began to clear roads and fill in derelict trenches. Guns and ammunition were moved forward and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) photographed the German second and third positions. With the corps commanders and artillery commanders, Rawlinson decided that the attack should begin at dawn, when there would be insufficient light for German machine-gunners to see far ahead.[18] XIII Corps was to attack with two divisions from Longueval to Bazentin-le-Grand, after forming up in no man's land, 500 yards (460 m) short of the German trenches. XV Corps was to attack from the north edge of Mametz Wood, on a front from Bazentin le Grand wood to Bazentin le Petit village and cemetery, where no man's land was much narrower. The 1st Division of III Corps was to attack further west as a flank guard.[19]

    The XIII Corps infantry on the right would have to cross up to 1,200 yards (1,100 m) of no man's land in the dark and assemble close to the Braune Stellung (the second position), the front line since the Entente advances after 1 July.[19] If the Germans detected the move across no man's land, the attack could be a disaster but Rawlinson and the corps commanders felt that the risk was warranted. Night attacks had already been tried and one by the 12th (Eastern) Division on the night of 3/4 July had failed, after German machine-gunners saw the infantry, who were then stopped by uncut wire.[20] Haig was dubious about the scheme, because the British infantry were not trained or disciplined enough and because staff officers were too inexperienced to organise a 0.5 mi (0.80 km) night move, assembly and attack. Haig wanted the XV Corps to attack first from Mametz Wood, where no man's land was much narrower. The right flank would take the spur near Marlboro' Wood, with III Corps guarding the left flank, by an advance of the 1st Division up Pearl Alley, to capture Contalmaison Villa. XV Corps could then face east and XIII Corps would attack from the south at dawn, towards Waterlot Farm, Longueval and Bazentin le Grand.[19]

    On 11 July, Rawlinson met again with the corps commanders and divisional commanders, who wanted the original plan reinstated. Haig compromised with a scheme in which XV Corps, with reinforcements, would still attack first but XIII Corps would dig positions on the south slopes of the ridge from Longueval to Bazentin and send patrols forward, ready to attack if it were feasible, to assist the XV Corps attack against both Bazentin woods and Bazentin le Petit. XV Corps would wheel east, to roll up the defences opposite XIII Corps which would then attack. Rawlinson contacted Haig again on 12 July and his Major-General General Staff (MGGS) Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd, contacted Launcelot Kiggell the BEF Chief of the General Staff, to make a final appeal. Haig gave way, provided that the supporting points were built by XIII Corps and the flanks were protected by garrisons in Mametz and Trônes woods. Most of Mametz Wood had already been captured and the fight for Trônes Wood continued. Haig was also reassured by Major-General Noel Birch the BEF MGRA (Major-General Royal Artillery) that the bombardment was succeeding, that German underground shelters in the second position would be shallower than those overrun on 1 July, that the British had gained artillery superiority and that a dawn attack would mean plenty of time for exploitation.[21]

    The 9th Division (Major-General William Furse) and the 3rd Division (Major-General Aylmer Haldane) in XIII Corps were to attack on a line from the north-west corner of Bernafay Wood to Marlboro' Wood and needed to advance 1,200 yd (1,100 m) to a line from Delville Wood to Longueval and Bazentin le Grand in the dark, to close up to the German front line. From Marlboro' Wood to the north side of Mametz Wood, the 7th Division (Major-General Herbert Watts) and 21st Division (Major-General David Campbell) of XV Corps, faced no man's land which was from 600–350 yd (550–320 m) wide south of Bazentin le Grand Wood, Bazentin le Petit Wood, village and the cemetery 500 yd (460 m) east. The advance would be uphill except beyond Mametz Wood, where the ground was flat. The 18th Division (Major-General Ivor Maxse) was to set up a defensive flank on the east face of Trônes Wood, between the 9th Division and the French 153rd Division, which would support the 18th Division with artillery if necessary. On the left flank, the 1st Division was to form another defensive flank in Pearl Alley, a communication trench and capture Contalmaison Villa, to link with the 21st Division at Bazentin le Petit Wood. (At 10:00 p.m. on 13 July, the 1st Division attacked with the 1st Black Watch and captured Lower Wood, north of the top left of Mametz Wood and Contalmaison Villa at 3:45 a.m. on 14 July.

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    The Deccan Horse preparing for battle

    The 18th Division at Trônes Wood diverted German attention on the east flank and it had been assumed that the French XX Corps would participate in the attack south of Guillemont. The failure of French attacks from 7–8 July, led General Ferdinand Foch, (Groupe d'armées du Nord) to order General Émile Fayolle the Sixth Army commander to wait on the British attack ("Pour le moment tout l'effort français va se concentrer au sud de la rivière") and only artillery support was made available. Three cavalry divisions were to be ready by 4:00 a.m. to exploit success, the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division by capturing High Wood 2,000 yd (1,800 m) north-west of Longueval, the 1st Cavalry Division (Major-General Cecil Bingham) Leuze Wood, 1,000 yd (910 m) beyond Guillemont and the 3rd Cavalry Division (Major-GeneralJ. Vaughan) to capture Martinpuich. The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was placed under the command of XIII Corps and the other two divisions remained under the Fourth Army HQ, for Rawlinson to decide when they were to attack, according to reports from the corps and from air reconnaissance.

    Tomorrow we will look at the night preparations and the attacks of the 13/14th July...

    Tunstill's men : (obviously in one of those lull periods) Starting at 2.25pm there was a further eight miles march west, via Behencourt and Montigny, to Molliens-au-Bois, where the Battalion would remain for nine days. Whilst here they were rested but also received further training and instruction in preparation for their return to action; it was noted in the War Diary that here the Battalion was, “generally organising for another effort”.

    The War at Sea:


    The Submarine H5 (Lieutenant Cromwell Hanford Varley) torpedoes the German submarine U-51 in the Ems Estuary.

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    HMS H5, was a British H-class submarine of the Royal Navy. She was sunk after being rammed by the British merchantman Rutherglen, mistaken for a German U-boat, on 2 March 1918. All on board perished. Stoker Petty Officer Thomas Lloyd was among the casualties. He, and all the rest of the crew are commemorated on Panel 29 at Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Also on board was US Navy Lt. Earle Wayne Freed Childs from the American submarine AL-2 as an observer, he became the first US submariner to lose his life in the First World War. The wreck site is designated as a controlled site under the Protection of Military Remains Act. A plaque commemorating the 26 who died was dedicated on Armed Forces Day 2010 in Holyhead.

    SM U-51 was a Type U 51 submarine, one of 329 submarines in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She engaged in commerce warfare during the First Battle of the Atlantic. She was ordered from Germaniawerft, at Kiel, on 23 August 1914 and laid down there on 19 December. She was launched on 25 November 1915 and commissioned on 24 February 1916. Kapitänleutnant Walter Rumpel was her captain for her entire career. Completed at Kiel about March 1916, she carried out trials at Kiel School until the end of April when she proceeded to Heligoland. British Naval Intelligence (better known as Room 40): monitored and recorded her activities. She was attached to the 2nd Half Flotilla and carried out a patrol in the North Sea between 2 May and 6 May 1916, traveling to Hantsholm in company with SM U-70, escorted by two Zeppelins. She was again in the North Sea between 16 May and 3 June 1916, during the Battle of Jutland. She fired two torpedoes at the British battleship HMS Warspite, but missed her. On 14 July the British submarine HMS H5 spotted U-51 leaving the Ems and torpedoed her. U-51 sank with the loss of 34 of her crew; four survivors were rescued. The wreck of U-51 was raised and broken up in 1968.

    Eastern Front
    Brusilov offensive, Galicia: Heavy fighting in Suedarmee centre northwest of Buczacz on river Styrpa; Russian Seventh Army takes 12,000 PoWs.

    Political, etc.

    Allied Conference on munition output held in London.

    Bank Holiday suspended.

    Bank Rate 6%.

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  3. #1553

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    High wood as it appears today (well needed something to fill the space left by the duplication of above post)

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    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  4. #1554

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    This continues to be an interesting read. I have never read any details of the Somme battles, so this is quite interesting.
    Thanks to the editorial staff.

    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  5. #1555

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    14th July 1916

    Today's report includes part two of the Battle of Bazentin Ridge amongst other tales....

    Just the one airman lost today (and like yesterday, not an enemy aircraft anywhere near...) Flight Sub Lieutenant Edmund Alleyne Freeman RNAS Eastchurch Naval Flying School. Accidentally Killed while flying 14 July 1916. He was flying Maurice Farman Longhorn 8923 near Eastchurch when he crashed on landing at Old Ride's Farm, Eastchurch.

    Just the one aerial victory claimed today as well - Major Charles Meredith Bouverie Chapman claims his second kill by downing an Eindekker over Beaulencourt

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    Tunstill's men: Molliens-au-Bois: Rest and training continued. Meanwhile, in the early hours of the morning, the British had launched a new phase of their assault on the Somme. What became known as the Battle of Bazentin Ridge was an attempt to advance the British line east of Contalmaison so as to occupy what had been the German second line along the higher ground and involving the so-called ‘horseshoe’ of woods which surmounted the ridge. The first days’ assault had gained considerable ground but was to stall over the coming days. 69th Brigade was inspected by Maj. Genl. Babington, who congratulated them on their recent successes. Babington told the assembly,

    “It was with confidence that I entrusted the capture of Contalmaison to this Brigade. It was not an easy task, in fact it was a difficult operation to carry out – very difficult, but most important, and it was with every confidence that I entrusted it to your care. It is in great measure due to the success of your efforts that the operations which began this morning (what became known as the Battle of Bazentin Ridge) were able to take place. In one area alone, over 2,000 prisoners are reported to have been taken. It was not only important to take the place, but also to hold it, and hesitation at that moment would have proved fatal. You never wavered. Nothing could have been finer. You have proved yourselves men and I have every confidence that if you have to face the same situation again, you will behave equally as well. I hope that it will not be the last time I shall be called upon to offer my sincerest thanks to the 69th Brigade.”

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    Major General Babbington

    Western Front: The Battle of Bazentin Ridge (part 2)

    A preliminary bombardment began on 11 July, with counter-battery fire and shelling of the attack front. The fire of the three corps continued at night on villages and woods further back and approach routes from them to the front line, especially Waterlot Farm, Flers, High Wood, Martinpuich, Le Sars and Bapaume. A shortage of heavy artillery ammunition and transport difficulties over wet and cut up ground, led to a ration of 25 15-inch howitzer, 50 9.2-inch howitzer, 110 8-inch howitzer and 250 6-inch howitzer shells per day for two days. The field artillery was moved forward to the south side of Montauban Ridge had and 2,000 rounds was dumped per field gun. Anglo-French air supremacy made it impossible for the German air units to reconnoitre behind the British lines and the supply of ammunition continued round the clock, easing the effect of rain, which extended wagon journeys to 5 round trips. Late on 11 June, Horne reported that the wire-cutting would take until 14 July and Rawlinson set that day for the attack, allotting more ammunition for the extra day's bombardment.[24]

    Few German shells fell on British field artillery positions, most of which were in the open and dumps of stores were dropped in Caterpillar Valley at night, covered by a line of outposts and left during the day without protection. The lack of German air observation made the dumps secure from discovery and artillery inferiority led the Germans to reserve most artillery-fire to the moments just before an attack, when defensive barrages were fired. The attacking divisions continued their preparations on the assumption that the original plan would be agreed and Rawlinson considered that the plans of the 9th and 3rd divisions for the night approach were satisfactory. To maintain surprise, the infantry were to be preceded by only a five-minute hurricane bombardment from all the XIII and XV corps guns, rather than the usual thirty-minute bombardment, to which the Germans had become accustomed. To avoid premature shell-bursts in the creeping barrage caused by trees and buildings, only delay fuzed, high-explosive shell was to be fired from the 18-pounder guns and the 4.5-inch and medium howitzers

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    British attacks on Trônes Wood began on 8 July, then attack and counter-attack continued inconclusively. Just after midnight on 13/14 July, the 54th Brigade assembled for another night attack, with no time for reconnaissance. The advance was to be from south to north and the two nearest battalions were chosen. At 4:30 a.m., the leading battalion crossed 1,000 yards (914 m) of open ground through a barrage, in artillery formation to the south-west of the wood. A redoubt in Central Trench was enveloped and rushed at 6:00 a.m., then the advance reached the eastern edge, which was mistaken for the north end of the wood. A defensive flank was formed from the railway line south to the strong point at Trônes Alley. The second battalion entered the wood at 8:00 a.m., finding parties from many units in the south-east corner and searches to the north found little sign of the first battalion. A company attacked the strong point, with another attack by the troops in Maltz Horn Trench. Direction was maintained by compass and frequent halts, the troops firing into the undergrowth as they advanced. The south end of Central Trench was rolled up and the British reached the real north end at 9:30 a.m. German troops pushed north, tried to retreat to Guillemont and lost many casualties, to small-arms fire from the defensive flank. Consolidation began by linking a line of shell-holes beyond the eastern fringe of the wood.

    Six brigades with 22,000 men and supporting troops, had to assemble closer than 500 yd (460 m) to the Germans, at night, without being noticed. On 13 July, the British discovered that the Germans were eavesdropping on the 62nd Brigade (Brigadier-General George Gater) telephones and as a ruse, a call was made that operations had been postponed. In the 9th Division area, the 26th Brigade (Brigadier-General A. B. Ritchie) and the 27th Brigade (Brigadier-General S. W. Scrase-****ens) were to lead the attack, with the 1st South African Brigade (Brigadier-General H. T. Lukin) in reserve. The 26th Brigade was to assemble on the north slope of Caterpillar Valley, with the left flank on the Montauban–Longueval road, covered by machine-gun posts on the right. The two attacking battalions were to be screened 200–300 yd (180–270 m) from the German lines, on the crest of a ridge south of Longueval, by four platoons with Lewis guns. The screening force went forward on the night of 13/14 July to a line of shell-holes made for them by 6-inch howitzers. The screening platoons were followed by three officers and 24 markers from each battalion, to the parallel Bernafay Wood–Longueval and the Montauban–Longueval roads, which were the left flanks of the battalions.

    Each battalion was to form up in columns of two companies and each company in column of platoons, in single rank at 70 yd (64 m) intervals, to make eight infantry lines. The markers stopped in threes 70 yd (64 m) apart and two then moved right at 90°, laying two 150 yd (140 m) tapes in succession, to mark the front of the platoon waves.[e] The battalions moved forward by companies in single-file, over the road running south of Bernafay Wood to Montauban at 12:25 a.m. and up the roads to the left markers; the platoons arrived, turned right along the tape. A section of the 26th Mortar Battery and sections of the 26th Machine Gun Company followed each battalion and the 26th Brigade had assembled by 3:00 a.m. Two machine-gun sections stayed with the support battalion in Montauban Alley and the rest of the guns and mortars waited with the reserve battalion south of Montauban. There was unusually little German artillery-fire on Caterpillar Valley and the brigade lost seven casualties.

    There were no roads for the 27th Brigade to use so the 76th Brigade plan was adopted. A platoon covering force went forward at 11:00 p.m. and an engineer tape 1,000 yd (910 m) long was used as a line, laid on a compass-bearing by a party of Royal Engineers, the end being 400 yd (370 m) short of the German front line, which took 45 minutes. Tapes were laid at right-angles, checked and then the markers went forward. The brigade passed the west end of Montauban in column and formed up at near end of the tape in Caterpillar Valley. The two attacking battalions went first with the companies in line, in column of platoons in one rank, the support battalion behind with a field engineer company and pioneer company on either side. At 1:45 a.m., the first battalion moved off followed by the second at 2:10 a.m. and then both formed platoons in open column at 70 yd (64 m) spaces, to form the eight infantry lines, with trench mortars, machine-guns and carrying parties to the rear, suffering five casualties during the deployment.

    In XV Corps, the 3rd Division had put out an outpost line for several nights along a sunken road, parallel to and 250 yd (230 m) from the German front line, 1,000 yd (910 m) beyond the British front line. The division patrolled vigorously, dominating no man's land but could not prevent the Germans working on the wire, which was in long grass and difficult to see. From the nights of 11/12–12/13 July, three communication trenches were dug forward into Caterpillar Valley and a derelict trench about 200 yd (180 m) from the German line was repaired and deepened, behind a picket line established at 10:30 p.m. on the night of 13/14 July. The 8th Brigade (Brigadier-General E. G. Williams) and the 9th Brigade (Brigadier-General H. C. Potter) deployed in lines of platoons, also using a long tape. The leading battalions moved up to the sunken road at 12:25 a.m. and were ready at 1:45 a.m., the first wave beyond the road, machine-guns, mortars, engineers and pioneers in support and reserve, with only one casualty. Earlier, three deserters had disclosed that no attack was expected.

    The 7th Division was brought back after only five days' rest, with no time to assimilate large numbers of replacements.[f] In the afternoon of 13 July, a 20th Brigade (Brigadier-General Cyril Deverell) battalion moved forward under local initiative and captured the Hammerhead early. Outposts went forward at 10:30 p.m. and the two attacking battalions were led forward in single-file, up communication trenches and over ground strewn with wire and abandoned trenches, through two infantry companies which then drew back into reserve. The jumping-off line was a bank with low trees marked by tape, with a bush on the right flank and Flat Iron Copse on the left, 500 yd (460 m) from the German line and closer to a salient called The Snout, which had been bombarded by heavy trench mortars and appeared empty. Stokes mortars went forward but the machine-guns were to wait until they could go straight through to the furthest objective. The brigade was ready by 2:00 a.m., telephones still worked and few casualties had been suffered.

    The 22nd Brigade (Brigadier-General J. M'C. Steele) assembled in Mametz Wood, the right-hand battalion with an extra company and a Stokes mortar, making its way up the right side of the wood. The left-hand battalion and the support battalion used the bed of a light railway and the 110th Machine-Gun Company moved out to cover the left flank. By 2:35 a.m. the assembly into four lines along tapes was complete but the right hand battalion could only hide one line and the left-hand battalion three lines in Mametz Wood, because of fallen trees and debris. The six brigades had managed to assemble 400–500 yd (370–460 m) short of the German line with a trifling number of casualties, the covering parties encountering no small-arms fire, flares or patrols. The troops began to creep forward, the 8th Brigade at 2:00 a.m. at 20 yd (18 m) per minute, closing to 120 yd (110 m) by 3:15 a.m. The 9th Brigade was only 50 yd (46 m) short when the hurricane bombardment began; the other brigades waited for the bombardment and then crawled forward as far as possible.

    During the night of 13/14 July, the Reserve Army (Lieutenant-General Hubert Gough) divisions of X Corps (Lieutenant-General Thomas Morland), either side of the Albert–Bapaume road, continued attacks at Ovillers. The 3rd Worcestershire, 7th Brigade, 25th Division moved up a trench across the road, to try to close in from the north-east. From the south-east, the 10th Cheshire (7th Brigade) was repulsed but the 8th Border (75th Brigade) on the left managed a small advance and the 1st Dorset (14th Brigade 32nd Division) also managed to get forward on the west side. To the north-west, battalions of the 96th and 97th brigades of the division, attacked with hand-grenades and took a small amount of ground and the 49th Division, attacked at the Leipzig Salient. At 3:00 a.m., just before the Fourth Army attacked, the 4th Division and the 48th (South Midland) Division, in VIII Corps (Lieutenant-General Aylmer Hunter-Weston) north of the Ancre, made a smoke-screen and fired a bombardment beyond the 4th Division front, from 2:25–3:30 a.m. as a diversion and succeeded in simulating an attack.[38]

    From the positions occupied during the day, an advance from the left side of Bazentin le Petit Wood, along the second position trenches towards Pozières, offered the possibility of an attack from three sides. The 10th Cheshire tried a daylight attack on Ovillers but was repulsed by machine-gun fire and the 1/7th Royal Warwicks (48th Division), tried to exploit the success of the 3rd Worcester but failed. The Cheshires attacked again at 11:00 p.m. and captured the objective but casualties were so high that they had to withdraw.[39] At 2:00 a.m. on 15 July the 25th Division attacked Ovillers again, from the north-east, east and south, with the 32nd Division attacking from the south-west but the garrison repulsed the attack. German attacks on the Leipzig Salient were defeated and during the night, the 32nd Division was relieved by 144th Brigade of the 48th Division. At 1:00 a.m. on 16 July, the 143rd Brigade (under the command of the 25th Division) attacked from the north-east, the 74th Brigade of the 25th Division and the 144th Brigade attacked from the east and south. During the evening the last Germans in the village surrendered and 128 men of II Battalion, RIR 15 and the Guard Fusilier Regiment were taken prisoner. The 145th Brigade of the 48th Division took over and another 300 yd (270 m) of trench was captured on 17 July.

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    At 3:20 a.m., the sky lit up behind the attacking divisions and a hurricane bombardment, supplemented by machine-guns firing on fixed lines, fell on the German positions. At 3:25 a.m. the leading British infantry stood up and moved forwards through a mist, with just enough light to recognise German troops. The German infantry were surprised by the intensity and brevity of the bombardment and the rapid onset of the British infantry behind a creeping barrage of high-explosive shells. The II Battalion of Bavarian Infantry Regiment 16 in Longueval had been alerted and sent out four patrols, one disappeared, one ran into a British patrol and two returned with nothing to report. The first wave reached the German wire without a shot and passed over the front line, some of the following waves being engaged by Germans who emerged from underground shelters. A German counter-barrage began and fell into Caterpillar Valley, well behind the infantry. On the right flank, the 26th and 27th brigades got across two belts of barbed wire, cutting by hand in places but the 10th Argylls were held up until the left flank company broke through and rolled up the German defenders. All four battalions crossed two trench lines, except for a short delay at the south end of Longueval, where the Germans were also rolled up from the flank. The infantry kept going and the support battalions arrived to consolidate. The Germans in Longueval made a determined defence but by 10:00 a.m. the 9th Scottish Rifles had taken their objectives, except the north end and a strong point in the south-east of the village, which resisted until attacked with support from the 7th Seaforth and the 5th Cameron Highlanders at 5:00 p.m. It proved impossible to capture Waterlot Farm in the second position so positions were taken in Longueval Alley, in touch with the 18th Division. At 9:00 a.m., the 9th Division HQ was erroneously informed that the village had been captured but by then the captured part of the village had been consolidated; a source of water was found before the Germans could counter-attack. On the 3rd Division front, the 8th Brigade found much uncut wire in the first belt and the second untouched. A company broke through on the left and bombed down the German front trench and the troops held up cut their way through or climbed over it to rush the trenches. On the 9th Brigade front on the left, the wire was on a forward slope and had been well cut. The British rushed the German trenches, where a sentry of I Battalion, Bavarian Regiment 16 had spotted the British at 2:00 a.m. and alerted the battalion. The troops breasted the ridge, through machine-gun fire from Bazentin le Grand, captured the trenches and brought up trench mortars against the village, the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers passed through and captured the village. In the 7th Division area, the 20th Brigade captured the German trenches as soon as the bombardment lifted, finding the wire and trenches destroyed and the Germans in The Snout dead. The troops moved towards the second line and rushed it when the barrage lifted at 3:35 a.m. German troops retreating towards High Wood were shot down with small-arms fire.

    The 20th Brigade waited for the barrage to lift off Bazentin le Grand Wood at 4:25 a.m., which was quickly captured and a defensive line established beyond. Consolidation began as the 22nd Brigade passed through and continued the attack with the 2nd Royal Warwicks, which covered the 2nd Royal Irish advance on the southern edge of Bazentin le Petit at 6:30 a.m.[43] At 7:30 a.m. the Irish captured the village with help from the 6th Leicesters on the left, taking prisoner the HQ staff and over 200 men of Bavarian Infantry Regiment 16. An hour later, a German counter-attack recovered the north end of the village except for the cemetery to the east. Another attack by the Irish and the 2nd Gordon Highlanders, recaptured the village; the troops dug in and defeated more counter-attacks. The first battalions of the 110th Brigade of the 21st Division got into the German trenches quickly except for one point on the left, where German machine-gunners held out for twenty minutes until enveloped from both flanks. The second line was captured by 4:00 a.m. and contact made with the 1st Division on the left. The infantry pushed on into Bazentin le Petit Wood, with little opposition, except at the north-west corner, where a German party held out all day. A defensive flank was formed facing east to stop the Germans opposite the 7th Division retreating to the west. At about 6:00 a.m. one battalion advanced into Bazentin le Petit and linked with the 2nd Royal Irish and handed over the village, before digging in from the north end of the village to the north-east of the wood. When a German counter-attack pushed back the Royal Irish, the 100th Brigade troops fell back temporarily into the wood. The 7th Division field artillery moved forward and engineers began work to repair tracks across Caterpillar Valley. The Fourth Army had advanced onto the Ginchy–Pozières Ridge and captured 1,442 prisoners, including two regimental headquarters. Many German corpses could be seen but poor musketry had enabled German troops to escape, the British troops lacking the training to hit soldiers beyond 300 yards (270 m).[


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    Delville Wood, 14 July

    Fighting went on in Longueval and Delville Wood under German bombardment and the 26th and 27th brigades of the 9th Division had many casualties. Conflicting reports about the capture of Longueval arrived at XIII Corps headquarters and at 4:30 p.m. it became clear that only the south end of the village had been occupied and the 1st South African Regiment was moved up from reserve. The attack at Longueval and Delville Wood had lacked sufficient power to capture all of the wood and village, where II Battalion, BIR 16 was reinforced by II Battalion, IR 26 of the 7th Division and a battalion of RIR 99 during the day. The relative success of the defenders inhibited the British from ordering a bolder exploitation further west. Opposite the 7th and part of the 3rd Division the Germans were found to have disappeared by 10:00 a.m. and some British officers walked up to High Wood unchallenged. Watts suggested sending the 91st Brigade from reserve to occupy the wood but was ordered to wait for the cavalry and Haldane was told to keep his reserve brigade ready to receive counter-attacks. At 8:50 a.m. Horne ordered the 7th Division to relieve the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division at High Wood as soon as they had captured it and the 21st Division to advance north to capture the ground from Bazentin le Petit to the Martinpuich light railway to assist the III Corps attack between the 21st division and Black Watch Alley. The 21st Division and 1st Division were to attack at 2:30 p.m. and the 34th Division was to patrol towards Pozières. The cavalry had been ordered forward from Moralncourt at 7:40 a.m. but found the going very difficult, the ground being wet and cut trenches and shell-holes. The Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade took until the afternoon to reach Montauban and at 12:15 a.m. Rawlinson ordered the 7th Division to capture High Wood. Horne countermanded the order because of the situation at Longueval and the XIII Corps held back the cavalry, apart from patrols. The attack of the 21st and 1st divisions also proved abortive because of the German party in the north-west corner of Bazentin le Petit Wood and increasing German artillery-fire. A German counter-attack at 3:00 p.m. reduced the infantry of the 62nd Brigade to 1,200 men and made the rest of the 21st Division incapable of attacking.

    High Wood

    Observers saw many German troops retiring from Pozières and the British artillery was ordered to cease fire at 6:00 p.m. for patrols to check and south of the village the parties were driven back. The 21st Division continued the attack on the north-west corner of Bazentin le Petit Wood but when the post fell at 7:00 p.m., the Germans fell back to a machine-gun post only 50 yards (46 m) away. More false reports of success at Longueval arrived in the afternoon and the 7th Division was ordered to High Wood at 5:15 p.m. Long delays in passing the orders led to the first two battalions of the 91st Brigade taking until 6:45 p.m. to reach the jumping-off point. The 20th Deccan Horse and 7th Dragoon Guards were ready on the right flank but the 33rd Division (Major-General Herman Landon) from reserve had not arrived on the left.

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    Deccan Cavalry waiting to advance

    A 3 Squadron crew saw the infantry and cavalry advance and the pilot dived on troops of III Battalion, IR 26 seen in standing crops, strafing them from a height of 300 feet (91 m). The observer dropped a sketch to the cavalry, before departing riddled by ground fire. About 100 Germans were killed or taken prisoner in the cornfields, eight cavalrymen were killed, about 100 were wounded and 130 horses were killed or wounded. Reinforcements of the 3rd Guard Division were caught by British machine-gun fire as they moved towards Bazentin le Petit and machine-gunners in Longueval were silenced by the cavalry machine-guns. German heavy artillery had been withdrawn and field artillery was unable to take aim at such a fast-moving target. The Germans fired two machine-guns at the cavalry which broke through between II Battalion and III Battalion IR 26 and got behind the 10th Company above Bazentin le Grand. The two infantry battalions crossed the 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to High Wood, with a short delay on the left, due to German machine-gun fire but the battalions entered the wood and found few Germans. Undergrowth slowed their progress and the north end of the wood, protected by the new Switch Line and the west side could not be captured, the troops digging in across the middle and the east edge, helped by engineers to consolidate despite several counter-attacks. The rest of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division were sent back and the 1st and 3rd Cavalry divisions never left their bivouacs at Buire-sur-l'Ancre and Daours. The 33rd Division failed to receive the orders to support the 7th Division, only having orders for an attack through the 21st Division on 15 July. By chance, the commander of the 100th Brigade found out and sent two battalions to cover a gap between High Wood and Bazentin le Petit. A lull came over the battlefield as night fell, except in Longueval, where the South Africans continued to attack against German machine-gun fire.

    We will finish this off tomorrow...

    Today marks the anniversary of the darkest day of the Battle of Somme for Leicestershire and Rutland, with 295 killed in just 24 hours. Friday, July 14, 1916 was the day they suffered the highest number of deaths as the Leicestershire brigade spearheaded an attack on the second German line, storming trenches in Bazentin Wood. The period from Friday, July 14 to Monday, July 17 was tragic for the two counties, with more than 500 men losing their lives in those four days alone.

    The first few lines of war coverage in the Leicester Daily Mercury on July 14, 1916, the fateful day, read: "At dawn today the British Army advanced against the enemy's second line, and penetrated the defences on a front of four miles."

    In total, more than 2,000 men from Leicestershire and Rutland lost their lives during the Battle of the Somme, which had begun on Saturday, July 1 and was to last 141 days

    Eastern Front
    Western Russia – Battle of Baronovichi ends: Russian losses 80,000, mainly to shellfire. STAVKA decided to abandon it, German losses 16,000 men.

    Battle
    The first attack Russian Fourth Army began on July 2 by three army corps, but during July 3 offensive was stopped around the German front. On July 4 Russian restarted the attack, during July 5 were continuously fighting. All Russian attack failed. Night of July 8 Russians for the third time went on the offensive, but during the day of July 9 all Russian attacks were repulsed. On July 14 the Germans counterattacked and held back their lost positions. On July 25 Russian attack resumed. The offensive continued until July 29, but again failed.

    Results
    Having to prepare a few months, having a sixfold advantage in manpower and artillery, the Russians could not break through the fortified German position front, possessing only the first fortified line in some areas of the offensive. None of the sites advancing breakthrough did not come to the third line of defense of the German army. Moreover, the powerful rapid counterattack of German troops were able to partially return the original position.

    African Fronts
    Lake Victoria – Lake Force takes Mwanza (began landing to east on July 11) but 500-man garrison escapes south. Deventer’s 2nd Division takes Mpondi on Central Railway, resumes advance south (July 19). German rearguard mauls 2 Belgian battalions at Djobahika.

    Sea War
    North Sea: U 51 torpedoed by HM submarine H5 in Ems estuary.(also reported as yesterday...)
    Adriatic: Damaged Italian submarine Balilla scuttles off Cape Pianka, northwest of Lissa island, to escape surrender to two Austrian torpedo boats.

    For the culture vultures amongst you (you know who you are) here is a letter on Dadaism published on this day in 1916

    Dada is a new tendency in art. One can tell this from the fact that until now nobody knew anything about it, and tomorrow everyone in Zurich will be talking about it. Dada comes from the dictionary. it is terribly simple. In French it means "hobby horse." In German it means "good-by," "Get off my back," "Be seeing you sometime." In Romanian: "Yes, indeed, you are right, that's it. But of course, yes, definitely, right." And so forth.

    An international word. Just a word, and the word a movement. Very easy to understand. Quite terribly simple. To make of it an artistic tendency must mean that one is anticipating complications. Dada psychology, dada Germany cum indigestion and fog paroxysm, dada literature, dada bourgeoisie, and yourselves, honored poets, who are always writing with words but never writing the word itself, who are always writing around the actual point. Dada world war without end, dada revolution without beginning, dada, you friends and also-poets, esteemed sirs, manufacturers, and evangelists. Dada Tzara, dada Huelsenbeck, dada m'dada, dada m'dada dada mhm, dada dere dada, dada Hue, dada Tza.

    How does one achieve eternal bliss? By saying dada. How does one become famous? By saying dada. With a noble gesture and delicate propriety. Till one goes crazy. Till one loses consciousness. How can one get rid of everything that smack of journalism, worms, everything nice and right, blinkered, moralistic, europeanized, enervated? By saying dada. Dada is the world soul, dada is the pawnshop. Dada is the world's best lily-milk soap. Dada Mr. Rubiner, dada Mr. Korrodi. Dada Mr. Anastasius Lilienstein.

    No - I don't get it....

    However this might be more down our street...

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    Charley's War Comic Part Three: 1st-14th July 1916 The Battle of the Somme (Charley's War Comics Book 3) in which Charley's unit makes it into the German trenches where they find a lone German soldier. Later, Charley's unit tackles a fortified German village, where Mad Mick O'Riley dies after single-handedly stopping a German counter-attack. When Lonely, Charlie and Ginger are captured by the Germans, Lonely finally reveals the terrible secret about his lost platoon ..

    available in hard copy or Kindle via Amazon (other retailers are available...)

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  6. #1556

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    More on Charley's war - Charley's War was a British comic strip written by Pat Mills and drawn by Joe Colquhoun. It was originally published in Battle Picture Weekly from January 1979 to October 1986.

    Described by Andrew Harrison as "the greatest British comic strip ever created", Charley's War tells the story of an underage British soldier called Charley Bourne. Charley joins the British Army during World War I at the age of 16 (having lied about his age and told the recruiting officers that he was 18; they conveniently overlook the fact that Charley gives his date of birth on his application form as 1900), and is quickly thrust into the Battle of the Somme.

    The strip follows Charley's life in the trenches and his experiences during the war. Colquhoun put a meticulous level of research in to the already well-researched scripts which Mills provided. The strip rarely flinched from providing an extremely frank portrayal of the horrors of war, so much so that in some later reprintings some of the artwork was censored. Mills added a political slant in the strip not seen in British war comics and avoided the standard heroics common in war comics generally.

    The strip followed Charley through to the end of the war and through into the invasion of Russia in 1919. However in January 1985, Mills quit the strip before being able to complete the story (he intended the story to end in 1933, with Charley on the dole as Hitler is made Chancellor of Germany) due to a dispute over his research budget.

    Titan Books have reprinted Charley's War in 10 hardcover anthologies
    Last edited by Hedeby; 07-14-2016 at 14:42. Reason: Duplicated

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

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    In light of yesterday's events I thought I would forgo the normal header for today... Vive la France, my soul weeps for your loss.

    At least in 1916 you knew who the enemy were and by and large where they were - almost seems a simpler picture

    15th July 1916

    Two airmen lost their lives on this day:

    2nd Lieutenant Harold Winstone Butterworth 18 Squadron RFC - Killed in Action 15 July 1916 aged 21. Son of Eliza Anne King (formerly Butterworth), of 313, Mount Eden Rd., Auckland, New Zealand, and the late Benjamin Milliman Butterworth. He is buried at CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ- PAS DE CALAIS FRANCE. He was flying FE2b 5233 when he was killed. He was actually reported as missing on 22nd of June 1916, his death was only confirmed on this date. This was later confirmed by Capt. J.H. McEwan who was flying with him when he was shot down. Capt. McEwan was wounded and captured.

    Air Mechanic 1st Class Dennis Carey - RFC 'X' Aircraft Park, Abbassia, Egypt

    A very busy day in the air with no less than EIGHT pilots claiming victories, FIVE of them for the first time.

    Captain Daniel Galbraith RNAS shoots down a seaplane over Ostend.

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    The son of Robert Alex and Mary Elizabeth (Bayne) Galbraith, Daniel Murray Bayne Galbraith was a student at St. Andrew's College, Aurora when the war began. In 1915, accompanied by Roy Brown and Stearne Edwards, he enrolled at the Wright School in Dayton, Ohio, receiving his pilot's certificate on a Wright biplane on 3 November 1915. After he joined the Royal Naval Air Service, he was assigned to 1 Naval Wing in France. In October 1916, having scored two victories with Nieuport scouts, he was reassigned to the newly formed 8 Naval Squadron. On 23 November 1916, he scored his final victory of the war. Flying alone in a Sopwith Pup, he engaged six German two-seaters near Cambrai, shooting one of them down. After returning to England for rest, he was an instructor and participated in anti-submarine operations in Italy during 1918. Galbraith was killed in an automobile accident three years later while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

    Capt. Gwilym Hugh Lewis DFC 32 SQuadron RFC. Flying DH2. 7859 he shoots down an Eindekker East of La Bassée

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    Wing Commander Gwilym Hugh Lewis DFC (5 August 1897 – 18 December 1996) was a British flying ace during World War I. He was credited with 12 confirmed aerial victories. He went on to a very successful career as an insurance broker. Lewis was the next to last surviving British ace from the war, as well as the longest lived, dying eight months before his hundredth birthday. His wide range of friends included Prime Minister Winston Churchill, playwright Noël Coward, and fellow aces Stan Dallas, Mick Mannock, and George McElroy. On 24 March 1916, Lewis was seconded to the First Garrison Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment.[5] On 23 April 1916, he was appointed a flying officer.[6]

    When 32 Squadron moved to France on 29 May 1916, Lewis flew a tired Airco DH.2 over the English Channel; he had four and a half hours solo flight experience.[1] On 15 July he would help destroy a Fokker Eindekker for his first aerial victory. Two months later, on 22 September, he destroyed a Roland C.II over Bancourt for his first singlehanded victory.[7]

    Lewis was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain on 27 August 1917.[8] He would not score again until late 1917, when he was assigned to 40 Squadron to train as a flight commander on Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5s. He began his training duties in September 1917.[On 19 December 1917, he drove an Albatros D.III down out of control. He would drive another down a month later, on 19 January 1918. He would score nine more times in the next six months, including one triumph shared with his squadron leader, Major Stan Dallas. Lewis ran his personal tally to five German planes destroyed, six driven down out of control, as well as capturing an LVG reconnaissance plane on 7 July 1918 for his final win. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross during July. Stan Dallas was not the only famous ace Lewis befriended; Mick Mannock invoked the rule of opposites to nickname the quiet Lewis as "Noisy". On Lewis's final day in France, at his farewell luncheon, Mannock pulled aside top Irish ace George McElroy to caution him about following victims down to within the range of German ground fire. Six days later, Mannock was killed in action by ground fire when he followed a falling German plane too close to earth; McElroy followed him five days later. Lewis had earlier lost his elder brother in aerial combat. Lewis returned to instructor duty in England to finish out the war. He was transferred to the unemployed list of the RAF on 21 January 1919.

    Sous Lieutenant Noel Hugues Anne Louis de Rochefort of N26 Squadron claims his 5th kill flying his Nieuport and downs an Aviatik East of Perronne.

    Capitaine Georges Marcel Lachmann
    of 57 (Nieuport) Squadron claims his first kill by shooting down a Balloon over Ham

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    Having earned a civil pilot's license a month earlier, Lachmann was a Sergent serving with the French Air Service in August 1914 when he received a Pilot's Brevet. He was wounded in action on 26 June 1917. Throughout the war, Lachmann served with various Escadrilles on the Western, Russian and Italian Fronts. For his services during the war, he was decorated by the governments of France, Italy and Russia. He was first assigned to Escadrille 27; it was while he was with them he flew his first war mission, on 31 August. In January 1915, he was transferred to Escadrille 15, which was also operating Robert Esnault-Pelterie K-80 airplanes. On 8 March 1915, he was promoted to Adjutant. A month later, he was retrained on different airplanes. On 26 May 1915, he continued his peripatetic career by being posted to Escadrille 57 on the Western Front in France. On 31 July 1915, he was commissioned as a Sous lieutenant. On 13 August 1915, he was transferred to Escadrille 92 on the Italian Front. At first, he was only one of three pilots and three observers assigned to fly Nieuport 10s in defense of Venice, though later Escadrille 92 gained three more pilots. He was a major participant in the hour's air combat of 15 October 1915 that discouraged further Austro-Hungarian raids on the city.

    On 24 March 1916, he returned to the Western Front and Escadrille 57. On 15 July 1916, Lachmann scored his first aerial victory, using a Nieuport to destroy an enemy observation balloon over Ham. On 28 July, he teamed with Georges Flachaire and Jean Matton to share in a win over an Albatros two-seater observation plane. On 12 August 1916, Lachmann downed another foe. Georges Marcel Lachmann was inducted into the Légion d'honneur on 6 January 1917. On 21 March 1917, Lachmann was posted to the Russian Front to serve in Escadrille 581 as a Spad pilot. He was wounded in action on 26 June 1917. On 8 July 1917, he assumed command of the squadron. During September and October 1917, he scored six victories, three over enemy airplanes and three as a balloon buster. On 24 December 1917, he was promoted to Lieutenant. On 7 January 1918, Lachmann's command expanded to include a second squadron, Escadrille 406. In February 1918, he was withdrawn from Russia. In April, he was posted as an advisor to the military attaché in Leghorn, Italy. In August, he returned to Russia; in November, he was back in France

    Lieutenant Paul Albert Pierre Tarascon
    Claims his first kill flying his Nieuport (N67 Squadron) over Amiens he shoots down an LVG.

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    While learning to fly in 1911, Tarascon was seriously injured in a crash, losing his right leg. Despite his handicap, he volunteered for the French Air Service in August 1914. He was accepted and received a Pilot's Brevet in December. During World War I, he became known as "l'as la jambe de bois" (the ace with the wooden leg). During World War II, Tarascon was a Colonel in the French Resistance. (Now that is the very definition of a HERO !!) He was awarded the Medaille Militaire for his actions on this day..."Adjudant pilot of Escadrille N62. Excellent pilot, always prepared to work. Although one leg had been amputated, he entered aviation and has carried out numerous reconnaissances over long distances and has had 15 aerial combats. On 15 July 1916, he downed an Aviatik de chasse, which fell in flames in enemy territory." Médaille Militaire citation, 4 August 1916. "Adjudant pilot of Escadrille N62. Remarkable pilot by his devotion, skill, coolness and initiative. He has distinguished himself for over a year during the course of numerous reconnaissances, protections and pursuits. On 9 August 1916, his plane was hit over 100 times by enemy bullets. Since the first of July, he has had 35 combats, downing five enemy planes and has forced two others to land in a damaged condition." Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur citation, 15 November 1916.

    Adjutant Chef Marie Gaston Fulerand Leon Vitalis Claims his second kill downing an LVG C whilst flying a Caudron - he also receives the Medaille Militaire for his actions on this day.

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    "Marechal-des-Logis machine-gunner of Escadrille C46, of exceptional skill and courage. Has had numerous aerial combats with his plane frequently being hit by enemy fire. On 28 April 1916 he downed a Fokker behind our lines, and forced a second to land on 15 July. On 16 September he attacked two enemy planes behind their own lines, downing one and putting the other to flight. Already cited twice in army orders." Médaille Militaire citation, 16 September 1916.

    Oberleutnant Stefan Kirmaier
    claims his second kill by bringing down a balloon near Bapaume.

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    and finally the first ever AMERICAN AIR ACE

    Captain Frederick Libby 23 Squadron RFC - claims his first kill whilst flying F.E.2b (6994) by downing an AGO C over Bapaume

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    The son of Freeman Libby and the first American to down five enemy aircraft during World War I, Frederick Libby never flew a combat mission for the United States Air Service. He became an ace while serving as an observer with 11 Squadron in the Royal Flying Corps. When the war began, Libby was in Canada where he joined the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 12 February 1915. Upon reaching France, he served as a truck driver but was wounded and returned to England in December 1915. When he recovered, he volunteered for service with the Royal Flying Corps. "I had 10 hours of flying before going into combat," he would later say. As an F.E.2b observer, the Colorado cowboy became the first American ace of the war in the summer of 1916. The following year, Libby completed pilot training and was posted to 43 Squadron on 18 April 1917. After scoring 2 victories, he was re-assigned to 25 Squadron as a D.H.4 pilot in August 1917. At the request of General Billy Mitchell, Libby transferred to the American Air Service on 15 September 1917. Returning to the United States, he participated in the Liberty Loan drive before joining the 22nd Aero as an instructor at Hicks Field in Texas. Unfortunately, Libby was seriously ill by this time and was found to be permanently disabled and medically unfit for further military service.

    "Aerial gunnery is 90 percent instinct and 10 percent aim." Frederick Libby

    The AGO C.III was a German reconnaissance biplane of World War I. It was a single experimental prototype derived from the manufacturer's C.I design. (so obviously will be one of ARES next releases... only kidding chaps)
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    Bcck on the ground.....

    An attack on the village of Pozieres is lead by the East Lancashire Regiment and supported by the Bedfordshire and the Warwickshire Regiments. Initially the advance is unopposed until the two forward battalions go over the crest of the Chalk Pit where they are held up by heavy machine gun fire. Those killed in the attack include

    Sergeant Gilbert Way Albone (Bedfordshire Regiment) who is killed at age 28. His brother will be killed in November
    Private Arthur Darts (Bedfordshire Regiment) whose brother was killed in April 1915.

    On a day we lost 2006 men here are some of today's highlighted casualties...

    Lieutenant Colonel Alfred St Hill Gibbons (commanding 13th Liverpool Regiment) dies of wounds at age 53 after taking the village of Bazentin le Grand. He is best known as an explorer of the Upper Zambesi and published two books on Africa, Exploration and Hunting in Central Africa
    and Africa from South to North through Barotseland. He is also a veteran of the South African War.

    Born in the Aigburth district of Liverpool in 1858, he was educated in Birkenhead and at Cambridge. He was commissioned into the 3rd Bn, East Yorkshire Regiment and was a captain in 1885. In 1895-6 he explored Barotseland in the Upper Zambezi region of Africa and wrote it up for publication, earning a medal from the Royal Geographical Institute. He married in 1898 but was soon back in Africa leading another expedition. In the 2nd Boer War he served with 26th Bn, Imperial Yeomanry (Younghusband's), then farmed in Northern Rhodesia. He was in Surrey for the 1901 census and Cornwall in 1911.

    On the outbreak of war he volunteered at once and was accepted by 23rd (S) Bn, Royal Fusiliers (Sportsmen's). He was already 56 years old. In August 1915 he transferred to The King's (Liverpool Regiment) to command its 13th (Service) Battalion (New Army), as Lieut. Colonel.
    In July 1916 the unit was attacking Bazantin-le-Grand in the second phase of the Battle of the Somme. Alfred was wounded while leading his men in the attack and died of his wounds the next day. He was buried at Daours Communal Extension Cemetery where his CWGC headstone gives his age as 53 years. The memorial at Budehaven was erected by his family. He is named in a 'Roll of South Africans who fell 1914-1918' and on the Roll of Honour in Liverpool's Town Hall. His small estate was administered by a brother in Liverpool and a daughter. His widow died at Bude in 1930.

    Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Edward Fitzgerald (East Surrey Regiment commanding 15th Durham Light Infantry) dies of wounds received 1st July at age 43 in London. He is a well known cricketer and member of the MCC, golfer and polo player.
    Major Geoffrey Brooke Parnell (West Surrey Regiment) is killed in action at age 33. He is the son of Colonel ‘the Honorable’ Arthur Parnell and the grandson of the 3rd Baron Congleton.
    Major Bede Liddell Fenton (Dorsetshire Regiment) is killed at age 32. He is the only son of the Reverend Enos Fenton Vicar of St Saviours Durham.
    Captain Walter Joel Ralphs (Royal Field Artillery) dies of wounds at age 32 while acting as a forward observing officer for his battery. He is the son of the headmaster of St Mark’s School and served as a Lieutenant in the Shanghai Light Horse commanding a squadron during the 1912 Chinese Revolution.
    Lieutenant Theodore Kenneth Barlow (South Staffordshire Regiment) dies of wounds received on the 9th at age 20. He is the son of the late Reverend H T E Barlow of Lawford Rectory.

    The Battle of Bazentin Ridge part three...

    On the right flank of the salient driven into the German second position, Delville Wood and the north end of Longueval gave a covered approach for German troops attacking from Flers and made attacks from the British line south of Waterlot Farm vulnerable to enfilade fire.[39] At dawn the farm was attacked by one company, later reinforced by two 4th South African Regiment companies, which eventually captured the farm but German artillery-fire prevented consolidation until 17 July. Furse ordered another attack on Longueval by the 27th Brigade and the 1st South African Regiment, after an artillery and Stokes mortar bombardment and one battalion bombed its way up North Street at 8:00 a.m. and another party tried to move through orchards on the west side but German reinforcements counter-attacked and recaptured the lost ground, another attack failed at 7:30 p.m. The South African Brigade was ordered to capture Delville Wood and moved up from reserve before dawn but by then, half the brigade had been detached. The brigade attacked at 6:15 a.m. from the south-west corner of the wood on a battalion front, with the 2nd Battalion forward, the 3rd Battalion in support and the 4th Battalion in reserve.

    The attack was almost unopposed and by 7:00 a.m. the South Africans had captured the wood south of Prince's Street, despite the wreckage of fallen and uprooted trees. Tanner sent two companies to secure the northern perimeter of the wood and later, the 3rd Battalion advanced to the east and north-east. By 2:40 a.m., the wood was occupied, except for a German strong point in the north-western corner, adjoining Longueval. The South Africans began to dig in around the fringe of the wood in groups, forming strong–points supported by machine-guns, in a salient and in touch with the 26th Brigade only along the south-western edge of the wood next to Longueval. The troops had spades but roots and remnants of tree trunks made it possible only to dig shallow shell scrapes before German troops counter-attacked. A battalion of the 24th Reserve Division counter-attacked from the south-east at 11:30 a.m., having been given five minutes' notice and managed to advance to within 80 yards (73 m) of the wood, before being forced to dig in. A second battalion attacked from the Ginchy–Flers road was also repulsed, the battalions losing 528 men. In the early afternoon, a battalion of the 8th Division attacked the north-eastern face of the wood and was also repulsed, after losing all its officers. At 3:00 p.m., Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 6 (BRIR 6) of the 10th Bavarian Division, attacked from the east and part was repulsed by small-arms fire. At 4:40 p.m. Tanner reported to Lukin that German forces were massing to the north of the wood and he called for reinforcements, as the South Africans had already lost a company from the 2nd (Natal and Free State) Battalion. Tanner had received a company of the 4th (Scottish) Battalion from Longueval and Lukin sent a second company forward to reinforce the 3rd (Transvaal & Rhodesia) Battalion. Lukin urged Tanner and the battalion commanders to dig in regardless of fatigue, as heavy artillery fire was expected during the night or early the next morning. As night fell, German high explosive and gas shelling increased and a counter-attack by three battalions from the 8th and 12th Reserve divisions began at midnight. With orders to recapture the wood "at all costs", the Germans got within 50 yards (46 m), before being driven under cover by artillery and machine-gun fire.

    At 9:00 a.m. on 15 July, the 91st Brigade, 7th Division attacked High Wood but was stopped by machine-gun fire from the Switch Line, where it ran through the wood. After a bombardment by German artillery, II Battalion, IR 165 of the German 7th Division and III Battalion, IR 72 of the German 8th Division, which had relieved the 183rd Division, counter-attacked at 2:30 p.m. and recaptured part of the wood, until driven out by the 91st Brigade reserve. At 4:45 p.m. the British attacked after a bombardment had inflicted many casualties on the German infantry but failed to overwhelm the survivors. High Wood was not visible to British ground observers and at 5:00 p.m. a 3 Squadron reconnaissance aircraft, reported that British troops were in the west of the wood and south of the Bazentin-le-Petit road. Flags were seen in the west side of the wood but the east side was full of Germans and the Switch Trench was packed with German infantry. High Wood was judged to be untenable and at 11:25 p.m. the 91st Brigade was withdrawn and the wood was bombarded by the divisional artillery.[56] The 1/9th Highland Light Infantry, 33rd Division had also attacked the wood at 9:00 a.m., during an attack on the Switch Line, when three platoons advanced on the west side of the wood. Machine-gun fire from the II and III battalions, IR 93 in High Wood, hit the attackers from the flank and the attack was repulsed. The 16th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps and the 2nd Worcesters were sent forward as reinforcements but were back on the start line by 4:00 p.m. Two German infantry companies worked southwards from the Switch Line for 500 yards (460 m) later in the evening but another counter-attack was impossible, due to the tremendous volume of British barrage fire and the presence of British reconnaissance and artillery-observation aircraft.

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    To the left of the 7th Division, the 33rd Division attacked the Switch Line near Martinpuich, while a III Corps attack was made on Pozières but co-operation proved impossible. The Switch Line was attacked at 9:00 a.m. by two battalions and another attack was made on the west side of High Wood. German machine-gunners caught the battalions in enfilade and despite reinforcement by the other two battalions of the 100th Brigade, the attack failed and the survivors were back on the start-line by 4:00 p.m. Th 98th Brigade attacked on the left from Bazentin le Petit village on a 1,000 yd (910 m) front encountered machine-gun cross-fire and an artillery bombardment, the attack becoming a costly failure, which was also abandoned from 4:00–5:00 p.m. The 1st Division had taken over from the 21st Division along the west edge of Bazentin le Petit Wood and at 9:00 a.m. a battalion of the 2nd Brigade attacked towards the north-west up the trenches of the second position, taking 400 yd (370 m) of the front line and 200 yd (180 m) of the second line. At 5:00 p.m. a 3rd Brigade battalion resumed the attack and after dark managed to link with the 34th Division 600 yd (550 m) with a line of posts.

    More tomorrow...

    Battle of the Somme – Battle of Delville Wood (until July 20): 3,153-strong South African Brigade, ordered to capture and hold wood at all costs, secures most of it. For five nights and 6 days South Africans hold out against 3 divisions counter-attacks and shelling by 180 guns. British cavalry fail to break through at High Wood, withdraw on July 16.
    Verdun: French recapture and then lose Battery C and CP 119 near Fleury (until July 16).

    Eastern Front
    Brusilov offensive, Pripet: Sakharov’s Eleventh Army (night July 15-16) pre-empts Marwitz attack on Southern Lutsk salient thanks to agent network’s warning, reaches river Lipa, takes Mikhailovka and 13,000 PoWs.

    Middle East
    Armenia: Russian general Yudenich occupies evacuated Bayburl.

    Sea War

    Adriatic: British submarine H3 mined and sunk off Cattaro. The submarine H3 (Lieutenant George Eric Jenkinson) strikes a mine off the port of Cattaro in the Adriatic Sea and is lost with the loss of her crew of 22. Sub Lieutenant William Inglis Tatham is killed at age 19. He is the son of Lieutenant Colonel ‘the Honorable’ Frederick Spence Tatham DSO and his brother will be killed serving in the South African Infantry in three days. Sub Lieutenant Tatham is the youngest second-in-command serving in the Navy t the time.

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    Air War
    Somme: Royal Flying Corps bombs 13 targets and claims 6 German aircraft for no loss.

    Home Fronts
    Austria: Ex-Reichsrath Trentino deputy Cesare Battisti (Italian PoW) executed as traitor.
    Last edited by Hedeby; 07-15-2016 at 14:11.

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  8. #1558

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    Addendum, 15 July 1916: William E. Boeing incorporates the "Pacific Aero Products Co"., later to become the Boeing Company.

  9. #1559

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    Quote Originally Posted by zenlizard View Post
    Addendum, 15 July 1916: William E. Boeing incorporates the "Pacific Aero Products Co"., later to become the Boeing Company.
    Nice spot from one of our foreign correspondents - thanks Sam (So much Somme action at the moment bound to miss some of the small but interesting snippets)

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  10. #1560

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    Attachment 202283

    July 16th 1916

    Right then last one from me for a while - back to work then the lure of the Mediterranean will prove just too much lol. I know yu will be in capable hands following Neils fantastic stint covering the launch of the Somme offensive. So lets wrap up Bazentin Ridge and see what else was happening exactly 100 years ago today...

    Two airmen have fallen on this day...

    Private Bond... James Bond.. No.1 Aircraft Engine Repair Depot RFC - died of his wounds on this day. I can find nothing more about this young chap with such an iconic name. Co-incidentally the author Roald Dahl was born on this day in 1916 who amongst many other things went on to write the screenplay for 'You Only Live Twice' the James Bond film.....

    2nd. Lieutenant John Lawrie Reid 22 Squadron RFC - also listed as dying of his wounds on this day. He is buried at Couin British Cemetery, son of Mr JW Reid of Napier, New Zealand, he was not Killed in action having been hit on 15th, he was an observer in a FE2b. Its always sad when the only photograph you can find for someone is of their gravestone...

    Attachment 202290

    There was just the one aerial victory claimed on this day - and troubling the scorers for the first time we have...

    Captain John Herbert Greenwood Womersley MC
    43 Squadron RFC. he was flying a Sopwith Strutter (number A8244) when he shot down an Albatross D.III North of Lens.

    Local connection for me on this one as he was born in Halifax (Yorkshire, not Nova Scotia) - which is where I work...Womersley trained as a cadet in the Leeds University Officers' Training Corps, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the East Riding Fortress Company, Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial Force)[note 1] on 27 October 1915. On 7 July 1916 he was one of a number of junior officers seconded for duty with the Regular Royal Garrison Artillery. Womersley later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, being appointed a flying officer on 1 April 1917, and was assigned to No. 43 Squadron to fly the Sopwith 1½ Strutter two-seater fighter. On 16 June, he was part of a multi-aircraft assault on an Albatros D.III; he shared credit for the victory with his observer Air Mechanic 2nd Class J. M. O'Shea and ten squadron-mates. On 1 July 1917 he was promoted to lieutenant. Womersley gained a second victory on 23 July, driving down an Albatros D.V with his observer Second Lieutenant Cyril Agelasto. His squadron was then re-equipped with the single-seater Sopwith Camel; in which he gained two more victories on 24 October. His fifth and final victory came on 12 November 1917. That same day, he crashed during a practice flight and was severely injured.

    He was awarded the Military Cross on 18 January 1918.His citation read: Lieutenant John Herbert Greenwood Womersley, Royal Garrison Artillery and Royal Flying Corps.
    "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in aerial fighting. He brought down four enemy machines and forced others to land. He also carried out reconnaissances at a low altitude." Womersley was transferred to the RAF unemployed list on 16 April 1919.

    Attachment 202292

    On this day we lost 950 men.

    Today’s losses include:

    Multiple battalion commanders
    A polo player
    The son-in-law of the 5th Earl of Donoughmore
    Multiple sons of members of the clergy
    Multiple families that will lose two and three sons
    A great great uncle of Kate Middleton
    A son of the Sheriff Substitute of Lanarkshire
    A military chaplain
    A family that will lose five sons
    The former Mayor of Mulgoa, Wales

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Lieutenant Colonel William Digby Oswald DSO (Dragoon Guards commanding 13th West Yorkshire Regiment) is killed at age 36.
    Temporary Colonel ‘Sir’ Victor Alexander Haden Horsley CB (Royal Army Medical Corps) dies in Mesopotamia at age 59. His son will be accidentally killed in August 1918 serving in the Royal Air Force.
    Lieutenant Colonel Harold Ernest Brassey (Royal Horse Guards commanding 8th South Lancashire Regiment) is killed at age 39. He is a well known polo player and the son-in-law of the 5th Earl of Donoughmore of Knocklofty and has a nephew who will be killed in August 1918.
    Lieutenant Colonel Carroll Charles MacNamara (commanding 1st Royal Irish Rifles) is killed at age 41.
    Captain Herbert Philip Deedes (King’s Royal Rifle Corps) is killed at age 34. He is the son of the Reverend Canon Philip Deedes Rector of Little Parndon.
    Lieutenant Thomas Eyre Barton (Irish Regiment) is killed at age 31. His brother will be killed in August 1918.
    Lieutenant Harold Reginald Morris Christie (Cameronians) is killed at age 29. A creek in the North Thompson Valley of British Columbia is named in his honor.
    Lieutenant Lionel Martineau Lupton (Royal Field Artillery) is killed by a shell at age 24. His two brothers will also be killed in the Great War. Their great great niece Kate Middleton will become the wife of Prince William of Wales and will most likely one day be Queen of England

    Attachment 202294

    Second Lieutenant Frederick James Hawker (Gloucestershire Regiment) dies of wounds received in action at age 26. His brother will die during the Great Influenza outbreak in December 1918.
    Second Lieutenant Matthew Rankin Monteith (Royal Engineers) is killed in action at age 20. His brother Second Lieutenant Patrick (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) will be killed in November of this year at age 27.

    Western Front:

    Brigadier General TS Lambert - Commander of 69 Brigade (of whom Tunstill's men formed a part) wrote this letter home to his son on this day, detailing the events of the past days and displaying the obvious pride he had in his men.

    Attachment 202298

    We have had a very strenuous time since I last wrote to you. We had a stiff fight on the 5th when we ultimately captured Horseshoe Trench and a lot of prisoners. Then my brigade was relieved by two others but things did not go very well and we were soon called back again. We made our great effort – an attack in the open by daylight across 1200 to 1500 yards of ground on the village of Contalmaison. It is a form of attack which was thought to be almost impracticable in the face of modern guns and machine guns and rifle fire. But my gallant Yorkshiremen went straight for it in open order as I asked them and in spite of machine guns which played on them and an awful shell fire they got right through, surmounted the German trench and barbed wire and fairly hunted the Germans out of the village, killing and capturing large numbers. Of course it was an awful ordeal but we were well backed up by our guns and I had posted machine guns etc. at useful spots beforehand. During the night there were many counterattacks but we succeeded in holding on to what we had gained and since then others have been able to carry on more successfully. After 24 hours there my brigade was relieved and found itself the heroes of the day, receiving congratulations from everyone. But they deserved it for no troops in the world could have done more or been more successful. You will have seen parts of the story perhaps in the papers but they give little idea of what we all went through. Some day perhaps I can tell you stirring tales of it all. We captured a lot of German machine guns and brought out 8 and 2 others from Horseshoe Trench though we left many more I believe in the village.

    We have just had some photos taken to celebrate the occasion! I could only get an amateur to do it, so I do not know what the success will be, but I hope they will be good enough to remind us all of these days and to be a record of the honour of the Regiments who fought here under me. I had a lot of work to do of course and had no time to do more than scribble a postcard until long after it was all over, but I have sent mother a short story of it all and I hope she will let you know something of what happened. I am proud of my Yorkshiremen, Ted, and Yorkshire may be proud of them too, for no more gallant fight was ever made. Now we are at rest for a bit, cleaning up and refilling our ranks though happily our casualties were luckily more in wounded than in killed. How long we shall be here of course I do not know. No doubt we shall soon be in the thick of it again but for the present it is nice enough to be clear of all the shells and the horror and the strain of it all.

    With best love

    Ever your affectionate

    Dad

    The Battle of Bazentin Ridge

    Attachment 202301

    Furse ordered co-ordinated attacks on the north-west of Delville Wood and the north end of Longueval after a trench mortar bombardment. At 10:00 a.m. a battalion of the 27th Brigade attacked west of North Street and the 1st South African Regiment attacked from the west end of Prince's Street (which runs through the middle of the wood) but both units were repulsed by machine-gun fire. The bombardment re-commenced but the stalemate continued. The 9th Division decided to postpone attacks until the heavy artillery could re-bombard the village at 4:00 a.m. on 17 July but the Fourth Army headquarters demanded that the village be captured by dawn. The artillery bombardment was brought forward to 12:30 a.m. when the infantry could have retired to a safe distance but German artillery-fire continued, cut all telephone lines and at 11:00 p.m. German infantry counter-attacked. Armin had ordered a similar maximum effort and two regiments of the 8th Division and a regiment of the 12th Reserve Division were thrown in without time to prepare or reconnoitre. The attackers attacked from the east, north-east and north. The Germans got close to the wood, before small-arms fire and artillery stopped the advance with many casualties. The British attack began at 2:00 a.m. on 17 June. At High Wood, the 91st Brigade experienced some confusion due to the mass of undergrowth between the trees but lack of communication with the rear led XV Corps headquarters to judge the position of the brigade to be threatened and at 11:25 p.m. ordered the brigade to retire overnight, artillery to keep the wood under bombardment and by 8:00 a.m. the brigade had assembled behind Bazentin le Grand, having been able to remove nearly all of the wounded. II Battalion, IR 165 of the German 7th Division and III Battalion, IR 72 of the 8th Division followed up the withdrawal and re-occupied the wood, losing many casualties to the British bombardment.[61] On the 33rd Division front further west, attempts to organise another attack on 18 July, took place amidst a constant bombardment of gas and lachrymatory shell. The 21st Division was relieved by the 33rd Division at Bazentin le Petit on 15 July and the 7th Division took over 300 yd (270 m) of front from the 3rd Division east of Bazentin le Grand Wood.

    At 2:00 a.m. A battalion of the 1st Division tried to bomb along the second position but found deep mud which slowed movement and the Stokes mortars ran out of ammunition due to the difficulty in bringing up more bombs through the mud. The 3rd Brigade was ordered to make a frontal attack at midnight, after the artillery of the division had spent the day wire-cutting, batteries firing from the right flank in Caterpillar Valley being particularly effective. At 11:50 p.m. a ten-minute hurricane bombardment began and as it lifted, two battalions attacked to the north-east, keeping close to the creeping barrage as another battalion bombed from the right flank. The German infantry retreated, leaving many dead and wounded behind and the British advanced beyond the objective until dawn. Posts were set up along German communication trenches running north-east and a defensive flank was set up in Black Watch Alley.

    Air Operations during the battle

    Before the attack on 14 July, the RFC watched for German road and rail activity and on 6 July, a 3 Squadron pilot bombed a troop train east of Vélu; later that morning, more trains were seen in Cambrai and Marcoing (later discovered to be the arrival of the 123rd Division from Flanders). Reconnaissance over Le Cateau and Landrecies found routine operations towards Cambrai and St Quentin. Next day, the lines from Cambrai and Bapaume to Roisel showed that troops were being rushed to the front south of the Somme and on 8 July, there was a lull in rail traffic. On 9 July, trains were seen running between Lille and Douai, implying more reinforcements from the north and on 11 July, a column of vehicles on the road to Tournai, was seen by a night reconnaissance aircraft from 20 Squadron and thought to be carrying ammunition for the 123rd Division. Aircraft and balloon observation discovered that German units from Thélus to Lens were moving to the Somme (despite rain on 12 July). RFC bombing sorties were directed against the railway stations receiving German reinforcements and on 9 July, six Morane scouts escorted six aircraft of 21 Squadron that bombed Cambrai station, obtaining three hits. Bapaume station was bombed by 27 Squadron and two British aircraft were shot down.

    The German artillery south of the Albert–Bapaume road had fallen back since 1 July, increasing demands for artillery observation, methodically to locate and register new German emplacements, for counter-battery fire. In the afternoon of 9 July, German supply dumps at Le Sars and an HQ at Le Transloy were bombed by 21 Squadron and Havrincourt Wood was attacked on 11 July, by 20 bombers and 17 fighters. On 13 July, the RFC attacked trains on the Douai–Cambrai and Valenciennes–Cambrai lines and managed to derail a train near Aubigny-au-Bac. The front due to be attacked on 14 July and the third position beyond, were photographed and studied from low altitude, despite much small-arms fire from German troops. On the day, cloud cover came down to 800 ft (240 m) and ground haze limited visibility to 600 yd (550 m). A 9 Squadron observer reported that the 3rd Division had overrun two trench lines and was in Bazentin le Grand and the 9th Division had been seen preparing to attack Waterlot Farm. Other observers saw enough infantry and flares through the mist to call up the cavalry and a ruse was attempted at 10:30 a.m., when an observer sent a wireless message, that the British had broken through and cavalry were pursuing German troops.

    At 1:00 p.m. South African troops were seen running into Longueval and at 2:00 p.m. were observed in the north end, the rest of the village being captured by 4:00 p.m.; an artillery observer saw that the 7th Division was beyond Bazentin le Petit and the division was ordered to attack High Wood, with the Secunderabad Cavalry on the right. The cavalry advanced at 6:00 p.m. with the knowledge from earlier air observation, that little opposition was to be expected. A crew from 3 Squadron saw German parties hiding in crops and folds and flew low over them to divert their attention and warn the cavalry. The observer fired his Lewis gun at the Germans until the cavalry came up, then sketched the German dispositions and dropped it on the Sowars (troopers). The 7th Division flares were seen in High Wood at 8:40 p.m. by a 3 Squadron observer. Next day, 9 Squadron watched German counter-attacks on Longueval and directed counter-battery fire, photographed the area and reported events. Fighter escorts from 22 Squadron found no German aircraft and attacked ground targets instead. German advances into Longueval endangered the troops in High Wood, at 5:00 p.m. a 3 Squadron aircraft reconnoitred and the crew report led to the British troops being ordered out of the wood.

    Western Front
    Battle of the Somme: British 62nd Brigade relieved at Mametz Wood (night July 15-16). Since July 12, heavy German guns have inflicted 950 casualties.

    Eastern Front
    Baltic Provinces: Slight Siberian (Russian Twelfth Army) advance southeast of Riga peters out against Below’s Eighth Army (until July 21).

    Middle East
    Arab Revolt: Egyptian 4-gun mountain battery shells Taif, a Turk stronghold.

    Home Front


    It is War Savings Week... (trust the person who works in banking to spot this one , lol)

    Attachment 202302

    War savings certificates were introduced by the government in June 1916. They were designed to be simple, down-to-earth and affordable for ordinary people. A £1 certificate cost 15s 6d to buy and could be redeemed, free of income tax, five years later. They were only available to individual buyers or, with special permission, charities and provident societies, and ownership was limited to a maximum of £500. They could be bought from local war savings associations, the post office or banks.

    For small investors, the guaranteed £1 for every 15s 6d spent represented a very attractive return of 29% in five years. Lending to the government was the most secure investment anyone could hope for – assuming Britain won the war – and it also had the appeal of being a contribution to the patriotic cause. For the government, war savings certificates were a way to attract war finance from a previously unreached section of the population; people who weren’t used to investing money, and hadn’t been drawn into the war loans of 1914 and 1915. Unlike war loans, they also had the benefit of bringing money into government coffers in a constant stream, rather than in sudden peaks. Under normal circumstances, banks would have seen savings certificates as a competitor, since at least some of the money used to buy them would otherwise have been in bank deposit accounts. With the war on, however, they were glad to be part of the patriotic effort. They put significant staff time and expense into handling certificate sales, in recompense for which they received commission of 2s 6d per £100 sold, or 0.125%.

    Despite their support, in 1918 the Scottish banks became annoyed by a series of war savings advertisements that pitched war investments as a better alternative to leaving money ‘idle in the bank’. They pointed out in a letter to Sir Robert Kindersley, the head of the savings movement, that they had worked tirelessly to sell war bonds, loans and savings certificates, and had themselves invested heavily. Even their much-diminished cash reserves were at the day-to-day disposal of the government. In other words, there was no money sitting ‘idle’; whether in a bank, a bond, a certificate or loan stock, it was all being fed into the war effort. The banks remained committed to selling war savings certificates. Several introduced schemes to help their own staff participate, buying certificates and allowing staff to pay for them in instalments afterwards. London County & Westminster Bank’s scheme attracted 2,300 participants – more than two thirds of the entire staff – and raised over £42,000. By the end of the war, £207m war savings certificates had been sold. After the war they continued to be sold, but were renamed national savings certificates, and were used to fund house building and other reconstruction and development projects. National savings products have remained on the market ever since, and are still used today as a way of funding public borrowing requirements.

    Attachment 202303

    William Ewart Boulter VC (14 October 1892 – 1 June 1955) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

    Boulter was 23 years old, and a sergeant in the 6th Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 14 July 1916 at Trones Wood, France, when one company and part of another was held up in the attack on a wood by a hostile machine-gun which was causing heavy casualties, Sergeant Boulter, with utter contempt of danger, and in spite of being wounded in the shoulder, advanced alone over open ground under heavy fire, in front of the gun and bombed the gun team from their position. This act not only saved many casualties, but materially helped the operation of clearing the enemy out of the wood. He later achieved the rank of lieutenant. He was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Abington Park, Northampton, England.

    Some more details on his action on the 14th July: when one company and part of another was held up in the attack on a wood by a German machine gun which was causing heavy casualties, Sergeant Boulter, with utmost bravery, and in spite of being wounded in the shoulder, advanced alone over open ground under heavy fire from the machine gun and then threw hand grenades so dislodging the gun team from their position.

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  11. #1561

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    Thanks for the enlarged map, Chris; always a good thing to help follow the action
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  12. #1562

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    Now where did I put my pencil?
    See you on the Dark Side......

  13. #1563

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    MONDAY 17th July 1916
    Today we lost: 966

    Today’s losses include:

    Multiple families that will lose two, three and four sons in the Great War

    The grandson of a Baronet

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Captain Guy ****ins (King’s Royal Rifle Corps) is killed at age 34. He was working at the British School of Archaeology in Athens before coming home to enlist.

    Lieutenant Gordon Kerr Montagu Butler (Scottish Horse) dies of blood poisoning in Egypt at age 24. He is the son the Very Reverend Henry Montagu Butler DD Master of Trinity College Cambridge and former Honorary Chaplain to Queen Victoria.

    Lieutenant Martin Arthur Ashtown MC (Royal Fusiliers) dies of wounds at age 24. His brother will die of wounds in August next year and they are grandsons of the Right Honorable ‘Sir’ William Heathcote 5th

    Lieutenant Ernest Emaual Polack (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 23. He is the son of Reverend Joseph Polack and his brother was killed last April.

    Second Lieutenant Theodore Stewart Wolton Warren (Durham Light Infantry) is killed at age 20. He is the son of the Reverend Charles Theodore Warren Rector of Chilthorne Domer.

    Sergeant William Edward Lynn (Irish Fusiliers) is killed at age 21. He is one of four brothers who will lose their lives as a result the Great War.

    Corporal Kendrick Jones (Welsh Fusiliers) is killed at age 27. He is the son of the Reverend I E Jones.

    Corporal Alfred Cecil Arnold (West Yorkshire Regiment) dies of wounds received in action the previous day at age 24 near Thiepval while trying to repel a German bombing party. His younger brother will be killed in May 1917.

    Private John Rosenberg (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed in action at the age of 22. His younger brother will be killed in action in five weeks. Both will be commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

    Private William Joshua Bates (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 26. His brother will be accidentally killed in May 1917.

    Private James MacGregor (Machine Gun Corps) is killed at Delville Wood. His two brothers will also be killed in the Great War the first in September 1915 while the second will be killed next April.

    Private Jacob Templar (Leicestershire Regiment) is killed three days after his brother.

    Private Thomas Baldwin (Sussex Regiment) dies of wounds at home. He is the first of three brothers who lose their lives in the Great War the second of which also died at home and is buried in the same grave.

    Private John Davidson Greenlees (Cheshire Regiment) becomes the third brother to be killed in the Great War.

    Private George William Harlow (East Kent Regiment) is killed in Salonika at age 31. His brother will be killed in August 1918.

    Air Operations:

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 1

    2Lt William Boyle Power (29) RFC. Crashed on test flight in a F.E.8 (7598), Farnborough.

    Claims: 1

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    Oberflugmeister Karl Meyer claims his 1st kill. Flying with observer Erich Bönisch for SAS 1 and shooting down a FBA Flying Boat.

    Home Fronts

    Britain: Munition workers pay rates fixed, 4 1/2 d per hour for over 18 years old.

    Western Front

    Somme: Battle of Bazentin Ridge (Somme) ends (see July 14th).

    British storm and capture German second line positions on front of 1,500 yards. Take Waterlot Farm, east of Longueval; clear Ovillers of the remaining Germans. French repulse attacks at Biaches and La Maisonette Farm.
    The operation was a stunning success resulting in the capture of the German second position on a front of 6,000 yards. For a time the important position of High Wood remained open to occupation but delays in getting the cavalry forward meant that this opportunity was lost. Fighting for Longueval village continued after 17 July and was intimately connected with the long struggle for Delville Wood.

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    Attachment 202462

    In the evening of 16 July, the South Africans withdrew south of Prince's Street and east of Strand Street, for a bombardment on the north-west corner of the wood and the north end of Longueval. On 17 July, the 27th Brigade attacked northwards in Longueval and the 2nd South African Battalion plus two companies of the 1st Battalion, attacked westwards in the wood. The South African attack was a costly failure and the survivors were driven back to their original positions, which came under increased German artillery-fire in the afternoon. In the evening Tanner was wounded and replaced by Lieutenant-Colonel E. F. Thackeray, of the 3rd Battalion, as commander in Delville Wood. The 9th Division drew in its left flank and the 3rd Division (Major-General J.A. Haldane), was ordered to attack Longueval from the west during the night.

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    Huge numbers of shells were fired into the wood and Lukin ordered the men into the north-western sector, to support the attack on Longueval due at 3:45 a.m. During the night, the German 3rd Guards Division advanced behind a creeping barrage of 116 field guns and over 70 medium guns. The Germans reached Buchanan and Princes streets, driving the South Africans back from their forward trenches, with many casualties.

    The Germans spotted the forming up of the troops in the wood and fired an unprecedented bombardment; every part of the area was searched and smothered by shells. During the barrage, German troops attacked and infiltrated the South African left flank, from the north-west corner of the wood. By 2:00 p.m., the South African position had become desperate as German attacks were received from the north, north-west and east, after the failure of a second attempt to clear the north-western corner. At 6:15 p.m., news was received that the South Africans were to be relieved by the 26th Brigade. The 3rd Division attack on Longueval had taken part of the north end of the village and Armin ordered an attack by the fresh 8th Division, against the Buchanan Street line from the south east, forcing Thackeray to cling to the south western corner of the wood for two days and nights, the last link to the remainder of the 9th Division.

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    British capture Waterlot Farm east of Longueval; Ovillers, cleared of Germans by 48th Division.

    Tunstills Men, Monday 17th July 1916:

    Molliens-au-Bois

    Rest and training continued.

    During this period the weather remained dry, bright and warm. The Battalion was reinforced by a draft of 154 new men who arrived. The Brigade War Diary noted the new arrivals as being, “of a fair standard”; this was in contrast to recent reinforcements for 9th Yorkshires who had been disparagingly reported as, “men of very inferior physique from a Bantam Battalion”. It was said that, overall, “the Battalion looks much better after the change”.

    Lt. Cecil Edward Merryweather (see 13th July) who had been wounded on 5th July, and subsequently treated in England was discharged from hospital. A medical board assembled at Caxton Hall granted him leave until 28th August stating that, “he was wounded by a shrapnel bullet which struck him on the outward anterior aspect of middle third right thigh, making a superficial wound. The piece of metal did not lodge; no important structures were injured. Wound has almost healed”.

    A Medical Board convened at 4th London General Hospital reported on the condition of Lt. Paul James Sainsbury, (see 15th July) who would later serve with 10DWR, and had been wounded on 1st July. The Board found that, “he was knocked down by a piece of shell and whilst lying on the ground 3 or 4 large shells burst quite near him; he did not lose consciousness but he was dazed and light headed for 6 hours. He is suffering from shell shock. 12 months at the front, he complains of headache, dreams, startled by noise, lack of power of concentrating his attention. No other sign.” They found him unfit for general service for 3 months; and unfit for any service for 8 weeks.

    Eastern Front:

    Russians make progress in the Carpathians.

    Southern Front:

    Macedonia: Serbs begin to move to take over 60 miles of front west of river Vardar. Sarrailtold to be ready to attack on August 1 in combination with Russo*-Rumanian thrust south of Danube.
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    Serb artillery support advance.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    In Sinai Peninsula a Turkish and German force under von Kressenstein advances westward on Katiya.

    Naval and Overseas Operations:

    British capture two German steamers on Lake Victoria Nyanza.

    Shipping Losses: 9

    Angelo: United Kingdom: Cargo ship was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 80 nautical miles (150km) north east of Algies, Algeria by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine.

    Gertrude: United Kingdom:The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship by SM U-18, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    Glance: United Kingdom: The fishing vessel was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship by SM U-18, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    Loch Nevis: United Kingdom: The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea off the Smith's Knoll Kightship by SM U-18, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    Loch Tay: United Kingdom: The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship by SM U-18, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    Rosemoor: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was scuttled in the Mediterranean Sea 80 nautical miles (150 km) north east of Algiers by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    Syria: Germany: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sunk in the Baltic Sea off Skelleftea, Vasterbottne County , Sweden

    Waverley: United Kingdom:The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north north east of the Haisborough Lightship by SM U-18, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    W.M.G.: United Kingdom: The fishing smack was scuttled in the North Sea 6 nautical miles (11 km) north east of the Haisborough Lightship by SM U-18, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    Politics:

    Trade Unions recommend postponement of all holidays in connection with munitions production.

    Daily cost of war, six millions.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-17-2016 at 14:47.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  14. #1564

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    "Guess I found my pencil"
    See you on the Dark Side......

  15. #1565

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    Been away for a few days, so there's a lot to catch up with. Many thanks to Chris for his stint - huge amount of work done Enjoy the Med.

    Welcome back Neil. Nice work with the maps etc - pencil appears to be well sharpened Thanks to both.

  16. #1566

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    Sorry neil but re Attachment 202462 - 7 views Delville wood - cannot see these, unless the link refers to the map of Deville wood immediately above the link.

  17. #1567

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    I removed that map as it was too small.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  18. #1568

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    TUESDAY 18th July 1916
    William Frederick Faulds VC, MC (1895 – 1950) was the first South African-born man serving with South African Forces to be awarded the VC.

    Faulds was born 19 February 1895. When he was 21 years old, and a private in the 1st Battalion (Cape) of the South African Infantry Brigade, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 18 July 1916 at Delville Wood, France.

    The citation reads as follows:
    A bombing party under Lieut Craig attempted to rush over 40 yards (37 m) of ground which lay between the British and enemy trenches. Coming under very heavy rifle and machine gun fire the officer and the majority of the party were killed and wounded. Unable to move, Lieut Craig lay midway between the two lines of trench, the ground being quite open. In full daylight, Pte Faulds, accompanied by two other men, climbed over the parapet, ran out, picked up the officer, and carried him back... Two days later Private Faulds again showed most conspicuous bravery in going out alone to bring in a wounded man, and carried him nearly half a mile to a dressing-station... The artillery fire was at the time so intense that stretcher-bearers and others considered that any attempt to bring in the wounded man meant certain death...

    Today we lost: 1327

    The South African forces suffered large casualties at the Battle of Delville Wood

    Lieutenant Alfred Richard Barton (South African Infantry) is killed. His brother was killed in February and they are sons of the Reverend Alfred John Barton Rector of Strumpshaw.

    Lieutenant Harry George Elliot (South African Infantry) is killed in action at age 36. He is the son of the late Major ‘Sir’ Henry George Elliot KCMG CB.

    Second Lieutenant Errol Victor Tatham (South African Infantry) is killed in action at age 24, three days after his brother was lost in the submarine H3. They are sons of Lieutenant Colonel ‘the Honorable’ Frederick Spence Tatham DSO.

    Private William Arthur McKenzie (South African Infantry) an Australian Rules Footballer is killed at age 36. He played 4 games for Geelong in 1898.

    Private H C Raphael (South African Regiment) is killed at age 22. His brother will be killed tomorrow.

    Private Victor Reginald Pattison (South African Forces) is killed at age 19. His brother will be killed next October.

    Private William R S Bicheno (South African Infantry) is killed at age 24. His brother will be killed next July.

    Private Charles Henry Stuart (South African Infantry) is killed at age 35 as the middle of the brothers who will lose their lives in the Great War.

    Today’s losses include:

    Multiple families that will lose two, three and four sons in the Great War

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    Multiple sons of Justices of the Peace

    An Australian Rules footballer

    The Captain of the Scottish National Rugby Football team in 1914

    A man whose son will be killed in the Second World War

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Lieutenant Eric MacLeod Milroy (Black Watch) dies of wounds at age 28. He was the Captain of the Scottish National Rugby Football team in 1914 and earned 12 caps playing internationally.

    Lieutenant George Fleming (Scots Fusiliers) dies of wounds at age 31. His brother will be killed in March 1917
    .

    Lieutenant Norman John Wragg (South Staffordshire Regiment) dies of wounds at age 26. His brother was killed on the first day of the battle of the Somme and they are sons of John Downing Wragg JP.

    Lieutenant Richard Bagnall Clegg (Royal Engineers) is killed in action at age 23. He resigned his post as Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department, Bombay to enlist.

    Second Lieutenant Martin Arthur Heathcote MC (Royal Fusiliers) is killed at age 23. His brother will die on service in August of next year.

    Second Lieutenant Harold Halstead Brown (Gordon Highlanders) is killed at age 19. He is the son of the Very Reverend John Brown.

    Corporal Leonard Henry Reeve DCM (King’s Royal Rifle Corps) is gassed to death at age 24. His older brother will be killed in one week.

    Corporal John Charles Salmon (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed. His brother was killed in the first month of the war.

    Private Percy Philpott (Bedfordshire Regiment) is killed. His brother died of wounds in April of this year.

    Gunner Henry Carrodus Mellon (Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 20. His brothers will be killed in October 1918.

    Gunner Levi Woodhouse (Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 27. His son Sergeant Colin Woodhouse (Royal Air Force) will be killed in May 1940 over Germany.

    Private David Watt (Black Watch) dies of wounds at age 22 on the Sommer. His brother will be killed in October 1918.

    Private Robert Kennaugh Southward (Manchester Regiment) is killed in High Wood at age 19. He is the son of W C Southward JP.

    Private George O Sutherland (Australian Infantry) is killed in action at age 20. He is the first of three brothers to be killed in a six-month period.

    Private John Tocher (Gordon Highlanders) is killed at age 26. He is the second of four brothers who are killed in the Great War.

    Private William Dolan (Manchester Regiment) is killed at age 26. He is the second of three brothers who are killed in the war including the last who is killed tomorrow.

    Gunner Henry Carodus Mellon (Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 20. His brother will be killed in October 1918.

    Air Operations:

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 3

    2Lt Beatson, W.W.G. (Walter William Gordon). 19 Reserve Squadron, RFC. Accidentally Killed while flying near Hounslow 18 July 1916 aged 18

    PO Mech Johnson, A.L. (Archibald Leonard). RNAS, Armoured Car Division, Russia. Died of sickness 18 July 1916 aged 27

    Capt Reeves, C.d'A.E.W. (Charles d'Arcy Edmund Wentworth),attached from Suffolk Regiment, RFC. Accidentally Killed while flying near Hounslow 18 July 1916

    Claims: 1

    Sergente Mario Stoppani claims his 2nd confirmed but shared kill flying a Nieuport 11 for 76 squadron near Monte St Marco. He shared this kill with Tenente Luigi Olivi.

    Home Fronts

    Britain: Employers and unions agree to postpone holidays during war.

    Western Front

    Verdun:
    For third day, close fighting round Fleury (Verdun).
    From 12 July onwards General Falkenhayn tells the Vth army that a period of quiet at the front must follow. The conquered lines have to be defended, even against heavy counterattacks. The assignment is given to economise on ammunitions. Troops and artillery are still being transferred to the Somme front and to the eastern front.

    The battle at the Verdun front still continues, albeit on a smaller scale, and is mainly concentrated around the fortifications and armed bunkers that belong to the originally French defence system around Verdun. Here heavy fighting occurs daily, which causes the front line to differ from day to day.

    Saturday - 15 July
    General Mangin launches an even larger attack on Fleury. The 37th African division is deployed in this attack but does not succeed in taking the village. Again this is a hasty attack without artillery back up and the French losses are enormous again.

    Somme: North of Ovillers British advance on 1,000 yards front. Germans make strong counter-attacks at Longueval and Delville Wood; retaking part of latter.

    ‘On 18 July heavy rain and German counter-attacks forced critical withdrawals but it was not until the evening of 20 July, after six days of continuous fighting, that the South Africans were relieved.’
    Germans again repulsed at Biaches (Somme).

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).

    Tunstills Men, Tuesday 18th July 1916:

    Molliens-au-Bois

    Rest and training continued.

    In the calmer conditions which now prevailed following the actions of the previous days, Capt. James Christopher Bull (see 10th July) wrote a personal cheque in the sum of £9 16s., being an amount he owed to the late 2Lt. Walter Douglas Taylor (see 6th July), who had been killed in action on 5th July; Taylor had been President of the Company Officer’s Mess. Taylor being dead, Bull left the payee blank but placed his cheque along with the remaining personal effects of 2Lt. Taylor.

    The funeral of 2Lt. Christopher Snell (see 15th July), who had died of wounds received in action on 5th July, took place at Brixton Independent Church at 3pm, followed by interment at Streatham Cemetery, Garratt Lane, Tooting.
    Pte. Fred Dyson (see 5th May) was posted to France to 34th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples en route to join 2DWR on active service; he would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR.

    Eastern Front:

    German seaplanes drop bombs on Reval (G. of Bothnia).

    Sakharov continues pressure against Austrians; drives them south of the Lipa.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    Armenia: Russians continue advance; capture Kighi, an important junction on Erzerum-Baiburt road.
    Russians occupy Gumusane, capture 800 Turks 15 miles southwest of Bayburt.

    Africa: General Smuts reports steady clearance of Usambara district; enemy forces driven down Pangani river.


    Naval Operations:

    Shipping Losses: 3

    Llongwen: United Kingdom: The cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea,90 nautical miles (170 km) north east of Algiers, Algeria, by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine with the loss of fourteen crew.

    Neto: United Kingdom: The 3,000 ton Glasgow steamer grounded at Gunards Head, Cornwall while carrying hay and fodder to Cherbourg in thick fog

    Ville de Rouen: France: The cargo ship sank in the Mediterranean Sea 120 nautical miles (220 km) south west of Cape Matapan, Greece by SM UB-45, Kaiserliche Marine, with the loss of three of her crew

    Politics:

    Britain: London Gazette blacklists c.80 US firms trading with enemy.

    Mr. Asquith makes short statement on Mesopotamia in House of Commons and refuses papers.

    Treaty with Ibn Sa'ud, Emir of Nejd, ratified by British Government (see December 26th, 1915).
    See you on the Dark Side......

  19. #1569

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    Thanks for picking up the reins again Neil

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  20. #1570

  21. #1571

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    WEDNESDAY 19th July 1916
    Today we lost: 2716
    Today’s losses include:
    Multiple families that will lose two, three and four sons in the Great War
    The son of a Baronet
    Multiple Australian Rules footballers
    A man whose twin brother will be killed later in the Great War
    A battalion commander
    A man whose daughter will be born in three months
    A man whose father was killed in January 1915
    A grandson of the 3rd Baron Stratheden
    Multiple sons of members of the clergy
    The son of the Vice Consul in Angola
    Today’s highlighted casualties include:
    Captain Hugh McDonald Plowman (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 27. He is an adapt cricketer and Australian Rules Footballer who played 26 games for St Kilda 1910-12 scoring 1 goal.
    Lieutenant Richard Horace Maconochie Gibbs MC (Australian Infantry) an Australian Rules Footballer and third year medical student is killed at age 23. He scored 3 goals in 35 games from 1912 to 1914.
    Corporal Thornton Gainsborough Clarke (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 24. He played four games for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League in 1911.
    Another Australian Rules Footballer Private William Joseph Landy (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 19. He scored 1 goal in 2 games for Geelong in 1915.
    Private George Roy Reginald Yendle (Australian Infantry) is killed in action at Fromelles. He is killed at age 16 and has a brother who will be killed in September 1917.
    Private Thomas Lippett Russell (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 23. His twin will be killed in less than a month.
    Lieutenant Colonel John Henry Beer (Warwickshire Regiment commanding 2nd/4th Berkshire Regiment) is killed at age 36. He is a veteran of the South African War. Captain John Arthur Higgon (Welsh Fusiliers) is killed at age 42. His brother was killed in September 1915 on Gallipoli.
    Captain William Thomas Wyllie (Durham Light Infantry and Brigade Major 13th Infantry Brigade) is killed at age 34. His brother was killed in November 1914 and they are sons of the artist in oils and water colors of maritime themes.
    Captain Aubrey Evan Coulton (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed at age 26. His daughter will be born in September.
    Lieutenant William Charles Newborough (Welsh Guards) dies of pneumonia at age 43. He is the son of the late ‘Honorable’ Thomas John Newborough.
    Lieutenant Donald Campbell (Coldstream Guards) is killed in action at age 20. He is the son of Captain “the Honorable” John B Campbell (Coldstream Guards) who was killed in action in January 1915 and the grandson of the 3rd Baron Stratheden of Cupar and Campbell of St Andrews.
    Lieutenant Francis Christopher Dallas Williams (East Surrey Regiment attached Royal Berkshire Regiment) is killed at age 21. He is the son of the late Reverend Edward Osborne Williams.
    Second Lieutenant Percy Oliver James Day (King’s Royal Rifle Corps) is killed at age 29. His brother was killed on the 1st of this month.
    Second Lieutenant Eric Ronald Ratcliff-Gaylard (Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry) is killed in action at age 21. His brother was killed on Gallipoli in May 1915.
    Second Lieutenant John William Hugo Fussell (Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) is killed at age 19. He is the son of John Walter Hugo Fussell Vice Consul of Benguella, Angola.
    Lance Sergeant Henry Bowyer Smyth (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 24. He is the son of ‘Sir’ William Bowyer Smyth 11th
    Sergeant Samuel Yerrell (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed at age 22. His brother died of wounds in April 1915.
    Sergeant Harry Martin (Highland Light Infantry) dies of illness at age 30 in Mesopotamia. His brother died of wounds in May 1915.
    Corporal Frank Coulson Baxter (Suffolk Regiment) is killed in action at age 27. His brother will be killed in August 1917.
    Corporal John Shaw (Suffolk Regiment) is killed at age 24. His brother will die of wounds next May.
    Corporal Stanley Francis Raphael (South African Infantry) is killed at age 25. His brother was killed yesterday.
    Lance Corporal Ralph Eric Harris (South African Infantry) is killed. His half-brother was killed commanding the 5th Australian Light Horse on Gallipoli in 1915.
    Lance Corporal George Frederick Foord (Sussex Regiment) dies of wounds at age 21. His brother will be killed in September 1917.
    Lance Corporal Duncan Thomson (King’s Own Scottish Borderers) is killed. His brother will be killed next March.
    Private Frederick George Souls (Cheshire Regiment) is killed in action at age 30. His four brothers are all killed in the Great War.
    Private Edward Grantham (Royal Sussex Regiment) dies of wounds on the Somme at age 26. He is the son of the Reverend Herbert Grantham.
    Private Albert Beesley (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed at age 19. His brother was killed in May 1916.
    Private Walter Brand (Suffolk Regiment) is killed at age 36. The bullets that killed him perforates the photograph of his two children which he had carried with him at all times. His brother will be killed next February.
    Private James Arthur Hollands (Berkshire Regiment) is killed at age 18. His brother was killed in September 1915.
    Private Thomas Huxley Langston (South Africa Infantry) is killed at age 20. His brother was killed in May in German East Africa.
    Private Charles Good (Munster Fusiliers) is killed. His brother was killed on Gallipoli last August.
    Private Ernest Bailey (Norfolk Regiment) is killed at age 21. His two brothers were killed together 18 days ago serving in the same regiment.
    Private James Dolan (Cheshire Regiment) is killed. He is the third brother do be killed in the war the day after his brother became the second.
    Private James Howard Telfer (Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry) is killed in action at age 26. His brother will be killed next April.
    Air Operations:
    Somme: 30-40 German aircraft seen over BEF Fourth Army front (12 combats).
    Sinai: RFC discover 8,000 Turks preparing for offensive (Brig*-Gen E Chaytor GOC NZ Mounted Rifle Brigade was observer on this reconnaissance flight). Brigadier General Edward Walter Clervaux Chaytor commanding officer New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade is wounded while flying in a BE2c over Bir Bayud-Bir Gameil in Palestine.
    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 6
    Lt Hele-Shaw, H.R. (Henry Rathbone), 70 Squadron RFC. Missing - Killed in Action 19 July 1916 aged 20

    2Lt Godlee, J. (John), 30 Squadron RFC. Killed in Action 19 July 1916

    A Mech 2 Bramall, C. (Charles), 3rd Echelon Basra RFC. Died from effects of heat 19 July 1916 aged 19.

    2lt Oakes, R.C. (Robert Claude) 70 Squadron RFC. Killed in Action 19 July 1916 aged 18.

    A Mech 1 Smith, W. (William), 30 Squadron RFC.

    2Lt Tollemache, A.H.W. (Arthur Henry William), 27 Squadron RFC. Killed in Action 19 July 1916


    Claims: 2
    pic
    Capt Arthur Gerald "Gerry" Knight claims his 2nd confirmed kill. Flying a DH2 of 24 Squadron, RFC he shot down a Fokker E near Bapaume-Peronne Rd. The son of Arthur Cecil Knight, Arthur Gerald Knight was studying Applied Science at the Upper Canada College when he was appointed to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915.

    pic

    LCol Alan Machin Wilkinson claims his 6th confirmed kill. Flying a DH2 of 24 Squadron, RFC. He shot a Fokker E near Bapaume-Peronne Rd. The son of a civil engineer, Lieutenant Alan Machin Wilkinson, of the Hampshire Regiment, received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 1398 on a Maurice Farman biplane at Farnborough on 4 July 1915. He achieved 10 of his victories while flying an Airco D.H.2. Having equipped it with two Lewis guns, he was eventually ordered to remove one of them.
    Western Front
    Verdun:
    Bombardment of Verdun front.
    General von Francois replaces Gallwitz (to Somme) in command west of the Meuse.
    Somme:
    Germans outflank left flank of South African Delville Wood garrison and compress pocket.
    German attacks on Longueval, Waterlot Farm and Trones Wood.
    German Second Army north of Somme becomes new First Army (General F Below), from the Somme to river Cologne (northwest of St Quentin) Second Army (General Gallwitz, latter also Army Group Commander). Royal Navy Division becomes 63rd (Naval) Division.
    French take more trenches south of Estrees.
    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).
    Flanders:
    British First Army diversionary attack but inept daylight attack at Fromelles (until July 20) fails bloody, new 5th Australian Division has 5,500 casualties.
    Battle of Fromelles (France) (19th/20th).
    This combined action by British and Australian troops was partly intended to divert the German's attention away from the Battles of the Somme just to the south, combined with an operation to retake the ground just north of Fromelles (see July 1st).
    Pic fromelles
    In preparation for the Battle of Fromelles a seven-hour artillery barrage begins on the bright summer day at 11:00. At 18:00 with two and a half hours of daylight remaining the Australian 5th Division advances.
    The 15th Australian Brigade fares badly, line after line being met by heavy fire as they emerge from the remains of an old orchard. The 8th and 14th Brigades capture approximately 1,000 yards of the enemy’s front trenches but because of the heavy losses suffered by the 15th Brigade the right flank of the 14th Brigade is exposed to intense fire from the ‘Sugar Loaf”. Later this evening the 7th Bavarian Divison mounts counterattacks. By 08:00 tomorrow the entire attacking force has been withdrawn the Australians suffering 5.533 casualties while the British suffer 1,547 killed, wounded, missing or prisoners. There is no evidence that the attack had the slightest effect on the enemy’s ability to move reserves to the Somme. 5th Australian Division was so badly damaged that it was unable to take part in serious fighting until the spring of 1917. 61st (2nd South Midland) Division, while not suffering as badly in terms of casualties, has not inspired confidence and it will not used again until the same time.
    The course of the Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November 1916) had led the British GHQ on 5 July to inform the commanders of the three other British armies, that the German defences from the Somme north to the Ancre river might soon fall. The First and Second army commanders were required to choose places to penetrate the German defences, if the attacks on the Somme continued to make progress. Any gaps made were then to be widened, to exploit the weakness and disorganisation of the German defence. The Second Army commander, Genera H. Plummer was occupied by preparations for an offensive at Messines Ridge but could spare one division for a joint attack with the First Army at the army boundary. On 8 July, the First Army commander General Charles Monro, ordered the IX Corps commander Lieutenant-General Richard Haking to plan a two-division attack; Haking proposed to capture Aubers Ridge, Aubers and Fromelles but next day Monro dropped Aubers Ridge from the attack, as he and Plumer had concluded that with the troops available, no great objective could be achieved.
    On 13 July, after receiving intelligence reports that the Germans had withdrawn approximately nine infantry battalions from the Lille area from 9–12 July, GHQ informed the two army commanders that a local attack was to be carried out at the army boundary around 18 July, to exploit the depletion of the German units in the vicinity. Haking was ordered to begin a preliminary bombardment, intended to appear to be part of a large offensive, while limiting an infantry attack to the German front line. On 16 July discussions about the attack resumed, as the need for diversions to coincide with operations on the Somme had diminished when the big victory of BazentinRidge (14 July 1916) had not led to a general German collapse. Sir Douglas Haig did not want the attack to take place unless the local commanders were confident of success and Monro and Haking opposed postponement or cancellation of the attack. The weather had been dull on 15 July and rain began next day, soon after Monro and Haking made the decision to proceed with the attack. Zero hour for the main bombardment was then postponed because of the weather and at 8:30 a.m. Haking delayed the attack for at least 24 hours; after considering cancellation, Monro postponed the attack to 19 July
    British plan of attack

    The German salient at Fromelles contained some higher ground facing north-west, known as the Sugarloaf. The small size and height of the salient gave the Germans observation of no man’s land on either flank. The Australian 5th Division, under Major General J.W. McCay was to attack the left flank of the salient by advancing south as the 61st Division attacked the right flank from the west. Each division was to attack with its three brigades in line, with two battalions from each brigade in the attack and the other two in reserve, ready to take over captured ground or to advance further. Haking issued the attack orders on 14 July, when wire-cutting began along the XI Corps front. It was intended that the bombardment would inflict mass casualties on the German infantry, reducing them to a "state of collapse". The British infantry were to assemble as close to the German lines as possible, no man's land being 100–400 yards (91–366 m) wide, before the British artillery fire was lifted from the front line; then the infantry would rush the surviving Germans while they were disorganised, advancing to the German second line.[11] Heavy artillery began registration and a slow bombardment on 16 July and two days of bombardment began either side of La Bassée canal as a diversion. The main bombardment was to begin at midnight on 17/18 July for seven hours (rainy weather forced a postponement). Over the final three hours the artillery was to lift and the infantry show bayonets and dummy figures several times, to simulate an infantry advance and then the artillery was to resume bombardment of the front line, to catch the German infantry out of cover
    First Army

    In the 61st Division area, infantry of the 182nd Brigade on the right flank, began to move into no man's land at 5:30 p.m. through sally-ports, some of which were under fire from German machine-gunners and became "death-traps". Two companies of the right-hand battalion, managed to get within 50 yards (46 m) of the German parapet with few losses and rushed the breastwork as the artillery lifted, finding the wire cut and the Germans incapable of resistance. Uncut wire held up the advance to the second line and German machine-gun fire from the right flank caused many casualties, as the survivors reached the objective. Reinforcements reached the front trench but the German flanking fire caused many casualties and German artillery began to bombard the captured area. The left-hand battalion lost more casualties in no man's land, then found the wire at the Wick salient uncut. German machine-guns caused many casualties and the few infantry who got through the wire, were shot down in front of the front trench, as reinforcements were also caught in no man's land and pinned down. In the centre, the 183rd Brigade was bombarded before the advance and shrapnel fire stopped the infantry using the sally-ports. After climbing the British parapet both battalions were shot down in no man's land, a few men getting close to the German wire before being killed or wounded. On the left, the attacking battalions of the 184th Brigade had been in the front line since the morning under German artillery-fire. On the right, the sally-ports were under fire and only a few troops reached the German wire (which was found to be uncut) before falling back. The left battalion's attack towards the Sugarloaf salient (which was beyond trench-mortar range) was stopped by German fire at the sally-ports and so the infantry tried to exit along "Rhondda Sap", under a shrapnel bombardment.[c] Most of the battalion was destroyed, but some troops reached the north-east part of the salient and tried to enter the German breastwork, until all became casualties.

    Pic Members of the Australian 53rd Battalion; three of the men survived the battle, all wounded.
    On the 5th Australian Division front, the troops attacked over the parapet and had fewer losses than the 61st Division. The 15th (Victoria) Brigade advanced next to the British 183rd Brigade, towards the junction of the German line and Layes brook, which ran diagonally across no man's land. The right battalion advance was stopped after 300 yards (270 m) by machine-gun fire from the Sugarloaf and the left hand battalion was stopped at the German wire, both battalions suffering many losses as the survivors dug in. In the Australian centre the 14th (NSW) Brigade had fewer casualties, reached the German front line and took a number of prisoners. When the Australians advanced further they found only flat fields and ditches full of water. A line was selected for consolidation and ten machine-guns were sent forward. The 8th Brigade battalions attacked through machine-gun fire from the front and flanks. A 1,200-pound (540 kg) mine was blown on the outer flank with the intention of creating a crater lip that would screen the attacking infantry but when the Australians reached the German breastwork they pressed on, finding the same terrain as the 14th Brigade. The 32nd Battalion, on the eastern flank, suffered heavy casualties while attacking a German stronghold in the ruins of Delangre Farm. Elements of the 14th Brigade reached a main road 400 metres (440 yd) south of the German line, before withdrawing to the ditch. The Australian 8th and 14th Brigades had gained their objectives and captured about 1,000 metres (1,100 yd) of the German front line. A line was selected for consolidation and a strong-point built at the end of Kasten Weg, a German communication trench. Reinforcements with equipment and tools went forward and digging began on a communication trench across no man's land, as a German artillery barrage fell and all movement was fired on by machine-guns.
    By 7:00 p.m. accurate reports reached the 61st Division commander Major-General C. J. Mackenzie of the success on the right and erroneous reports of limited success in the centre and a small lodgement on the Sugarloaf. Mackenzie was ordered by Haking at 7:30 p.m. to attack again at the Sugarloaf to assist the Australians, before it was discovered that the 184th Brigade had not reached it. The Australian 15th Brigade was asked to co-operate with the British attack and the 58th Battalion was sent forward. A renewed bombardment continued, as preparations were made to attack all along the front at 9:00 p.m., when at 8:20 p.m. Haking cancelled the attack and ordered that all troops were to be withdrawn after dark. Reinforcements for the 182nd Brigade received the order in time but the troops in the German line were overwhelmed, with only a few wounded and stragglers returning. Troops pinned down in no man's land withdrew under cover of the bombardment and parties went out to rescue wounded. More discussion between Mackenzie and Haking, led to a decision that the 184th Brigade would attack the Sugarloaf overnight, after a ten-minute hurricane bombardment but German shelling on the British front line then caused a postponement until the morning.
    Pic 5th Australian Division positions during the Attack on Fromelles (on the Aubers Ridge), 19 July 1916
    The postponement failed to reach the Australian 58th Battalion, which attacked with some of the 59th Battalion and was stopped in no man's land with many casualties, survivors from three battalions finding their way back after dark. Despite reinforcements, the situation of the 14th Brigade troops in the German lines became desperate, as artillery fire and German counter-attacks from the open right flank forced a slow withdrawal in the dark. On the left flank, more troops were sent forward with ammunition to the 8th Brigade at dusk and at 2:00 a.m. every soldier who could be found was sent forward. Consolidation in the German lines was slow as the troops lacked experience, many officers were casualties and there was no dry soil to fill sandbags, mud being substituted. German counter-attacks on the front and flanks, with machine-gun fire from Delangre Farm, De Mouquet Farm and "The Tadpole", began at 3:15 a.m. on 20 July, forcing a retirement to the German first line and then a withdrawal to the original front line. During the withdrawals some troops managed to fight their way out but many were cut off and captured.
    News of the 8th Brigade retirement reached McKay, the Australian divisional commander, at a meeting with Mackenzie, Haking and Monro to plan the new 61st Division attack. Monro ordered the 14th Brigade to be withdrawn and at 5:40 a.m. a box-barrage around the 14th Brigade began. At 7:50 a.m. the order to retire arrived, although it was not received by some parties. German troops had got well behind the right flank and fired at every sign of movement, forcing the Australians to withdraw along the communication trench dug overnight. By 9:00 a.m. the remnants of the 53rd, 54th and 55th Battalions had returned; many wounded were rescued but only four of the machine-guns were recovered. Artillery-fire from both sides diminished and work began on either side of no man's land to repair defences; a short truce was arranged by the Germans and Australians to recover their wounded.
    Air operations

    Pic Airco DH.2 at Beauvel, France.
    From 14 July the road from Illies to Beaucamps, 3 miles (4.8 km) behind the German front line was kept under air observation. On 16 July 16 Squadron joined 10 Squadron, RFC on the attack front along with a kite balloon section, bringing the I Brigade squadrons of the RFC in support of the attack up to three corps squadrons and two army squadrons. The corps aircraft photographed and reconnoitred the area before the attack and flew artillery-observation and contact patrols during the battle.[e] Army squadrons flew further afield and denied German reconnaissance aircraft view of British troop movements, particularly behind the XI Corps front. On 19 July, aircraft from two squadrons patrolled the area towards Lille and had numerous air fights, in which two Fokekrs and a British DH2 were shot down. Bombing raids on German army billets, supply dumps and the railways from Lille to Lens, Douai, Cambrai and Valenciennes also took place.
    German 6th Army

    Pic Fokker E.III Eindecker, the type in service at the time of the battle

    Pic A German blockhouse between Fromelles and Aubers, October 2007.
    Opposite the British right, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 17 lost a switch trench facing Trivelet and then a second line was overrun, with the garrison being lost. The left of III Battalion to the south of the Trivelet road, began bombing to its right and part of I Battalion attacked frontally and from the right, taking 61 prisoners. On the Australian flank, III Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 was pushed back in the centre and on its right, forming a defensive flank at Kasten Weg and in front of Delangre Farm. The right flank of III Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 16 repulsed the 15th Australian Brigade and was then reinforced by the II Battalion from Rue Delaval, which joined with the left of III Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21. A counter-attack ordered by the divisional commander at 8:00 p.m., fell into confusion in the dark, under British artillery-fire and an attack on the 8th Australian Brigade, by part of I Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 was stopped by Australian small-arms fire. Later on, two other companies attacked up Kasten Weg as I Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 and half of Bavarian Reserve Regiment 20 attacked from the flank, reaching the old front line at 6:00 a.m. on 20 July. The right flank of the 14th Australian Brigade was counter-attacked by most of I Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 16, which joined the II Battalion, and recaptured the front line step-by-step, until dawn when a pause was ordered due to exhaustion and lack of ammunition and grenades. When the attack resumed the troops met those of Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 at around 8:10 a.m. German artillery support was less extensive than that available to the attackers but managed to "smother the British trenches with fire" as the artillery of the 50th Reserve Division and 54th Reserve Division fired from the flanks "thus the backbone of the British (sic) attack was broken before it left the trenches at 5:30 p.m."
    Aftermath

    Analysis

    Neither division was well-prepared for the attack. The 61st Division had disembarked in France in late May 1916, after delays in training caused by equipment shortages and the supplying of drafts to the 48th Division. The division entered the front line for the first time on 13 June and every man not part of the attack, spent 16–19 July removing poison gas cylinders from the front line, after the discharge on 15 July was suspended when the wind fell; 470 cylinders were removed before the work was stopped, due to the exhaustion of the men. The 5th Australian Division had arrived in France only days before the attack and relieved the 4th Australian Division, on the right flank of the Second Army by 12 July. The Australian divisional artillery and some of the heavy artillery had no experience of Western Front operations and a considerable shuffling of divisions had already taken place, as I Anzac Corps prepared to move south to the Somme front, which hampered preparations for the attack.
    The attack failed as a diversion when its limited nature quickly became obvious to the German commanders. A German assessment (16 December 1916) called the attack "operationally and tactically senseless" and prisoner interrogations revealed that the Australian troops were physically imposing but had "virtually no military discipline" and "no interest in soldiering as it was understood in Europe". A German report (30 July 1916) recorded that captured officers said that the Australians made a fundamental mistake, in trying to hold the German second trench, rather than falling back to the front trench and consolidating. When the 15th Australian Brigade was pinned down in no man's land, the continuity of the attack broke down and lost protection against flanking fire from the right, which enabled German troops to counter-attack, regain the first trench and cut off the Australian troops further forward.
    A communiqué, released to the press by British GHQ, was not favourably received by the Australians. "Yesterday evening, south of Armentieres, we carried out some important raids on a front of two miles in which Australian troops took part. About 140 German prisoners were captured". Australian losses, and doubts about the judgement of higher commanders, damaged relations between the AIF and the British, with further doubts about the reliability of British troops spreading in Australian units. In 2008, Grey wrote that McCay also made errors in judgement that contributed to the result, citing McCay's order not to consolidate the initial gains and that poor planning, ineffective artillery support and Australian lack of experience of Western Front conditions, contributed to the failure. A number of senior Australian officers were removed after the débâcle and the 5th Australian Division remained incapable of offensive action until late summer, when it began trench-raiding. In October the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, with morale high after the defensive success at Fromelles, was sent to the Somme front and never recovered from the ordeal; Bavarian Reserve Regiment 16 spent ten days in the line and lost 1,177 casualties.
    Casualties

    The battle was responsible for one of the greatest losses of Australian lives in 24 hours, although surpassed by the Battle of Bullecourt in 1917. This was first revealed in detail by Corfield who listed all the names of the dead from the battle. The 5th Australian Division lost 5,513 killed and wounded, 2,000 men in the 8th Brigade, 1,776 men in the 15th Brigade, 1,717 men in the 14th Brigade and 88 men of the divisional engineers; two battalions had so many casualties that they had to be rebuilt. Of 887 personnel from the 60th Battalion, only one officer and 106 other ranks survived unwounded and the 32nd Battalion sustained 718 casualties: the 31st Battalion had 544 casualties and the 32nd Battalion lost 718 men killed and wounded. The 61st Division was already under strength before the battle, engaged half as many men as the 5th Australian Division and lost 1,547 casualties. German casualties in the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division were 1,600–2,000 men. Allied soldiers killed in the area re-taken by the Germans, were buried shortly after the battle. The burial pits were photographed from a British reconnaissance aircraft on 21 July 1916 and marked as dugouts or trench-mortar positions. The bodies were taken by narrow gauge trench railway on 22 July 1916 and buried in eight 10-by-2.2-by-5-metre (32.8 ft × 7.2 ft × 16.4 ft) pits
    Tunstills Men, Wednesday 19th July 1916:
    Molliens au Bois

    Rest and training continued.
    Pte. George Edward Bush who had been wounded at Contalmaison (see 11th July) died of his wounds and was buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, near the village of Mericourt-l’Abbe.

    Pte. Reginald Hancock (see 10th July), who had been severely wounded in the chest during the advance on Contalmaison was transferred from a Canadian Hospital at Etaples to 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester.

    CSM Alfred Lodge (see 5th July), who had been severely wounded in the actions around Horseshoe Trench, was evacuated to England and admitted to Bath War Hospital.

    Major Lewis Ernest Buchanan (see 17th April) who had been in England since February, having been taken ill whilst home on leave, reported for duty with 11th (Reserve) Battalion DWR at Brocton Camp, Cannock Chase, Staffs.

    Pte. George Richard Goodchild (see 8th May), serving in England with 3DWR, was promoted (unpaid) Lance Corporal; he would later serve with Tunstill’s Company.


    The Times, which two days earlier had carried an obituary of Capt. Herbert Montagu Soames Carpenter (see 17th July), who had been killed in action on 5th July, now confirmed the death of Carpenter’s sister, Marion (see 15th July). Their report stated that, “The news of the death of Captain H.M.S. Carpenter, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, killed in action on July 6 (sic.) so affected his eldest sister, Miss Marion Carpenter, that she has died also. Captain Carpenter was the eldest son of Major and Mrs. Herbert Carpenter, of Fleurbaix, Esher.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:
    Sinai: Second Turk Offensive against the Suez Canal begins from Oghratina. Stotzingen ordered from Damascus to Beersheba (July 20).
    3rd Turkish Division discovered at Bir el Abd (Sinai).
    Persia *- Action of Gusht Defile (until July 21): Dyer defeats Sarhad tribes*men.
    Russians are defeated and driven back north of Kermanshah by Turks.
    Naval and Overseas Operations:
    Shipping Losses: No losses reported today.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  22. #1572

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    WEDNESDAY 19th July 1916

    Today we lost: 2716

    Today’s losses include:

    Multiple families that will lose two, three and four sons in the Great War

    The son of a Baronet

    Multiple Australian Rules footballers

    A man whose twin brother will be killed later in the Great War

    A battalion commander

    A man whose daughter will be born in three months

    A man whose father was killed in January 1915

    A grandson of the 3rd Baron Stratheden

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    The son of the Vice Consul in Angola

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Captain Hugh McDonald Plowman (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 27. He is an adapt cricketer and Australian Rules Footballer who played 26 games for St Kilda 1910-12 scoring 1 goal.

    Lieutenant Richard Horace Maconochie Gibbs MC (Australian Infantry) an Australian Rules Footballer and third year medical student is killed at age 23. He scored 3 goals in 35 games from 1912 to 1914.

    Corporal Thornton Gainsborough Clarke (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 24. He played four games for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League in 1911.

    Another Australian Rules Footballer Private William Joseph Landy (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 19. He scored 1 goal in 2 games for Geelong in 1915.

    Private George Roy Reginald Yendle (Australian Infantry) is killed in action at Fromelles. He is killed at age 16 and has a brother who will be killed in September 1917.

    Private Thomas Lippett Russell (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 23. His twin will be killed in less than a month.

    Lieutenant Colonel John Henry Beer (Warwickshire Regiment commanding 2nd/4th Berkshire Regiment) is killed at age 36. He is a veteran of the South African War.

    Captain John Arthur Higgon (Welsh Fusiliers) is killed at age 42. His brother was killed in September 1915 on Gallipoli.

    Captain William Thomas Wyllie (Durham Light Infantry and Brigade Major 13th Infantry Brigade) is killed at age 34. His brother was killed in November 1914 and they are sons of the artist in oils and water colors of maritime themes.

    Captain Aubrey Evan Coulton (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed at age 26. His daughter will be born in September.

    Lieutenant William Charles Newborough (Welsh Guards) dies of pneumonia at age 43. He is the son of the late ‘Honorable’ Thomas John Newborough.

    Lieutenant Donald Campbell (Coldstream Guards) is killed in action at age 20. He is the son of Captain “the Honorable” John B Campbell (Coldstream Guards) who was killed in action in January 1915 and the grandson of the 3rd Baron Stratheden of Cupar and Campbell of St Andrews.

    Lieutenant Francis Christopher Dallas Williams (East Surrey Regiment attached Royal Berkshire Regiment) is killed at age 21. He is the son of the late Reverend Edward Osborne Williams.

    Second Lieutenant Percy Oliver James Day (King’s Royal Rifle Corps) is killed at age 29. His brother was killed on the 1st of this month.

    Second Lieutenant Eric Ronald Ratcliff-Gaylard (Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry) is killed in action at age 21. His brother was killed on Gallipoli in May 1915.

    Second Lieutenant John William Hugo Fussell (Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) is killed at age 19. He is the son of John Walter Hugo Fussell Vice Consul of Benguella, Angola.

    Lance Sergeant Henry Bowyer Smyth (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 24. He is the son of ‘Sir’ William Bowyer Smyth 11th.

    Sergeant Samuel Yerrell (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed at age 22. His brother died of wounds in April 1915.

    Sergeant Harry Martin (Highland Light Infantry) dies of illness at age 30 in Mesopotamia. His brother died of wounds in May 1915.

    Corporal Frank Coulson Baxter (Suffolk Regiment) is killed in action at age 27. His brother will be killed in August 1917.

    Corporal John Shaw (Suffolk Regiment) is killed at age 24. His brother will die of wounds next May.

    Corporal Stanley Francis Raphael (South African Infantry) is killed at age 25. His brother was killed yesterday.

    Lance Corporal Ralph Eric Harris (South African Infantry) is killed. His half-brother was killed commanding the 5th Australian Light Horse on Gallipoli in 1915.

    Lance Corporal George Frederick Foord (Sussex Regiment) dies of wounds at age 21. His brother will be killed in September 1917.

    Lance Corporal Duncan Thomson (King’s Own Scottish Borderers) is killed. His brother will be killed next March.

    Private Frederick George Souls (Cheshire Regiment) is killed in action at age 30. His four brothers are all killed in the Great War.

    Private Edward Grantham (Royal Sussex Regiment) dies of wounds on the Somme at age 26. He is the son of the Reverend Herbert Grantham.

    Private Albert Beesley (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed at age 19. His brother was killed in May 1916.

    Private Walter Brand (Suffolk Regiment) is killed at age 36. The bullets that killed him perforates the photograph of his two children which he had carried with him at all times. His brother will be killed next February.

    Private James Arthur Hollands (Berkshire Regiment) is killed at age 18. His brother was killed in September 1915.

    Private Thomas Huxley Langston (South Africa Infantry) is killed at age 20. His brother was killed in May in German East Africa.

    Private Charles Good (Munster Fusiliers) is killed. His brother was killed on Gallipoli last August.

    Private Ernest Bailey (Norfolk Regiment) is killed at age 21. His two brothers were killed together 18 days ago serving in the same regiment.

    Private James Dolan (Cheshire Regiment) is killed. He is the third brother do be killed in the war the day after his brother became the second.

    Private James Howard Telfer (Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry) is killed in action at age 26. His brother will be killed next April.

    Air Operations:

    Somme: 30-40 German aircraft seen over BEF Fourth Army front (12 combats).

    Sinai: RFC discover 8,000 Turks preparing for offensive (Brig*-Gen E Chaytor GOC NZ Mounted Rifle Brigade was observer on this reconnaissance flight). Brigadier General Edward Walter Clervaux Chaytor commanding officer New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade is wounded while flying in a BE2c over Bir Bayud-Bir Gameil in Palestine.

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 6

    Lt Hele-Shaw, H.R. (Henry Rathbone), 70 Squadron RFC. Missing - Killed in Action 19 July 1916 aged 20

    2Lt Godlee, J. (John), 30 Squadron RFC. Killed in Action 19 July 1916

    A Mech 2 Bramall, C. (Charles), 3rd Echelon Basra RFC. Died from effects of heat 19 July 1916 aged 19.

    2lt Oakes, R.C. (Robert Claude) 70 Squadron RFC. Killed in Action 19 July 1916 aged 18.

    A Mech 1 Smith, W. (William), 30 Squadron RFC.

    2Lt Tollemache, A.H.W. (Arthur Henry William), 27 Squadron RFC. Killed in Action 19 July 1916

    Claims: 2

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    Capt Arthur Gerald "Gerry" Knight claims his 2nd confirmed kill. Flying a DH2 of 24 Squadron, RFC he shot down a Fokker E near Bapaume-Peronne Rd. The son of Arthur Cecil Knight, Arthur Gerald Knight was studying Applied Science at the Upper Canada College when he was appointed to the Royal Flying Corps in 1915.

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    LCol Alan Machin Wilkinson claims his 6th confirmed kill. Flying a DH2 of 24 Squadron, RFC. He shot a Fokker E near Bapaume-Peronne Rd. The son of a civil engineer, Lieutenant Alan Machin Wilkinson, of the Hampshire Regiment, received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 1398 on a Maurice Farman biplane at Farnborough on 4 July 1915. He achieved 10 of his victories while flying an Airco D.H.2. Having equipped it with two Lewis guns, he was eventually ordered to remove one of them.

    Western Front:

    Verdun:
    Bombardment of Verdun front.

    General von Francois replaces Gallwitz (to Somme) in command west of the Meuse.


    Somme:

    Germans outflank left flank of South African Delville Wood garrison and compress pocket.

    German attacks on Longueval, Waterlot Farm and Trones Wood.

    German Second Army north of Somme becomes new First Army (General F Below), from the Somme to river Cologne (northwest of St Quentin) Second Army (General Gallwitz, latter also Army Group Commander). Royal Navy Division becomes 63rd (Naval) Division.

    French take more trenches south of Estrees.

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).

    Flanders:

    British First Army diversionary attack but inept daylight attack at Fromelles (until July 20) fails bloody, new 5th Australian Division has 5,500 casualties.

    Battle of Fromelles (France) (19th/20th).

    This combined action by British and Australian troops was partly intended to divert the German's attention away from the Battles of the Somme just to the south, combined with an operation to retake the ground just north of Fromelles (see July 1st).

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    In preparation for the Battle of Fromelles a seven-hour artillery barrage begins on the bright summer day at 11:00. At 18:00 with two and a half hours of daylight remaining the Australian 5th Division advances.
    The 15th Australian Brigade fares badly, line after line being met by heavy fire as they emerge from the remains of an old orchard. The 8th and 14th Brigades capture approximately 1,000 yards of the enemy’s front trenches but because of the heavy losses suffered by the 15th Brigade the right flank of the 14th Brigade is exposed to intense fire from the ‘Sugar Loaf”. Later this evening the 7th Bavarian Divison mounts counterattacks. By 08:00 tomorrow the entire attacking force has been withdrawn the Australians suffering 5.533 casualties while the British suffer 1,547 killed, wounded, missing or prisoners. There is no evidence that the attack had the slightest effect on the enemy’s ability to move reserves to the Somme. 5th Australian Division was so badly damaged that it was unable to take part in serious fighting until the spring of 1917. 61st (2nd South Midland) Division, while not suffering as badly in terms of casualties, has not inspired confidence and it will not used again until the same time.

    The course of the Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November 1916) had led the British GHQ on 5 July to inform the commanders of the three other British armies, that the German defences from the Somme north to the Ancre river might soon fall. The First and Second army commanders were required to choose places to penetrate the German defences, if the attacks on the Somme continued to make progress. Any gaps made were then to be widened, to exploit the weakness and disorganisation of the German defence. The Second Army commander, Genera H. Plummer was occupied by preparations for an offensive at Messines Ridge but could spare one division for a joint attack with the First Army at the army boundary. On 8 July, the First Army commander General Charles Monro, ordered the IX Corps commander Lieutenant-General Richard Haking to plan a two-division attack; Haking proposed to capture Aubers Ridge, Aubers and Fromelles but next day Monro dropped Aubers Ridge from the attack, as he and Plumer had concluded that with the troops available, no great objective could be achieved.

    On 13 July, after receiving intelligence reports that the Germans had withdrawn approximately nine infantry battalions from the Lille area from 9–12 July, GHQ informed the two army commanders that a local attack was to be carried out at the army boundary around 18 July, to exploit the depletion of the German units in the vicinity. Haking was ordered to begin a preliminary bombardment, intended to appear to be part of a large offensive, while limiting an infantry attack to the German front line. On 16 July discussions about the attack resumed, as the need for diversions to coincide with operations on the Somme had diminished when the big victory of BazentinRidge (14 July 1916) had not led to a general German collapse. Sir Douglas Haig did not want the attack to take place unless the local commanders were confident of success and Monro and Haking opposed postponement or cancellation of the attack. The weather had been dull on 15 July and rain began next day, soon after Monro and Haking made the decision to proceed with the attack. Zero hour for the main bombardment was then postponed because of the weather and at 8:30 a.m. Haking delayed the attack for at least 24 hours; after considering cancellation, Monro postponed the attack to 19 July.

    British plan of attack
    The German salient at Fromelles contained some higher ground facing north-west, known as the Sugarloaf. The small size and height of the salient gave the Germans observation of no man’s land on either flank. The Australian 5th Division, under Major General J.W. McCay was to attack the left flank of the salient by advancing south as the 61st Division attacked the right flank from the west. Each division was to attack with its three brigades in line, with two battalions from each brigade in the attack and the other two in reserve, ready to take over captured ground or to advance further. Haking issued the attack orders on 14 July, when wire-cutting began along the XI Corps front. It was intended that the bombardment would inflict mass casualties on the German infantry, reducing them to a "state of collapse". The British infantry were to assemble as close to the German lines as possible, no man's land being 100–400 yards (91–366 m) wide, before the British artillery fire was lifted from the front line; then the infantry would rush the surviving Germans while they were disorganised, advancing to the German second line.

    Heavy artillery began registration and a slow bombardment on 16 July and two days of bombardment began either side of La Bassée canal as a diversion. The main bombardment was to begin at midnight on 17/18 July for seven hours (rainy weather forced a postponement). Over the final three hours the artillery was to lift and the infantry show bayonets and dummy figures several times, to simulate an infantry advance and then the artillery was to resume bombardment of the front line, to catch the German infantry out of cover.

    First Army

    In the 61st Division area, infantry of the 182nd Brigade on the right flank, began to move into no man's land at 5:30 p.m. through sally-ports, some of which were under fire from German machine-gunners and became "death-traps". Two companies of the right-hand battalion, managed to get within 50 yards (46 m) of the German parapet with few losses and rushed the breastwork as the artillery lifted, finding the wire cut and the Germans incapable of resistance. Uncut wire held up the advance to the second line and German machine-gun fire from the right flank caused many casualties, as the survivors reached the objective. Reinforcements reached the front trench but the German flanking fire caused many casualties and German artillery began to bombard the captured area. The left-hand battalion lost more casualties in no man's land, then found the wire at the Wick salient uncut. German machine-guns caused many casualties and the few infantry who got through the wire, were shot down in front of the front trench, as reinforcements were also caught in no man's land and pinned down.

    In the centre, the 183rd Brigade was bombarded before the advance and shrapnel fire stopped the infantry using the sally-ports. After climbing the British parapet both battalions were shot down in no man's land, a few men getting close to the German wire before being killed or wounded. On the left, the attacking battalions of the 184th Brigade had been in the front line since the morning under German artillery-fire. On the right, the sally-ports were under fire and only a few troops reached the German wire (which was found to be uncut) before falling back. The left battalion's attack towards the Sugarloaf salient (which was beyond trench-mortar range) was stopped by German fire at the sally-ports and so the infantry tried to exit along "Rhondda Sap", under a shrapnel bombardment. Most of the battalion was destroyed, but some troops reached the north-east part of the salient and tried to enter the German breastwork, until all became casualties.

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    Members of the Australian 53rd Battalion; three of the men survived the battle, all wounded.

    On the 5th Australian Division front, the troops attacked over the parapet and had fewer losses than the 61st Division. The 15th (Victoria) Brigade advanced next to the British 183rd Brigade, towards the junction of the German line and Layes brook, which ran diagonally across no man's land. The right battalion advance was stopped after 300 yards (270 m) by machine-gun fire from the Sugarloaf and the left hand battalion was stopped at the German wire, both battalions suffering many losses as the survivors dug in. In the Australian centre the 14th (NSW) Brigade had fewer casualties, reached the German front line and took a number of prisoners. When the Australians advanced further they found only flat fields and ditches full of water. A line was selected for consolidation and ten machine-guns were sent forward. The 8th Brigade battalions attacked through machine-gun fire from the front and flanks. A 1,200-pound (540 kg) mine was blown on the outer flank with the intention of creating a crater lip that would screen the attacking infantry but when the Australians reached the German breastwork they pressed on, finding the same terrain as the 14th Brigade.

    The 32nd Battalion, on the eastern flank, suffered heavy casualties while attacking a German stronghold in the ruins of Delangre Farm. Elements of the 14th Brigade reached a main road 400 metres (440 yd) south of the German line, before withdrawing to the ditch. The Australian 8th and 14th Brigades had gained their objectives and captured about 1,000 metres (1,100 yd) of the German front line. A line was selected for consolidation and a strong-point built at the end of Kasten Weg, a German communication trench. Reinforcements with equipment and tools went forward and digging began on a communication trench across no man's land, as a German artillery barrage fell and all movement was fired on by machine-guns.

    By 7:00 p.m. accurate reports reached the 61st Division commander Major-General C. J. Mackenzie of the success on the right and erroneous reports of limited success in the centre and a small lodgement on the Sugarloaf. Mackenzie was ordered by Haking at 7:30 p.m. to attack again at the Sugarloaf to assist the Australians, before it was discovered that the 184th Brigade had not reached it. The Australian 15th Brigade was asked to co-operate with the British attack and the 58th Battalion was sent forward. A renewed bombardment continued, as preparations were made to attack all along the front at 9:00 p.m., when at 8:20 p.m. Haking cancelled the attack and ordered that all troops were to be withdrawn after dark. Reinforcements for the 182nd Brigade received the order in time but the troops in the German line were overwhelmed, with only a few wounded and stragglers returning. Troops pinned down in no man's land withdrew under cover of the bombardment and parties went out to rescue wounded. More discussion between Mackenzie and Haking, led to a decision that the 184th Brigade would attack the Sugarloaf overnight, after a ten-minute hurricane bombardment but German shelling on the British front line then caused a postponement until the morning.

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    The postponement failed to reach the Australian 58th Battalion, which attacked with some of the 59th Battalion and was stopped in no man's land with many casualties, survivors from three battalions finding their way back after dark. Despite reinforcements, the situation of the 14th Brigade troops in the German lines became desperate, as artillery fire and German counter-attacks from the open right flank forced a slow withdrawal in the dark. On the left flank, more troops were sent forward with ammunition to the 8th Brigade at dusk and at 2:00 a.m. every soldier who could be found was sent forward. Consolidation in the German lines was slow as the troops lacked experience, many officers were casualties and there was no dry soil to fill sandbags, mud being substituted. German counter-attacks on the front and flanks, with machine-gun fire from Delangre Farm, De Mouquet Farm and "The Tadpole", began at 3:15 a.m. on 20 July, forcing a retirement to the German first line and then a withdrawal to the original front line. During the withdrawals some troops managed to fight their way out but many were cut off and captured.

    News of the 8th Brigade retirement reached McKay, the Australian divisional commander, at a meeting with Mackenzie, Haking and Monro to plan the new 61st Division attack. Monro ordered the 14th Brigade to be withdrawn and at 5:40 a.m. a box-barrage around the 14th Brigade began. At 7:50 a.m. the order to retire arrived, although it was not received by some parties. German troops had got well behind the right flank and fired at every sign of movement, forcing the Australians to withdraw along the communication trench dug overnight. By 9:00 a.m. the remnants of the 53rd, 54th and 55th Battalions had returned; many wounded were rescued but only four of the machine-guns were recovered. Artillery-fire from both sides diminished and work began on either side of no man's land to repair defences; a short truce was arranged by the Germans and Australians to recover their wounded.

    Air operations:
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    From 14 July the road from Illies to Beaucamps, 3 miles (4.8 km) behind the German front line was kept under air observation. On 16 July 16 Squadron joined 10 Squadron, RFC on the attack front along with a kite balloon section, bringing the I Brigade squadrons of the RFC in support of the attack up to three corps squadrons and two army squadrons. The corps aircraft photographed and reconnoitred the area before the attack and flew artillery-observation and contact patrols during the battle. Army squadrons flew further afield and denied German reconnaissance aircraft view of British troop movements, particularly behind the XI Corps front. On 19 July, aircraft from two squadrons patrolled the area towards Lille and had numerous air fights, in which two Fokekrs and a British DH2 were shot down. Bombing raids on German army billets, supply dumps and the railways from Lille to Lens, Douai, Cambrai and Valenciennes also took place.

    German 6th Army

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    A German strongpoint near Fromelles

    Opposite the British right, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 17 lost a switch trench facing Trivelet and then a second line was overrun, with the garrison being lost. The left of III Battalion to the south of the Trivelet road, began bombing to its right and part of I Battalion attacked frontally and from the right, taking 61 prisoners. On the Australian flank, III Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 was pushed back in the centre and on its right, forming a defensive flank at Kasten Weg and in front of Delangre Farm. The right flank of III Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 16 repulsed the 15th Australian Brigade and was then reinforced by the II Battalion from Rue Delaval, which joined with the left of III Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21. A counter-attack ordered by the divisional commander at 8:00 p.m., fell into confusion in the dark, under British artillery-fire and an attack on the 8th Australian Brigade, by part of I Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 was stopped by Australian small-arms fire.

    Later on, two other companies attacked up Kasten Weg as I Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 and half of Bavarian Reserve Regiment 20 attacked from the flank, reaching the old front line at 6:00 a.m. on 20 July. The right flank of the 14th Australian Brigade was counter-attacked by most of I Battalion, Bavarian Reserve Regiment 16, which joined the II Battalion, and recaptured the front line step-by-step, until dawn when a pause was ordered due to exhaustion and lack of ammunition and grenades. When the attack resumed the troops met those of Bavarian Reserve Regiment 21 at around 8:10 a.m. German artillery support was less extensive than that available to the attackers but managed to "smother the British trenches with fire" as the artillery of the 50th Reserve Division and 54th Reserve Division fired from the flanks "thus the backbone of the British (sic) attack was broken before it left the trenches at 5:30 p.m."

    Aftermath

    Analysis
    Neither division was well-prepared for the attack. The 61st Division had disembarked in France in late May 1916, after delays in training caused by equipment shortages and the supplying of drafts to the 48th Division. The division entered the front line for the first time on 13 June and every man not part of the attack, spent 16–19 July removing poison gas cylinders from the front line, after the discharge on 15 July was suspended when the wind fell; 470 cylinders were removed before the work was stopped, due to the exhaustion of the men. The 5th Australian Division had arrived in France only days before the attack and relieved the 4th Australian Division, on the right flank of the Second Army by 12 July. The Australian divisional artillery and some of the heavy artillery had no experience of Western Front operations and a considerable shuffling of divisions had already taken place, as I Anzac Corps prepared to move south to the Somme front, which hampered preparations for the attack.

    The attack failed as a diversion when its limited nature quickly became obvious to the German commanders. A German assessment (16 December 1916) called the attack "operationally and tactically senseless" and prisoner interrogations revealed that the Australian troops were physically imposing but had "virtually no military discipline" and "no interest in soldiering as it was understood in Europe". A German report (30 July 1916) recorded that captured officers said that the Australians made a fundamental mistake, in trying to hold the German second trench, rather than falling back to the front trench and consolidating. When the 15th Australian Brigade was pinned down in no man's land, the continuity of the attack broke down and lost protection against flanking fire from the right, which enabled German troops to counter-attack, regain the first trench and cut off the Australian troops further forward.

    A communiqué, released to the press by British GHQ, was not favourably received by the Australians. "Yesterday evening, south of Armentieres, we carried out some important raids on a front of two miles in which Australian troops took part. About 140 German prisoners were captured". Australian losses, and doubts about the judgement of higher commanders, damaged relations between the AIF and the British, with further doubts about the reliability of British troops spreading in Australian units. In 2008, Grey wrote that McCay also made errors in judgement that contributed to the result, citing McCay's order not to consolidate the initial gains and that poor planning, ineffective artillery support and Australian lack of experience of Western Front conditions, contributed to the failure. A number of senior Australian officers were removed after the débâcle and the 5th Australian Division remained incapable of offensive action until late summer, when it began trench-raiding. In October the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, with morale high after the defensive success at Fromelles, was sent to the Somme front and never recovered from the ordeal; Bavarian Reserve Regiment 16 spent ten days in the line and lost 1,177 casualties.

    Casualties
    The battle was responsible for one of the greatest losses of Australian lives in 24 hours, although surpassed by the Battle of Bullecourt in 1917. This was first revealed in detail by Corfield who listed all the names of the dead from the battle. The 5th Australian Division lost 5,513 killed and wounded, 2,000 men in the 8th Brigade, 1,776 men in the 15th Brigade, 1,717 men in the 14th Brigade and 88 men of the divisional engineers; two battalions had so many casualties that they had to be rebuilt. Of 887 personnel from the 60th Battalion, only one officer and 106 other ranks survived unwounded and the 32nd Battalion sustained 718 casualties: the 31st Battalion had 544 casualties and the 32nd Battalion lost 718 men killed and wounded. The 61st Division was already under strength before the battle, engaged half as many men as the 5th Australian Division and lost 1,547 casualties. German casualties in the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division were 1,600–2,000 men. Allied soldiers killed in the area re-taken by the Germans, were buried shortly after the battle.

    The burial pits were photographed from a British reconnaissance aircraft on 21 July 1916 and marked as dugouts or trench-mortar positions. The bodies were taken by narrow gauge trench railway on 22 July 1916 and buried in eight 10-by-2.2-by-5-metre (32.8 ft × 7.2 ft × 16.4 ft) pits

    Tunstills Men, Wednesday 19th July 1916:

    Molliens au Bois

    Rest and training continued.

    Pte. George Edward Bush who had been wounded at Contalmaison (see 11th July) died of his wounds and was buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, near the village of Mericourt-l’Abbe.

    Pte. Reginald Hancock (see 10th July), who had been severely wounded in the chest during the advance on Contalmaison was transferred from a Canadian Hospital at Etaples to 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester.

    CSM Alfred Lodge (see 5th July), who had been severely wounded in the actions around Horseshoe Trench, was evacuated to England and admitted to Bath War Hospital.

    Major Lewis Ernest Buchanan (see 17th April) who had been in England since February, having been taken ill whilst home on leave, reported for duty with 11th (Reserve) Battalion DWR at Brocton Camp, Cannock Chase, Staffs.

    Pte. George Richard Goodchild (see 8th May), serving in England with 3DWR, was promoted (unpaid) Lance Corporal; he would later serve with Tunstill’s Company.

    The Times, which two days earlier had carried an obituary of Capt. Herbert Montagu Soames Carpenter (see 17th July), who had been killed in action on 5th July, now confirmed the death of Carpenter’s sister, Marion (see 15th July). Their report stated that, “The news of the death of Captain H.M.S. Carpenter, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, killed in action on July 6 (sic.) so affected his eldest sister, Miss Marion Carpenter, that she has died also. Captain Carpenter was the eldest son of Major and Mrs. Herbert Carpenter, of Fleurbaix, Esher.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    Sinai:
    Second Turk Offensive against the Suez Canal begins from Oghratina.
    Stotzingen ordered from Damascus to Beersheba (July 20).
    3rd Turkish Division discovered at Bir el Abd (Sinai).

    Persia:
    Action of Gusht Defile (until July 21): Dyer defeats Sarhad tribes*men.
    Russians are defeated and driven back north of Kermanshah by Turks.

    Naval Operations:

    Shipping Losses: No losses reported today.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-19-2016 at 14:35.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  23. #1573

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    Nice one Neil something to read with my night cap on such a warm and muggy night

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  24. #1574

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    Not a good day for Mates from Oz
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  25. #1575

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    Thanks Neil - As Karl says - bad day for our mates from Oz!!!!! Not particularly good for the PBI of either side.

  26. #1576

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    Just over 100 years ago, on Saturday 1st April 1916, Sunderland was targeted by German Imperial Navy Zeppelin L11 under the command of Korvettenkapitan Viktor Schutze, flying at a height of about 2,200 metres, and which crossed the coast to attack Tyneside. Finding that the Tyne was well defended following an earlier attack, the pilot flew south to attack the Wear.
    Tram Number 10 was standing at the Wheatsheaf when one bomb exploded, and a direct hit caused splinters of wood and metal to shower the immediate area. Tram Inspector Hall was killed that night, and conductress Sally Holmes was injured. Coming under fire from guns at Fulwell, the Zeppelin turned tail and returned home, leaving many buildings, especially the small workers dwellings around Monkwearmouth ablaze.
    Much damage was caused during the raid, but worse, 22 were killed and 105 injured.
    The new clock at the Wheatsheaf was erected recently in order to pay tribute to those who lost their lives. Insp. Hall is pictured alone and also as driver of the tram at Southwick.
    Normk


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  27. #1577

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    THURSDAY 20th July 1916
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    Major William "Billy" La Touche Congreve VC, DSO, MC (12 March 1891 – 20 July 1916) he was at school at Summer Fields, Oxford and then at Eton, leaving in 1907. On 1 June 1916 he married Pamela Cynthia Maude, the daughter of actors Cyril Maude and Winfred Emery. Congreve was 25 years old, and a Major in The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consorts Own)

    During the period 6 July to 20 July 1916 at Longueval, France, Major Congreve constantly inspired those round him by numerous acts of gallantry. As Brigade Major he not only conducted battalions up to their positions but when the Brigade headquarters was heavily shelled he went out with the medical officer to remove the wounded to places of safety, although he himself was suffering from gas and other shell effects. He went out again on a subsequent occasion tending the wounded under heavy shell fire. Finally, on returning to the front line to ascertain the position after an unsuccessful attack, he was shot by a sniper and died instantly.

    He was the son of General Sir Walter Norris Congreve, also a Victoria Cross awardee - they are one of only three father and son pairings to win a VC. His younger brother, Geoffrey, first of the Congreve baronets of Congreve, Staffordshire, was a distinguished sailor, awarded the DSO for a raid on Norway and killed in 1941 during a raid on the French coast.

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    Joseph John Davies VC (28 April 1889 – 23 February 1976) Davies was 27 years old, and a corporal in the 10th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers.
    On 20 July 1916 at Delville Wood, France, prior to an attack on the enemy, Corporal Davies and eight men became separated from the rest of the company. When the enemy delivered their second counterattack, the party was completely surrounded, but Corporal Davies got his men into a shell hole and by throwing bombs and opening rapid fire he succeeded in routing the attackers, and even followed and bayoneted them in their retreat.

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    Albert Hill VC (24 May 1895 – 17 February 1971) Born in Hulme, Manchester, one of ten children, he was a weak and frail child who after his schooling started work in a mill, before becoming an apprentice planker at Wilson Hat Manufacturers, in Wilton Street, Denton, Manchester.
    In August 1914 he joined the 10th Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers, as a private.

    Citation:
    For most conspicuous bravery. On 20 July 1916, during the Somme Offensive, when 15280 Private Hill's battalion had been deployed under heavy fire, for an attack on the enemy in Delville Wood, France, the order to charge was given and he dashed forward. He met two of the enemy and bayoneted them both. Later, he was sent by his platoon sergeant, Hugh Green, to contact the enemy, and found himself cut off, being surrounded by over twenty Germans. He threw two hand grenades, killing and wounding about eighteen and scattering the remainder. He then joined a sergeant of his company and helped him to fight the way back to the lines. When he got back, hearing that his Company Officer, Captain Scales, and a scout were lying out wounded, he went out and assisted to bring in the mortally wounded Officer, two other men bringing in the scout. Finally, he himself captured two of the enemy and brought them in as prisoners. His conduct throughout was magnificent.

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    Theodore William Henry Veale VC (11 November 1892 – 6 November 1980) Veale was 23 years old, and a private in the 8th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.

    On 20 July 1916 east of High Wood, France. Private Veale, hearing that a wounded officer (one Lt Eric Humphrey Savill) was lying in the open within 50 yards of the enemy, went out and dragged him into a shell hole and then took him water. As he could not carry the officer by himself, he fetched volunteers, one of whom was killed almost at once, and heavy fire necessitated leaving the wounded man in a shell hole until dusk when Private Veale went out again with volunteers. When an enemy patrol approached, he went back for a Lewis gun with which he covered the party while the officer was carried to safety

    Today we lost: 2292

    William LaTouche Congreve VC
    Major William La Touche Congreve VC DSO MC (Rifle Brigade) is killed at age 25. He is the son of Lieutenant General ‘Sir’ Walter Norris Congreve VC KCB MVO. During the previous two weeks at Longueval, France, Major Congreve constantly inspired those round him by numerous acts of gallantry. As Brigade Major he not only conducted battalions up to their positions but when the Brigade headquarters was heavily shelled he went out with the medical officer to remove the wounded to places of safety, although he himself was suffering from gas and other shell effects. He went out again on a subsequent occasion tending the wounded under heavy shell fire. Finally, on returning to the front line to ascertain the position after an unsuccessful attack, he is shot and dies instantly. He was married six week prior and his brother will lose his life in the Second World War.

    Today’s losses include:

    A Victoria Cross winner

    The son of a Victoria Cross winner

    The brother of a Victoria Cross winner

    A battalion commander

    Multiple families that will two and three sons in the Great War

    Multiple brothers who are killed together

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    The son of a Jurist

    A man whose father will die on service later in the war

    A Military Chaplain

    A Hereford cricketer

    A Somerset cricket player and rugby footballer

    An Australian Rules footballer

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Lieutenant Colonel E L Maxwell (commanding 11th King Edward’s Own Lancers, Indian Army) is killed. His brother a winner of the Victoria Cross will be killed in September 1917.

    Captain Arthur Newstead Falkner (North Lancashire Regiment) dies of wounds received in action at age 43. He is the son of the Reverend Robert Henry Falkner Rector of Woodham Walter and had served with Roberts’ Horse during the South African War.

    Captain Edwared George Clarkson Bagshawe (Yorkshire Regiment) is killed in action around Locre at age 36. He is the son of the late Judge Bagshawe KC.

    Captain Arthur Leslie Platts (Suffolk Regiment) is killed in action at the Somme. His brother will die of burns caused by an accident at a chemical works at home in 1918.

    Lieutenant Charles Percy Phipps (Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) is killed at age 20. His brother will die on service in 1919 and they are sons of the Reverend Canon Constantine Osborne Phipps Vicar of Lee Great Missenden.

    Lieutenant Charles Edward Victor Cree (Sherwood Foresters) is killed at age 29. His brother was killed in May 1915.

    Lieutenant Reginald Julian Albany Bowles (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) is killed at age 23. He is the son of the Reverend Henry Albany Bowles Vicar of Christ Church Epsom Common.

    Lieutenant Frank Lionel Cassels (Royal Engineers) is killed in Mametz Wood. His brother was killed in September 1915.

    Lieutenant Charles Stewart Bell (South African Scottish) is killed at age 37. He is the son of Sheriff Substitute at Falkirk and a veteran of the South African War and the Campaign in German South West Africa.

    Lieutenant Michael Arthur Raymond Barthorp (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed at age 19. His father will die on service while commanding the Regimental Depot of the Northamptonshire Regiment in June 1918.

    Second Lieutenant Charles Reginald Winckley (Sherwood Foresters) is killed at age 22. He is the son of the Reverend Charles Richard Thorold Winckley Vicar of Billngborough.

    Second Lieutenant Francis Stephen Bibby (Cameronians) is killed in action at age 20. His older brother has been killed in March 1915.

    Second Lieutenant Frank Leslie Reynolds (Sherwood Foresters) is killed in action at age 22. His brother was killed in April of this year.

    Second Lieutenant Edward Douglas Murray (Black Watch) is killed at age 32. He is the son of the Reverend Richard Paget Murray Rector of Waddesdon.

    Chaplain 4th class ‘the Reverend’ Fancis Henry Tuke (attached 53rd Brigade) is killed in action at age 49. He is Vicar of Holmer, Hereford, and has played cricket occasionally for Herefordshire.

    Sergeant Ernest Shorrocks (Royal Fusiliers) is killed. He played cricket and rugby football for Somerset County.

    Sergeant Arthur Page (Suffolk Regiment) is killed. His brother was killed last March.

    Corporal Herbert Thomas Bolt (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 22. He is a pioneer Australian rugby league player who played 42 games for Newtown from 1912 to 1915. He is one of 75 Australian soldiers whose remains will be identified by name in 2010 by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as part of the Fromelles Military Cemetery

    Lance Corporal Edward Walker Egdell (Cameron Highlanders) is killed at age 35. His brother will be killed in April 1918.

    Lance Corporal Thomas Finney (Cameronians) is killed at age 26. His brother will be killed in May 1918.

    Private John George Lambert (Suffolk Regiment) is killed at age 35. His two brothers are also killed in the Great War.

    Private Michael Leonard (Cameronians) is killed in action. His brother will be killed in October of this year.

    Private Samuel Jude (Australian Infantry) dies of wounds in Woolwich at age 29 having been wounded on 14 May. His brother will be killed next month.

    Private John Joseph Cyril Nield (Welsh Fusiliers) is killed at age 20. His brother will be killed in May 1918.

    Private William Hugh Greenacre (Norfolk Regiment) dies of wounds. His brother will be killed next April.

    Privates and brothers Harvey James Lowe (age 26) and Charles Henry Lowe (Worcestershire Regiment) are killed in the same heavy bombardment.

    Private Victor Abraham Bass (Royal Fusiliers) is killed in High Wood at age 27. His brother will be killed in August 1917.

    Privates and brothers Raymond Hadden Choat and Archibald Percy Choat (Australian Infantry) are killed in the same action that their brother Wesley is captured. Wesley will escape his prisoner of war camp in October 1917 and make his way back to England in five weeks. He is an Australian Diarist of the Great War. Raymond is killed at 24 while Archibald is 18.

    Private John Alfred McMillan (Royal Fusiliers) is killed at age 26. He is the middle of three brothers who will lose their lives in the Great War

    Private Sidney Crowley (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 21. His twin brother was killed last month.


    Air Operations:

    French airman drops leaflets over Berlin; is captured in Poland.

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 6

    Flt Sub-Lt (Pilot) Carmichael, I.N. (Ian Neil) Calshot Naval Air Station, Royal Naval Air Service. Accidentally Killed while flying 20 July 1916, aged 21. He was with Prob. Flt. Sub Lt. W. R. Wallace, Short Admiralty 827 Type Seaplane No.8556 hit mast of a transport ship in Southampton Water, it fell, hitting the deck, killing both men

    A Mech 2 Brown, C.E. (Cyril Edwin)

    2 ltRandall, G.V. (Geoffrey Victor) 4 Squadron, RFC. Killed in Action 20 July 1916 aged 19

    Cpl Stringer, J.W. (James W.) 20 Squadron, RFC. 20 July 1916 aged 29

    Capt Teale, G.N. (Guy Neville) 20 Squadron, RFC.Killed while flying on voluntary duty 20 July 1916 aged 19

    Flt sub lt Whittier, D. (Douglas) RNAS 20 July 1916 aged 24

    Claims: 5



    Capt Lancelot Lytton Richardson,
    25
    Squadron, RFC, was wounded in action 20 July 1916. Claims his 4th & 5th confirmed kills, shooting down 2 Fokker E’s east of Lens. With Obs Am2 Leslie Court. (Shared with Lt Horace Davey & Capt H C Morley)

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    Capt Alfred Edwin "Eddie" McKay flying for 24 Squadron, RFC, he claims his 1st confirmed kill a Roland C type near High Wood.


    Lt Donald Wainwright Beard, claims his 1st cinfirmed kill flying a BE2c for 4 Squadron, RFC, when he shot down a Pfalz E type.

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    Major Charles Meredith Bouverie Chapman
    claims his 3rd confirmed kill flying a DH2 for 20
    Squadron, RFC, shooting down a Fokker E type near High Wood. Commissioned in 1913, Charles Meredith Bouverie Chapman served with the 3rd Battalion of the East Kent Regiment before he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on 1 July 1915. He received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 1491 on a L. & P. biplane at London and Provincial School, Edgware on 31 July 1915. In 1916 he was posted to 24 Squadron in France where he scored 3 victories as a DH2 pilot.

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    2Lt Henry Cope Evans claims his 1st confirmed kill flying a DH2 for 24 Squadron, RFC, shooting down a Roland CII near Fleurs. As a young man, Henry Cope Evans emigrated to Canada to learn fruit farming in Ontario. He served with the Canadian Artillery in South Africa during the Boer War and then was a rancher and government-appointed range rider living in Macleod, Alberta. He was described at the time as a "keen sportsman and fine horseman" as well as a polo player. The day after war was declared, at the age of 35, he enlisted in the 19th Alberta Dragoons and went overseas with the First Contingent. As a Sergeant, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on 13 September 1915 and was commissioned a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant, becoming an Observer on 13 December 1915. 2nd Lieutenant Evans received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 2603 on a Maurice Farman biplane at military school, Farnborough on 23 May 1916. Posted to Home Establishment on 26 January 1916, he completed pilot training and became a Flying Officer on 15 May 1916. He joined 24 Squadron on 4 July 1916 and flew for two months, earning a Distinguished Service Order.



    Western Front


    Somme:

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).
    Struggle in Longueval and Delville Wood continued.
    British advance 1,000 yards between Bazentin and Longueval.
    778 surviving South Africans relieved at Delville Wood. 4 British divisions begin attacks on High Wood (until July 30).
    North of Somme French carry enemy trenches from Hardecourt Hill to the river. South, they take enemy first position from Estrees to Vermandovillers, and Barleaux to Soyecourt.
    Verdun:

    French gain a position south of Fleury (Verdun).
    Mangin’s French attack in Souville-Thiaumont sector gains ground (and on July 24 and 28).
    Tunstills Men, Thursday 20th July 1916:


    Molliens-au-Bois


    Rest and training continued.
    Staff at Frensham Hospital reported a rapid deterioration in the condition of Pte. Thomas Rigby (see 10th July) who had been one of the Battalion’s stretcher-bearers and had suffered shrapnel wounds to his left arm in the advance on Contalmaison. Rigby had previously been reported as making good progress and had been visited by his parents, “who found him in capital spirits, in spite of the fact that he had undergone a couple of operations”.


    The War Office formally rejected an appeal by 2Lt. William Neville Dawson (see 10th July) against their recent decision that he should relinquish his commission:
    “I am commanded by the Army Council to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, and to inform you that the decision already communicated to you must be adhered to. I am to add that as the decision was based on reports of inefficiency, you cannot be considered for Extra Regimental employment, and your request for notice of relinquishing to be worded “on account of ill-health” cannot be acceded to.”
    The funeral took place at the parish church, Thames Ditton, of Marion Carpenter; she had been the eldest sister of Capt. Herbert Montagu Soames Carpenter (see 19th July), who had been killed in action on 5th July. Marion had, on 15th July, “died from shock at her brother’s death”.



    Eastern Front:

    Brusilov Offensive: Pripet: Sakharov captures Berestechko from Austrians on river Styr, Galician border, crosses river taking 14,000 PoW (July 21).

    Heir apparent Austrian Archduke Charles in command of Suedarmee, Seventh and Third Armies.

    Heavy fighting on Riga front resumed.
    Southern Front:


    Demobilisation of the Greek army nearly completed



    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    Turkish aeroplanes bomb Suez and Port Tewfik.
    Armenia: V Caucasus Corps occupies Ardasa. Russians capture Gumishkhanek, on Trebizond-Erzingan road.
    Mesopotamia: Shamal northwest wind begins 6 weeks late.
    Persia: *Niedermayer arrives in Tehran from Afghanistan via Russian Turkestan (invalided home from Baghdad in February 1917).

    East Africa: British main body meets troops from Tanga. Anglo*-Belgian Entebbe Conference (*until July 23).
    Lake Tanganyika: Major-General Wahle evacuates Kigoma.

    Naval Operations:


    Shipping Losses: 7
    Cettois: France: The coaster sank in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) north of Algiers, Algeria by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine.


    Enrico Parodi: Italy:The 3,818 ton collier sank off The Carracks, Cornwall while being towed to St Ives by the Lady of the Isles. She ran aground off Gurnards Head in dense fog, and was re-floated by a salvage team working on Neto, which was wrecked two days previous. She was heading to Messina from Cardiff with coal

    Grangemoor: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was shelled and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 75 nautical miles (139 km) north west by west of Algiers by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine.


    Karma: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was shelled and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 68 nautical miles (126 km) north north west of Algiers by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.


    Kasagi: Imperial Japanese Navy: The Kasagi-class cruiser ran aground in the Tsugaru Strait. She sank on 10 August.


    Sirra: Netherlands: The three-masted auxiliary schooner was shelled and sank in the North Sea 70 nautical miles (130 km) north east of the Shetland Islands, United Kingdom by SM U-71, Kaiserliche Marine.


    Yzer: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was torpedoed and sank in the Mediterranean Sea 56 nautical miles (104 km) north west of Algiers by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine with the loss of 1 crew member.



    Politics:


    Greek Government conclude new loan with the Entente (£800,000) (see November 8th, 1915).
    Debate on Mesopotamia campaign in both Houses of Parliament.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-20-2016 at 16:58.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  28. #1578

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    Apologies for delay but we ran into unexpected and unforeseen technical difficulties (damned keyboard...sorry typewriter gave up the ghost).
    See you on the Dark Side......

  29. #1579

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    Many thanks again Neil - re the technology - can't live with it, can't live without it. Its all to do with resistentialism

  30. #1580

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    Just over 100 years ago, on Saturday 1st April 1916, Sunderland was targeted by German Imperial Navy Zeppelin L11
    Thanks for the extra info Paul

  31. #1581

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    That is one bumper bundle edition Neil.
    It's a wonder that you are not still compiling it never mind it being the late edition.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  32. #1582

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    Tonight's might be delayed too. But hopefully normal service by tomorrow. I blame it on the bells. Well the damn whistling in my ears that hopefully will he rectified once I get back from hospital tonight.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  33. #1583

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    Too much flying at high altitude old chap!
    I trust it will be rectified today for you.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  34. #1584

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    Amazing what technology can do for you, better than a piece of cotton wool anyday.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  35. #1585

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    FRIDAY 21st July 1916
    Today we lost: 837

    Today’s losses include:

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    Lieutenant Henry Webber (South Lancashire Regiment) dies of wounds at age 68. He was for over forty years a member of the London Stock Exchange. He is the oldest known battle death recorded in the Great War. His three sons, who all served in the forces, survive the war.

    Today’s losses include:

    The oldest battle death recorded in the Great War

    Two England International footballers

    A Bradford City footballer

    Multiple families that will lose two sons in the Great War

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    A man whose father will be killed next November

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Captain Henry Borgnis Baret Hammond-Chambers (King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment) is killed in action at age 31. He is the son of R S B Hammond-Chambers, KC.

    Captain Jack Oliver Cooper (Royal Flying Corps) is killed at age 20 while on a bombing mission. He is the son of ‘Sir” Alfred & Lady Cooper.

    Captain Robert Curwen Richmond Blair DSO (Border Regiment) is killed at age 37. He is buried next to his cousin who will be killed in June of next year.

    Lieutenant Strawson Lievesley Wilson (Sherwood Foresters) is killed at age 27. He is an England International Football player.

    Second Lieutenant Lawrence John Wareham (Worcestershire Regiment) is killed at age 20 three weeks after his brother was lost on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

    Second Lieutenant Cyril Vincent Noel Puckridge (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed in action at age 21. He is the son of the Reverend J Puckridge.

    Sergeant Ernest Goodwin (West Yorkshire Regiment) dies of wounds to the arm and leg on 1st He played for the Bradford City Football Club and dies at age 22.

    Sergeant Percy John Blaker (King’s Royal Rifle Corps) is killed one day short of his 23rd His brother was killed six days prior.

    Sergeant Arthur Herbert Watts (East Kent Regiment) is killed eighteen days after his brother was killed.

    Lance Corporal Reginald Arthur Kerry (Australian Machine Gun Corps) is killed at age 27 he is the son of the late Reverend John George Kerry.

    Private John Charles Edwards (Newfoundland Regiment) is killed at age 24. His brother will die of wounds in May 1918.

    Private Joseph Allen (Cheshire Regiment) dies of wounds. His brother was killed three weeks ago.

    Private Albert Herron (Northumberland Fusiliers) is killed at age 22. His brother will be killed in September of this year.

    Private Edward Charles Jenkins (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 20. His father will be killed serving in the same regiment in November.

    Gunner Frederick Walton Golightly (South African Heavy Artillery) a Rhodes Scholar is killed in action at age 25.

    Private Andrew Inglis (King’s Own Scottish Borderers) is killed at age 23. His brother will be killed in April 1917.

    Private Fred Longstaff (West Yorkshire Regiment) is killed. He is a football forward with the Northern Unions Internationals, Yorkshire County and Huddersfield and toured with the last team to visit Australia and New Zealand before the war earning three caps in his career.

    Driver Victor Randoph Brown (Royal Field Artillery) dies of wounds at home at age 22. His brother was killed in October 1914.

    Air Operations:

    Western Front: 4 German bombers of Fl Abt 40 attack Andruicq munitions dump on Calais-St Omer railway: 23 sheds and 8,000t ammunition, 1 mile of track destroyed (night July 21-22).

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    The before the raid picture

    The depot came into being in February 1915 when the site (adjacent to the Nord Railway) was chosen for a railway stores depot. By December a locomotive repair shop for the Railway Operating Department (ROD) of the Royal Engineers had been established and it became the main workshop for the ROD within the BEF. As well as repairing locomotives, it also repaired carriages and wagons. The site also developed into a huge logistics depot, not only for ammunition storage but also for all kinds of stores.

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    German bombs used during WW1

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    The afterwards picture. The raid was about 50% successful

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 4

    Capt Browning-Paterson, N.A. (Norman Alexander), 60 Squadron RFC. Killed in Action 21 July 1916 aged 22.

    Capt Cooper, J.O. (Jack Oliver), 20 Squadron, RFC. Killed in Action 21 July 1916 aged 20.

    Flt Sub-Lt Wallace, W.R. (William Ross), RNAS. Killed while flying near Southampton 21 July 1916 aged 20.

    2Lt Wilson browne, R.M. (Rowland Murray), RFC. Died as Prisoner of War after being shot down while flying 21 July 1916 aged 19

    German Losses:
    On the 21st of that month another three losses of the unit (Kasta 4) : Lt. Werner Schramm, a pilot, over Combles, Vizefeldw. Wolfgang Heinemann at Douai and former member Otto Parschau, also pilot and one of the very first aces over Grévillers who was serving with FA32.

    Claims: 7

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    Flt Sub-Lt Stanley James Goble claims his 1st confirmed kill flying a Nieuport (8517) for 1W, RNAS, he shot down a C type east of Dixmude.

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    2Lt John Oliver Andrews claims his 1st confirmed kill flying a DH2 for 24 Squadron, RFC, he shot down a Fokker E near Allaines. 2nd Lieutenant John Oliver Andrews received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 1924 on a Maurice Farman biplane at the British Flying School in Le Crotoy, France on 19 October 1915.

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    2Lt Henry Cope Evans claims his 2nd confirmed kill in 2 days. Flying a DH2 for 24 Squadron RFC he shot down an enemy aircraft near Combles. (See July 20th for bio).

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    2lt George Henry Hackwill claims his 1st confirmed kill flying a FE2b for 24 Squadron, RFC, he shot down a Roland C west of Beaulencourt. The son of William Henry and Lilly (Copp) Hackwill, George Henry Hackwill served with the Somerset Light Infantry before he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. 2nd Lieutenant Hackwill received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 2292 on a Maurice Farman biplane at military school, Shoreham on 17 December 1915. Posted to 22 Squadron in 1916.

    2Lt Reginald Stuart "George" Maxwell claims his 2nd confirmed kill flying a FE2b with Observer 2Lt Herbert Hamilton for 20 Squadron, RFC, they shot down a Rumpler C west of Lille. Reginald Stuart Maxwell was the son of John A. Maxwell (from Penzance, Cornwall) and Nellie Maxwell (from Plymouth, Devon). The family residence, in 1901, was Willesden.

    Lt Kurt Haber claims his 4th confirmed kill flying for FA6, he shot down a Nieuport near Hirzfelden.

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    Lt Kurt Wintgens clains his 10th & 11th confirmed kills flying for KEK Vaux, he shot down a Moraine scout near Combles and a BE2c south of Douai respectively.

    Western Front
    Somme:
    British push their advance to Bois des Foureaux (High Wood).

    Germans counter-attack and regain some ground.

    Heavy bombing attacks by enemy south of Thiepval on Leipzig Redoubt.

    French repulse counter-attacks on their new front at Soyecourt; also south of Chaulnes.

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).

    Tunstills Men, Friday 21st July 1916:

    Molliens-au-Bois

    In the morning there was a presentation to a number of men for their conduct in the actions around Contalmaison. One of those was the stretcher-bearer Pte. John William Atkinson who had tended to several of Tunstill’s Men. He told his parents, “I expect you will have heard that I have won the Military Medal for good work in attending the wounded. The General has pinned the ribbons on my chest, but I shall not get the medal until later. The General shook hands with me and said he hoped that I would have the good luck to wear it. … We are still out of the trenches and we can do with staying out a bit after the work we have had. We have received some splendid congratulations on our work. Our troops are still advancing all along the line, so I don't think the war will last much longer”. Pte. Atkinson’s hopes of ‘staying out a bit’ were not to be fulfilled. After the presentations, at 8.50am the Battalion marched eleven miles east, via Behencourt, Baizieux and Henecourt to Millencourt to prepare for their return to the line.

    At Frensham Hospital, Pte. Thomas Rigby (see 20th July) died of wounds sustained during the advance on Contalmaison. He had initially seemed to be making good progress having been evacuated to England, but “other symptoms set in” and he died around noon.
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    As must have been the case across the country, some sense of the scale of recent losses must have begun to dawn on the residents of Craven when they read reports of local casualties in the weekily editions of the Craven Herald and of the West Yorkshire Pioneer.There were several references to men from Tunstill’s Company. In some cases, such as Ptes. Cartman and Rigby, the news proved to be tragically out of date; both were reported as wounded, but had subsequently died from their injuries.

    Lance-Corpl. C. Graham (see 8th July), of the 10th Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, and son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Graham, of Brook Street, Hellifield, has been wounded whilst in action in France. In a letter to his parents, Lance-Corpl. Graham writes:- "I know you will be looking forward to a letter from me. No doubt you will have got my card telling you I had been wounded. I am sorry to have to tell you that my wound has turned out more serious than was at first thought to be. Yesterday I had to have my right foot taken off just above the ankle. I am pleased to say that I am getting on fine now, so I don't want you to get troubled about me. There are scores of poor chaps less lucky. I hope to be over in England in about a week's time.
    Lance-Corpl. Graham joined the colours in September, 1914, and went out to France in August, 1915. Prior to the war he was employed by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company as a platelayer. He has also another brother, Pte. E.G. Graham, who is attached to the 21st West Yorkshire Regiment Pioneer Co., and is at present in France. He was formerly employed on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway at Hellifield.

    MORE SKIPTON CASUALTIES

    Private T.B. Cartman (see 12th July), whose parents reside in Brook Street, Skipton, has been wounded in action. Joining the forces soon after the outbreak of war, he has been at the Front eleven months and has been attached to the headquarters staff of the 10th Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He was formerly a shop assistant in the employ of Messrs. Lipton, Ltd., High Street, Skipton.
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    EARBY CASUALTIES
    Pte. James Tuddenham (see 10th July), 10th Duke of Wellington's, who lodged at 72, Water Street, and worked at Grove Shed as a weaver, has been wounded and is now in hospital at Bradford.

    SUTTON SOLDIER MAKES THE GREAT SACRIFICE

    Mrs. Taylor of Sutton Lodge had an official communication from the War Office on Thursday week informing her that her son, Pte. Henry Taylor (see 5th July), had been killed in the fighting in France on the 6th (sic.) July. Pte. Taylor, who was one of Lord Derby's men, was called to the Colours in January last, and after about four months' training went with his battalion across the Channel. He was at the time of his enlistment engaged as a wool sorter at the mills of Messrs. T. and M. Bairstow, and was 20 years of age. He was a young man of a very pleasant disposition, and was very popular in the village.
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    A BROUGHTON SOLDIER KILLED
    Private David K. Collins (see 6th July), of the West Riding Regiment, formerly a gardener at Broughton Hall, near Skipton, has also been killed in action. His parents reside at Peterborough. Deceased was a member of the Skipton Baptist Church and was in the same Company of the 10th West Ridings as Pte. J.W. Atkinson , another Skipton Baptist. At the Baptist Church, Skipton, on Sunday, sympathetic reference was made to his death by the Rev. J. Greenwood (pastor), and at the evening service Mr. W. Whitaker played the Dead March in 'Saul'.

    DENT - DEATH OF LOCAL MAN AT THE FRONT

    On Monday last Mr. and Mrs. J. Davidson, of Laning, Dent, received the sad news that their eldest surviving son, John Bruce Davidson (see 14th July), who volunteered for active service at the commencement of the war, and since then has served in the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, had died from face wounds in hospital at Rouen. Deceased was a man of estimable character and a general favourite with all who knew him. Great sympathy is felt for his father, mother, sisters and brothers in their bereavement.
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    SAWLEY
    Private Tom Rigby (see above), third son of Mr. Thos. Rigby, farmer, Sawley, is lying in a Surrey Hospital suffering from wounds received in the recent fighting in France. Rigby is about 23 years of age, and joined with Mr. H. Tunstill's party in the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment

    Eastern Front

    Pripet: Bezobrazov‘s Guard Army (11 divisions, 134,000 men and 396 guns) formed.

    Galicia: - Brusilov Offensive: Austrians retreat and begin to evacuate Brody. Heavy rain (July 23-28) delays Brusilov’s Seventh and Ninth Armies’ resumed offensive.
    Russians drive Austro-Germans over the River Styr, taking 14,000 prisoners.

    Naval Operations

    Shipping Losses: 1

    Wolf: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 75 nautical miles (139 km) north north west of Algiers, Algeria by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine, her crew survived.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-21-2016 at 13:25.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  36. #1586

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    Thanks to you few that do this daily report.

  37. #1587

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    Duplicate entry removed due to damn duplicator machine running amok!

    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-22-2016 at 15:17.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  38. #1588

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    Saturday 22nd July 1916
    Today we lost: 1201

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    Major General Edward Charles Ingouville-Williams (commanding 34th Division) is killed in action while reconnoitering ground in the vicinity of Mametz. He goes out soon after lunch and is shortly thereafter killed by shell file while walking back from Contalmaison. He dies at age 54.

    Today’s losses include:

    A man whose father died while in command of HMS Superb in November 1914

    A grandson of Col J Lewes “The Hero of Redan”

    A member of Tolkien’s TCBS

    Multiple families that will lose two and three sons in the Great War

    The son of the Headmaster of the British School, Bristol

    A Warwickshire Cricket player

    A Champion gymnast

    The son of the editor of The Observer

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    The son of a Justice of the Peace

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Lieutenant Martyn Tulloch Vaughan Lewes (Welsh Regiment attached Royal Flying Corps) dies of injuries received one week previous at age 21. He is the only child of the late Captain Price Vaughan Lewes, R.N, C.B., D.S.O., who died while in command of HMS Superb in November 1914, and grandson of Colonel J. Lewes, of Llanear, Cardiganshire, well known as the ‘Hero of the Redan’. Lieutenant Vaughan Lewes was gazetted to the Welsh Regiment in September 1914. He went to France the following May and was immediately attached to the Monmouthshire Regiment. He went through the heavy fighting of the spring of 191 5 around Ypres and was wounded in the engagement at Andverous, but refused to be sent to the base and returned to duty as soon as possible. After short leave home he was attached to the Royal Flying Corps and was engaged in reconnaissance work. A brilliant pilot, he brought down three enemy planes the week before his death. It was while engaged in a flight over the German lines on 15th July that he received the injuries to which he has succumbed. He lost his way in a dense fog and remained for many hours in the air, unable to land for fear of descending behind the German lines. When at last he did come down he is severely wounded by shrapnel and the aeroplane fails to work properly and gets out of control. He takes the only chance that remains and jumps from the machine, but sustains a shattered leg and internal injuries. He is taken to the hospital, but, after lingering a few days, succumbs to those injuries today

    Lieutenant Ralph Stuart Payton (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed in the only cavalry charge of the Battle of the Somme at age 22. He is a member of Tolkien’s TCBS (known as the baby) and his brother will be killed in August 1918.

    Second Lieutenant Harold Sutcliffe Greenwood (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed in action at age 20. He is the son of the headmaster of the British School, Bristol.

    Private Percy Jeeves (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed in action at age 28. He played fifty cricket matches for the Warwickshire Cricket Club from 1912 to 1914. P G Wodehouse’s characters Bertie Wooster and his ingenious valet Jeeves have become famous since their 1915 debut short story; Wodehouse has said that he named his Jeeves after Percy Jeeves.

    Captain Alex Arthur Francis Loch DSO (South Wales Borderers) is killed in action at age 20. He was a champion gymnast at Cheltenham College.

    Captain Warren Francis Tree (Worcestershire Regiment) dies of wounds received the previous day at ge 28. He is the middle of three brothers who are killed in the Great War.

    Captain William Henry Charlewood (Northumberland Fusiliers) is killed at age 23. His brother will be killed in March 1918.

    Captain Gerard Garvin (South Lancashire Regiment) is killed at age 20. He is the son of the editor of The Observer.

    Lieutenant Edmund Downes Badcock (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed at age 23. His brother was killed in October 1915 and they are sons of the Reverend Thomas Badcock.

    Lieutenant Reginald John Allen Palmer (Wiltshire Regiment) is killed at age 20. He is the son of the Reverend Edward John Palmer Rector of Widmerpool.

    Lieutenant Stanley Walter Burrell (Royal Army Medical Corps) is killed at age 25. He is the son of the Reverend Frederick Walter Isaacs Prebendary of St Paul’s Vicar of Chiswick.

    Lieutenant Gerald Leigh Bleeck Fayle (Royal Engineers) is killed in action at age 21. His brother will be killed in October of this year.

    Second Lieutenant Christopher St John Tyrer (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed. He is the son of the Reverend Frank Tyrer Vicar of Moxley.

    Second Lieutenant Richard Elkanah Hawnam Healey (Royal West Kent Regiment) is killed at age 31. He is the son of the Reverend Randolph Eddowes Healey Vicar of St Thomas Coventry.

    Second Lieutenant Jeffery Wentworth Lythgoe (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed at age 26. He is the son of the Reverend George Edward Lythgoe Vicar of St Paul’s Tipton.

    Second Lieutenant Clifford Rendell (Newfoundland Regiment) is killed at age 21. His brother will be killed in September 1918.

    Second Lieutenant Eric William Brodrick (Yorkshire Regiment) is killed at age 35. He is the son of the late Reverend Francis Edward Brodrick Rector of Farnley Warwick.

    Second Lieutenant John Allister Fleming (Royal West Kent Regiment) is killed at age 23. He is the son of the Reverend R S Fleming.

    Sergeant John Charles Faulkner (Machine Gun Corps) is killed at age 30 becoming the third brother to lose his life in the past 5 months.

    Lance Sergeant Alexander James Gunn (Gordon Highlanders) is killed at age 21. He is the son of Alexander Gunn JP.

    Private Robert George Patterson (Norfolk Regiment) is killed at age 26. His two brothers will lose their lives in the Great War.

    Private John Careless (Royal West Kent Regiment) is killed. His son will be killed in July 1918.

    Second Lieutenant Fergus Gleave (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 27. His brother will be killed in the Kilmichael Ambush in Cork Ireland on 28th November 1920 as a Cadet in the Royal Irish Constabulary having earned the Distinguished Flying Cross as a Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force during the Great War.

    Air Operations:

    12 French planes bomb Mulheim (Rhine) and other German towns.

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 2

    Sgt Taylor, A. (Alfred) 30 Squadron RFC, Died of dysentery 22 July 1916 aged 35.

    Lt Vaughan lewes, M.T. (Martyn Tulloch), RFC, Died 22 July 1916 of wounds received in aerial combat on 15 July aged 21 (See todays highlighted casualties above)

    Claims: 3


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    Sous Lt Del Antoine Gaston Vial claims his1st confirmed kill flying a Maurice Farman for MF29. "A very adroit and courageous pilot, who has taken part in twenty long distance bombardments. Attacked by two enemy planes on 22 July 1916, he downed one of them. Already cited twice in orders." Médaille Militaire citation, 31 July 1916.
    After serving in an artillery regiment during 1912, Vial transferred to the French Air Service in 1913 and obtained his Pilot's Brevet in July 1915. In aerial combat on 25 September 1915, he was struck in the right forearm by a piece of shrapnel.

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    Oberleutnant der Reserve Ernst Freiherr von Althaus claims his 8th confirmed kill for KEK Vaux when he shot down a Farman. Ernst Althaus joined the 1st Royal Saxon Hussar Regiment as an Ensign at the age of 16 and was promoted to Leutnant in 1911. Awarded the Military Order of St. Henry and the Iron Cross, second class, on 27 January 1915, he transferred to the air service on 4 April 1915. Nicknamed Hussar Althaus, he completed his training and was promoted to Oberleutnant before joining FA 23 on 20 September 1915. Two months later he joined Kampf Kommandos Vaux and scored 5 victories before he was wounded in action in April 1916. When he recovered, he was awarded the Iron Cross, first class, the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and in July 1916, the highly prized Orden Pour le Merite.

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    Leutnant Max Ritter von Mulzer claims his 9th confirmed kill. Flying for FA32 he shot an enemy aircraft down east of Hulloch. As a cadet, Mulzer joined the cavalry in the summer of 1914 and received a commission at the end of the year. In August 1915, he transferred to the German Air Force, serving with FFA 4b and FFA 62 before becoming a fighting pilot. He scored his first confirmed victory on 30 March 1916, shooting down a Vickers FB5 north of Wancourt. In July, while briefly serving with KEK B, Mulzer scored his eighth victory and became the first Bavarian to receive the Blue Max.

    Western Front

    Somme:
    Heavy fighting from Pozieres to Guillemont.

    French repel counter-attacks south of Amiens-Peronne high road.

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).

    Tunstills Men, Saturday 22nd July 1916:

    Bivouac at Millencourt
    A further draft of 42 men joined the Battalion; among them was Pte. Luke Dawson (see 12th July).

    The sentence of one years’ imprisonment, without hard labour which had been previously imposed on Pte. Tom Darwin (see 14th July), who had been absent without leave for four days, was now formally remitted, “on account of gallantry in action on 5th July”. Darwin had been evacuated to England for further treatment to the wounds he had received in action.

    Pte. John Beckwith (see 4th June) who had left 10DWR after being wounded in March, re-joined the Battalion from 11th (Reserve) Battalion.

    Brig. Genl. T.S. Lambert, commanding 69th Brigade, again wrote home to his wife (see 16th July)

    (I am greatly indebted to Juliet Lambert and to Robin Staveley for their generosity in allowing me to reproduce the letter and photograph here).

    My dearest Geraldine
    I am glad you have got some of my letters at last. I expect all letters were kept back for a bit but anyhow I was unable to write till some days after the event so I knew you could not get much news at first. I am sending you a photo of some of us with our trophies!
    It is not a very good print but I have hopes of getting better ones some time. In fact I have two more which were given me and which are much better but as they are mounted I have not yet sent them off. They are taken, in front of a chateau we have recently been occupying, by a French count whom Div. H.Q. got to come over for the purpose. He was their landlord at the time and quite a nice old chap. He turned up with his wife and son. There were some other machine guns found too but these were all we actually could carry away and I have asked for them to be sent, 2 to Middlesboro’, 3 to Bradford, Yorks, 2 to Richmond and 2 to Halifax, as there were also two more which we took at the Horseshoe Trench a few days before but had sent away before the photo was taken. We quite regretted leaving our little chateau. It was a very nice spot though there was practically no furniture and what there was was very poor stuff. The grounds were very nice to get back to though. Now we have got on the move again and may be going forward to the actual front at any time. I hope we shall do as well as we did before but that depends on so many circumstances, especially on whether we get to parts we know something of and what we are up against and who we have to help us.


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    The photograph was taken outside the Chateua Molliens au Bois and annotation on the rear would suggest that the photographer (as noted by Lambert) was most likely Comte Jourdain de Thieulloy, who had a residence nearby at Saint Gratien.

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    Pte. Frank Pollard of 10DWR, though not of Tunstill’s Company died of wounds (presumably suffered at some point in the actions of the previous three weeks) at 3rd Stationary Hospital. He was buried at St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen.

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    The weekly edition of the Keighley News carried reports on the death of Pte. John Reginald Butterfield (see 7th July) and also of the wounding of Pte. Arnold Wakeling (see 8th July):

    Private Reginald Butterfield (17), West Riding Regiment, of 58 Enfield Street, Keighley, has been killed in action. The sad news was conveyed to his mother in a letter from his commanding officer in reply to a letter which she had written asking if her son could return from the front and serve in units at home. He enlisted in the early stages of the war at the age of 15 ½, and went abroad in February last. He was an old Keighley Trade and Grammar School boy, and before enlisting was employed as a clerk by the Great Northern Railway Company in the goods department at Keighley. He had been associated with the All Saints Church all his life, and for a few years was a member of the choir. He was a well-built lad for his age, and on his last visit home, stood 6ft 2 inches. An official communication was received from the War Office on Thursday.

    Signaller Ernest Wakeling (actually Arnold) of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel on the afternoon of July 8th. In a letter home he says, “Both sides were shelling like fury, and pieces flew and hit me just as I was going to sit down and have a little nap. We were right in the centre of the advance, in the hottest part of the line. Don’t trouble about me, I am a lucky fellow”, he concludes. He is at present in Bellahouston Hospital, Glasgow. Signaller Wakeling has two other brothers fighting; one of whom was wounded at the Dardanelles.

    Southern Front:

    Trentino: Alpini battalion and 154th Regiment night attack and gain footing north of Mt Cimone summit (July 23) dominating Arsiero to south (Austrian counter-attacks repelled on July 31), but attack on Bocchetta di Portule (6,395 ft) fails.

    Dolomites: Italian I and XVIII Corps take Rolle Pass and two peaks, occupy Paneveggio village (July 31) in Val Travignolo.

    Eastern Front:

    Austrians, retreating before Sakharov, begin to evacuate Brody.

    Naval Operations:

    Black Sea: Light cruiser Breslau escapes new Russian dreadnought Imperatritsa Maria with stern splinter damage.

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    German Light Cruiser Breslau

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    Russian Dreadnought Imperatritsa Maria

    Shipping Losses: 7

    Bams: Norway: The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom, by SM UB-37, Kaiserliche Marine, the crew survived.

    Ida: Sweden: The barque was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool by SM UB-37, Kaiserliche Marine, the crew survived.

    Juno: Norway: The brig was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool by SM UB-37, Kaiserliche Marine, the crew survived.

    Knutsford: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 12 nautical miles (22 km) north west by north of Cape Corbelin, Algeria by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine, her crew survived.

    Olive: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 10 nautical miles (19 km) north west by north of Cape Corbelin by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine, her crew survived.

    Preference: Sweden: The brigantine was sunk in the North Sea 50 nautical miles (93 km) east of Hartlepool by SM UB-37, Kaiserliche Marine, the crew survived.

    Subra: Norway: The sailing vessel was sunk in the North Sea east of Hartlepool by SM UB-37, Kaiserliche Marine, the crew survived.

    Political:

    General Maxwell's despatches on Irish rebellion published in Times.

    Silver badge granted for those disabled.

    Russia: Foreign Minister Sazanov (since 1910) resigns, Prime minister Stuermer takes over.

    Neutrals:

    USA: Bomb kills 9 and wounds 40 in San Francisco (War) Prepared*ness Parade: 2 radical labour leaders given life sentence (released 1939).

    US Senate votes naval building programme.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-22-2016 at 15:23.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  39. #1589

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    Many thanks Neil. Another very interesting couple of posts. Where do you guys manage to find all this material - and the photos?

  40. #1590

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    Sunday 23rd July 1916
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    Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn, VC, CMG, CBE, ED (25 November 1892 – 24 November 1960) was a South Australian soldier, lawyer, politician. Blackburn was born on 25 November 1892 at Woodville, South Australia. His parents were the cleric and entomologist Thomas Blackburn and his wife Margaret Harriette Stewart, née Browne. He was educated at Putney Grammar School, the Collegiate School of St Peter and the University of Adelaide. In 1914, Private Blackburn was among the first to enlist in the “Fighting 10th” Battlaion, and as a battalion scout he was among the first to land at ANZAC Cove on 25 April 1915. Australia's official First World War historian, Charles Bean, noted that Blackburn, with Lance Corporal Robin, probably made it further inland than any other Australian soldiers "whose movements are known". Blackburn was commissioned as a second lieutenant at Gallipoli in August 1915, and served there for almost the entire campaign. On 23 July 1916, at Pozieres, France, the 23-year-old second lieutenant led an attack for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Blackburn was directed with 50 men to drive the enemy from a strong point. By great determination he captured 250 yards of trench, after personally leading four separate parties of bombers against it, many of whom became casualties. Then after crawling forward with a sergeant to reconnoitre, he returned, attacked again, and seized another 120 yards of trench to establish communication with the battalion on his left.

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    John Leak, VC (1892 – 20 October 1972) was born in Portsmouth, England in 1892. He emigrated to Australia when he was young. He enlisted into the 9th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, on 28 January 1915 in Rockhampton, Queensland. He was 23 years old when, on 16 April 1915, he embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A55 Kyarra to Gallipoli. He was a twenty-four-year-old private when, on 23 July 1916 at the Battle of Pozieres, France, he committed an act of great bravery and heroism for which his was awarded the Victoria Cross.

    Citation:
    No. 2053 Pte. John Leak, Aus. Infy.
    For most conspicuous bravery. He was one of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. At one assault, when the enemy's bombs were outranging ours, Private Leak jumped out of the trench, ran forward under heavy machine-gun fire at close range, and threw three bombs into the enemy's bombing post. He then jumped into the post and bayonetted three unwounded enemy bombers.
    Later, when the enemy in overwhelming numbers was driving his party back, he was always the last to withdraw at each stage, and kept on throwing bombs.
    His courage and energy had such an effect on the enemy that, on the arrival of reinforcements, the whole trench was recaptured


    Today we lost: 2,490

    Today’s losses include:

    A man whose father was killed in the South African War in 1900

    A member of the Penarth Rugby Club

    The grandson of a General

    A Scout Master

    An Australian Rules footballer

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    Brothers killed together

    Multiple families that will lose two and three sons in the Great War

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:


    Second Lieutenant Ralph Hosegood (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed in action at age 23. He has two brothers who will be killed in the Great War, one in February 1915 the other in September of this year.
    Brothers Sergeant William Henry and Private Ernest Mills (age 19) are killed together while serving in the Gloucestershire Regiment
    .

    Private Thomas George Stuart-Cox (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed in action at age 24. His brother will be killed in action next year and they are both sons of Reverend Charles Edward Cox.

    Private Frederick Ballinger (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 32. His brother was killed in March.

    Private Albert Richmond Cox (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 24. His brother will die of wounds in September 1918.

    Private Frederick Bannerman (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 32. His younger brother was killed last March.

    Private Alfred Edgar Creech (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed. His brother will be killed in April next year.

    Private Henry Arthur Lane (Gloucestershire Regiment) is killed at age 21. His brother will be killed at sea in October 1917.

    Privates Charles Thomas Brain and Harold William Bain (Gloucestershire Regiment) age 20 and 18 respectively are killed together.

    Captain Hermann Fritz Hubbe (Australian Pioneers) is killed in action at age 21. His father was killed in action during the South African War in 1900.

    Second Lieutenant Lewis Gordon Blackmore (Australian Infantry) an Australian Rules Footballer who played for Essendon is killed at age 30 by machine gun fire. He scored 10 goals in 7 games from 1905-1907.

    Sergeant William Nolan (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 27. He is an Australian Rules Footballer who scored 4 goals in 30 games for Richmond in 1914 & 1915.

    Private John Cormack (Royal Scots) is killed. His brother died of wounds last month.

    Private George Henry Streeter (East Surrey Regiment) is killed. His brother was killed in the first month of the war.

    Lieutenant Bernard La Trobe Foster (Manchester Regiment) is killed at age 23. He is the son of the Reverend Frederic La Trobe Foster, late Vicar of Brenchley, Kent. He composed several songs and hymn tunes, one of which, a War Intercession, has a circulation of over 30,000 copies.

    Lance Corporal James Duxbury (Manchester Regiment) is killed. His brother will be killed in July 1917.

    Lieutenant Colonel Humphrey Francis William Bircham DSO (commanding 2nd King’s Royal Rifle Corps) dies of wounds at age 41.

    Major (Acting Lieutenant Colonel Albert Norman Henderson MC (commanding 10th Warwickshire Regiment) is killed in action. Lieutenant Alexander Fauvel Whitley (Royal Garrison Artillery) is killed at age 26. He is a member of the Penarth Rugby Club.

    Lieutenant Robert Edward Pynsent Paramore (Devonshire Regiment) is killed at age 19. He is the son of the Reverend Joseph Rawle Paramore Iddesleigh Rectory.

    Lieutenant Douglas S Baker (Royal Engineers) dies of wounds. His brother will be killed in May of next year.

    Lieutenant John Henry Boothby (Royal Horse Artillery) is killed in action at age 23, less than two weeks after his older brother was killed while serving in the Rifle Brigade. They are sons of the Reverend Henry Brooke Boothby and grandsons of Major General John George Boothby.

    Sergeant Owen Price (Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) is killed at age 28. He is Scout Master.

    Sergeant Charles E Twigg (Worcestershire Regiment) is killed at age 22. His two brothers will be killed in the Great War the first just 8 days ago and the second in April 1918.

    Corporal Walter Paxton (Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry) is killed at age 28. He is the first of three brothers who are killed in the war.

    Lance Corporal Alfred Charles Farnell and his brother Private Arthur Benjamin Farnell age 25 (both of Warwickshire Regiment) are killed together.

    Private Thomas Edward Culley (West Yorkshire Regiment) is killed in action at age 20. His brother will be killed in two years and five days.

    Private Horace Moulds (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed at age 21. His brother will die of illness in the last week of the Great War.

    Private W Hayward (Hampshire Regiment) is killed at age 32. His brother will die in November 1918.

    Private Henry George Ward (Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) is killed at age 17. His brother will be killed in March 1918.

    Private Frederick Thomas Todd (Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) is killed at age 24. His brother was killed last September.

    Air Operations:

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 2

    Lt Oliver-Jones, A.V. (Alfred Vernon), RFC. Posted missing 21 July 1916. Died 23 July 1916.

    2Lt Settle, R.W. (Reginald William), 15 Squadron, RFC. Killed in Action 23 July 1916 aged 24. Aircraft hit by shell-fire whilst flying over German lines on the Somme

    Claims: 1

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    Lt Jean Chaput claims his 8th confirmed kill for N57 shooting down an Aviatic C nearFresnes-en-Woevre Chaput. He joined the army in 1913 and served in the infantry before transferring to the French Air Service in 1914. After receiving a Pilot's Brevet in February 1915, he was assigned to MF28 where he quickly rose in rank, was wounded in combat on 15 June and received the Médaille Militaire a few days later. Wounded again on 10 July, Chaput did not return to duty until January 1916. Assigned to N57 in May 1916.

    Western Front

    Second phase of Somme Battle begins.

    Intense fighting in and round Pozieres; The Battles of the Somme: the Battle of Pozières Ridge (23 July - 3 September 1916)

    By late July 1916, the limited advances at the southern end of the British line risked a dangerous narrowing of the attack front. The Battle of Pozieres Ridge represented an attempt to exert renewed pressure on the strategically important central uplands, notably around the vital positions of Thiepval and Pozieres. The principal responsibility for securing Pozières (and German positions on the ridge above) was entrusted to I ANZAC Corps, part of General Gough's Reserve Army.

    British recapture whole of Longueval, but Germans retake north end of village.
    Outskirts of Guillemont twice change hands.

    Somme: (In detail)

    The village of Pozières, on the Albert-Bapaume road, lies atop a ridge approximately in the centre of what was the British sector of the Somme battlefield. Close by the village is the highest point on the battlefield. Pozières was an important German defensive position, the fortified village was an outpost to the second defensive trench system, which had become known to the British as the O.G. Lines. This German second line extended from beyond Mouquet Farm in the north, ran behind Pozières to the east, then south towards the Bazentin ridge and the villages of Bazentin le Petit and Longueval. On 14 July, during the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, this southern section of the German second line was captured by the British Fourth Army of Lieutenant General Sir Henry Rawlinson. The possibility of "rolling up" the German second line by turning north now presented itself if Pozières could be captured.

    The British Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Douglas Haig, lacked the ammunition to immediately execute another broad-front attack after 14 July. Believing that Pozières and Thiepval would become untenable for the Germans as the British continued their eastward momentum, Haig ordered Rawlinson to concentrate on the centre between High Wood and Delville Wood as well as the villages of Guillemont and Ginchy. The plan was to maintain the pressure and take Pozieres by a "steady, methodical, step-by-step advance". Between 13 and 17 July, the Fourth Army made four, small attacks against Pozières with no success and high casualties. In this period the village was subjected to a heavy bombardment and reduced to rubble. On two occasions the attacking infantry got into the trench that looped around the south and western edge of the village, known as "Pozières trench" but both times were driven out. Attempts to get east of the village by advancing up the O.G. Lines also failed.

    The Battle


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    The "Gibraltar" bunker, Pozières, in late August. A fatigue party laden with sandbags heads for the fighting at mouquet Farm.

    Rawlinson planned to deliver another attack on a broad front on 18 July involving six divisions between the Albert–Bapaume road in the north and Guillemont in the south. Haig decided to transfer responsibility for Pozières to the Reserve Army of Lieutenant General Hubert Gough which had been holding the line north of the road since shortly after the opening of the offensive on 1 July. The attack was postponed until the night of 22–23 July. To Gough's army were attached the three Australian divisions of I ANZAC Corps, which had begun moving from the Armentieres sector. The Australian 1st Division reached Albert on 18 July and despite the postponement of the offensive, Gough, who had a reputation as a "thruster", told the division's commander, Major General Harold Walker, "I want you to go in and attack Pozières tomorrow night". Walker, an experienced English officer who had led the division since Gallipoli, would have none of it and insisted he would attack only after adequate preparation. Consequently, the attack on Pozières once more fell in line with the Fourth Army's attack on the night of 22–23 July. The plan called for the Australian 1st Division to attack Pozières from the south, advancing in three stages half an hour apart, while north of the Albert–Bapaume road, the 48th (South Midland) Division (X Corps), would attack the German trenches west of the village. The village and surrounding area was defended by elements of the 117th Division. Early on 22 July the Australian 9th Battalion attempted to improve its position by advancing up the O.G. Lines towards the road but was repulsed. The preparation for the attack involved a thorough bombardment of the village and the O.G. Lines lasting several days. The bombardment included phosgene and tear gas. The infantry were scheduled to attack at 12:30 a.m. on 23 July, with the Australian 1st & 3rd Brigades. The infantry crept into no man’s land, close behind the bombardment and when it lifted the German trenches were rushed. The first stage took the Pozières trench that ringed the village to the south.

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    The second stage saw the Australians advance to the edge of the village, amongst what remained of the back gardens of the houses lining the Albert–Bapaume road. The third stage brought the line to the Albert–Bapaume road. The few survivors from the German garrison retreated to the northern edge of the village or into the O.G. Lines to the east. It was also intended that the O.G. Lines would be captured as far as the road but here the Australians failed, partly due to strong resistance from the German defenders in deep dugouts and machine gun nests and partly due to the confusion of a night attack on featureless terrain. The weeks of bombardment had reduced the ridge to a field of craters and it was virtually impossible to distinguish where a trench line had run. The failure to take the O.G. Lines made the eastern end of Pozières vulnerable and so the Australians formed a flank short of their objectives. On the western edge of the village, the Australians captured a German bunker known as "Gibraltar". During 23 July, some Australians went prospecting across the road, captured a number of Germans and with minimal effort occupied more of the village. That night the 8th Battalion of the Australian 2nd Brigade, which had been in reserve, moved up and secured the rest of the village. The attack of the 48th Division on the German trenches west of Pozières achieved some success but the main attack by the Fourth Army between Pozières and Guillemont was a costly failure.

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    Defence of Pozieres

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    Road to Pozières: In the distance the village of Contalmaison is under German shellfire.

    Success on the Somme came at a cost which at times seemed to surpass the cost of failure, and for the Australians, Pozières was such a case. As a consequence of being the sole British gain on 23 July, Pozières became a focus of attention for the Germans. Forming as it did a critical element of their defensive system, the German command ordered that it be retaken at all costs. Three attempts were made on 23 July but each was broken up by the British artillery or swept away by machine gun fire. Communication was as difficult for the Germans as it was for the British, and it was not until 7:00 a.m. 24 July that they discovered that Pozières had been captured. With British activity now declining elsewhere on its front, the German IV Corps opposite Pozières, was able to concentrate most of its artillery against the village and its approaches. Initially the bombardment was methodical and relentless without being intense. The western approach to the village, which led from Casualty Corner near the head of Sausage Valley, received such a concentration of shellfire that it was thereafter known as "Dead Man's Road". The German bombardment intensified on 25 July, in preparation for another counter-attack.

    The German IX Corps relieved IV Corps and the commander cancelled the planned counter-attack, choosing to concentrate on the defence of the O.G. Lines, which were the next objective of the British. The bombardment reached a climax on 26 July and by 5:00 p.m. the Australians, believing an attack was imminent, appealed for a counter-barrage. The artillery of I ANZAC Corps, II Corps and the guns of the two neighbouring British corps replied. This in turn led the Germans to believe the Australians were preparing to attack and so they increased their fire yet again. It was not until midnight that the shelling subsided. At its peak, the German bombardment of Pozières was the equal of anything yet experienced on the Western Front and far surpassed the worst shelling previously endured by an Australian division. The Australian 1st Division suffered 5,285 casualties on its first tour of Pozières. When the survivors were relieved on 27 July, one observer said

    “They looked like men who had been in Hell... drawn and haggard and so dazed that they appeared to be walking in a dream and their eyes looked glassy and starey.”
    — E. J. Rule

    Guillemont
    21 Brigade of 30th Division attacks Guillemont at 03:40 with Yorkshire Regiment from north of Trones Wood and Manchester Regiment advancing from the wood itself. The Manchester got into the village despite the wire being uncut but are forced out by 14:00. The Yorkshire Regiment gets lost in a smokescreen and while some capture a trench south of Guillemont Station, later falling back on Waterlot farm, the remainder withdraw to Trones Wood, disorganising the rest of 30th Division south of the railway line little headway is made in clearing the ground by bombing parties of the Shropshire Light Infantry and East Yorkshire of 8 Brigade. These troops also withdraw to Waterlot Farm. The mixture of units here fights off a German counter-attack. From here the Royal Scots unsuccessfully attempt to bomb down along the Guillemont road. The Bedfordshire Regiment is engaged in pushing out small-fortified posts from the trenches between High Wood and Delville Wood.

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).
    Tunstills Men, Sunday 23rd July 1916:

    Bivouac at Millencourt

    The Battalion was ordered to be ready to move off at short notice. This need for a possible move at short notice was in case they were required to support renewed British operations in what became known as the Battle of Pozieres Ridge, which marked a renewed phase in British operations on the Somme. As part of the attacks, the village of Pozieres itself was attacked and occupied by Australian troops.

    A memorial service to remember local men killed in the war was held in Dent Parish Church during which special mention was made of Pte. John Bruce Davidson (see 14th July), who had died of wounds sustained during the advance on Contalmaison. There was a very large congregation in attendance and the service was described as “impressive” The sermon was preached by Rev. E.S. Curwen, vicar, who remembered Davidson as, “a member of the church choir both as a boy and as adult, and highly respected for his willing and obliging manners”. The hymns chosen for the occasion were 'Lead, Kindly Light,' 'Now the Labourers task is o'er,' and 'On the Resurrection Morn.' Special sermons were also preached in the Wesleyan Chapel, Dent, by Mr. Stephen Harris, of Over Kellet.
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    Similar memorial services, remembering Pte. Fred Benson (see 11th July) were held at the United Methodist Church, Cowling; the Parish Church; and at the Ickornshaw Wesleyan Church. Benson had been a member of the Sunday School at the Methodist Church, where the service was taken by the Rev. C.E. Penrose.
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    Pte. Edwin Everingham Ison (see 29th June), who had re-joined his unit, 1st Battalion, West Yorkshires, less than a month earlier was again taken ill. He was admitted to 17th Field Ambulance, suffering from “pyrexia, NYD”, ie pyrexia, or raised temperature, ‘not yet diagnosed’.
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    Eastern Front:

    Kuropatkin's troops drive Germans back south-east of Riga.

    Russians advance 12 miles near Kemmern.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    Armenia: Russians steadily close in on Erzingan (Armenia); the Turks retreat.

    East Africa: Royal Navy Force occupies Pangani on coast and Mkwaja (July 27). Botha visits Msiha Camp.

    Naval Operations:

    Running fight in North Sea near mouth of Scheldt between British ships and six enemy destroyers; no decisive results.

    Naval force occupies Pangani (East Africa).

    Shipping Losses: 1

    Badminton: United Kingdom: The cargo ship was shelled and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea 65 nautical miles (120 km) north east by north of Cape Carbon, Algeria by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine, Her crew survived.

    Political:

    Russo-Rumanian military convention signed at Chantilly, but Rumanian counter-proposal on July 25.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-23-2016 at 15:57.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  41. #1591

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeemagnus
    Where do you guys manage to find all this material - and the photos?
    Partially answered earlier in the thread, so I'll not repeat here, but check PMs.

  42. #1592

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    Monday 24th July 1916
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    Thomas Cooke
    , VC (5 July 1881 – 25 July 1916). Cooke was born in Kaikoura, New Zealand, on 5 July 1881, to an Englishman and his wife. The family later moved to Wellington and after completing his schooling, Cooke became a carpenter like his father. In 1902, he married Maud Elizabeth Elliott and the couple had three children. In 1912, he moved his young family to Australia and settled in Melbourne where he worked as a builder.

    In February 1915, Cooke enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. He was posted to 24th Battalion upon completion of his training. His posting proved relatively short-lived for after he arrived in the Middle East, he was transferred to 8th Battalion. His battalion arrived on the Western Front in April 1916.

    Two months later, the battalion, as part of the 1st Division fought in the battle of Pozieres on 24 to 25 July 1916. Seeking to consolidate the Australian positions around Pozières, Cooke, operating a Lewis Gun, was sent forward with his assistants to secure an unsafe section of the line. He and his companions secured the area but was exposed to long range machinegun fire which soon accounted for all but Cooke. Even after running out of ammunition, he continued to man his post in the face of a German counterattack during which he was killed. He was recommended for the Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions. The award of the VC to Cooke was gazetted on 9 September 1916. The citation for his VC read as follows:

    For most conspicuous bravery. After a Lewis Gun had been disabled, he was ordered to take his gun and gun-team to a dangerous part of the line. Here he did fine work, but came under very heavy fire, with the result that finally he was the only man left. He still stuck to his post, and continued to fire his gun. When assistance was sent he was found dead beside his gun. He set a splendid example of determination and devotion to duty

    Today we lost: 905

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    Captain Richard Molesworth Dennys (Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) dies of wounds received at the Battle of the Somme on 24th July at age 32. He is Winchester College and St Bartholomew’s Hospital educated. He is a Great War Poet his poems being published in There is No Death:

    The Question
    Soldier-boy, at the edge of wood
    Stretched on th tufty grass,
    With a red wound there in your tangled hair
    And Never a friend to pass,
    The Sky isdark, it will rain tonight
    And you are not very old,
    So I bring green branches to cover you
    And shelter you from the cold.
    Soldier-boy, it’s a grim old world
    (Deny it, he who can),
    Who knows that your life would have happier been
    Had you lived to be a man?

    Today’s losses include:

    A Great War Poet

    A writer of musical comedies and publisher of many songs

    Multiple families that will lose two and three sons in the Great War

    The brother of a posthumous Victoria Cross winner

    Multiple members of the clergy

    The son of a member of the clergy

    The son of a Surgeon General

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:

    Major Charles Comyn Scott Scott-Gatty (Hertfordshire Regiment) a son of ‘Sir’ Alfred Scott-Gatty, KCVO, Garter Principal King of Arms, and Lady Scott-Gatty, dies of an illness contract on service at home at age 33. In collaboration with his wife Muriel he wrote the words and music to several musical comedies and many published songs.

    Captain Henry Brian Brooke (Gordon Highlanders) dies of wounds received on the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme at home at age 27. He is the son of ‘Sir’ Harry Vesey and Lady Brook. His brother Captain James Brooke was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in 1914 and another brother will die in 1917 at home.

    Captain Harcourt Sutcliffe Farebrother MC (Norfolk Regiment) dies of wounds at London at age 26. He is the grandson of the Reverend C. Farebrother, M.A., Rector of Truham-cum-Corby, and Chaplain to the Duke of Cambridge. He was commissioned in the Norfolk Regiment in November 1909, and served at Gibraltar, in Belgium, in India, and in Mesopotamia. He went to the Front in November 1914, and was three times mentioned in Despatches, and was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery at Shaiba, in Mesopotamia where on 12th April 1915 he received the wounds from which he dies.

    Captain Noel Cairns Clery MC (Headquarters, Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 23. He is the son of the late Surgeon General J A Clery CB.

    Captain Alexander Torrance Laing (Northumberland Fusiliers) dies of wounds received in action on 3th July at age 27. He is a Deacon in Holy Orders.

    Lieutenant Frances Paul Hamilton Layton (Central Ontario Regiment) is killed in action at age 28. He was confirmed into the Anglican Church on 6th April 1914 along with Tom Pollard. Pollard will be killed in May 1917.

    Second Lieutenant Ian Stewart Falconar-Stewart (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) is killed at age 24. His brother will be killed on Salonika in September 1918.

    Private Victor George Dallimore (Royal Army Medical Corps) is killed in action at age 29 by shellfire while tending the wounded. His brother will be killed in July 1917.

    Private Sidney John Isted (Royal Sussex Regiment) is killed at age 21. His older brother was killed in May 1915 at Gallipoli.

    Private Wildred Cockroft (West Yorkshire Regiment) is killed at age 22. His brother will be killed in December of this year.

    Private Herbert Briers (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed in action. His brother was killed in May 1915.

    Private John Gretland Veall (Australian Infantry) is killed in action. His brother will be killed in six weeks.

    Private Arthur Walter Gotts (Lancashire Fusiliers) dies of wounds at age 21. His brother will be killed in March 1918.


    Air Operations:

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: No losses recorded today

    Claims: 1

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    Leutnant Hartmuth Baldamus claims his 3rd & 4th confirmed kills flying for FFA 20, one of his kills was a Caudron G4 north west of Verdun. When the war began, Baldamus joined the German Air Service. After scoring five victories with FFA 20, he was reassigned to Jasta 5 but failed to score as a single-seat fighting pilot until he was posted to Jasta 9 in November 1916.

    Western Front

    Verdun:

    French take a redoubt west of Thiaumont (south-west of Douaumont, Verdun).

    Somme:


    Struggle for Pozieres continues; British gain some important advantages.

    BEF has advanced 3 1/4 miles on 6-mile front, taken 11,119 PoW’s and 56 guns while engaged 16 German divisions (8 drawn into reserve); 2,090 British guns have fired 4.5 million shells.

    Persistent German counter-attacks at High Wood and Guillemont.

    Near Estrees, French capture enemy battery.

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).

    Tunstills Men, Monday 24th July 1916:

    Bivouac at Millencourt

    The Battalion remained under instruction to be ready to move at short notice.

    The men were at least able to enjoy some light relief in taking part in sports events organised by 8th Yorkshires. There were foot-races, boxing, throwing the cricket ball and other games, and a race for the transport mules. In a letter home, 2Lt. Bob Perks (see 16th July) told his Dad, “We are having quite a cheery time here” (I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to quote from Bob Perks’ letter).

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    Fierce fighting continued in and around the village of Pozieres; Australian troops who had occupied the village came under an intense German artillery bombardment.

    Pte.. Fred Dyson (see 18th July), who had arrived at 34th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples six days earlier, competed his will, leaving all his estate to his fiancée, Edith Wilkinson. He would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    East Africa: NRFF (1,200 soldiers) defeats Captain Braunschweig’s Southern Detachment at Malangali, drives it towards Iringa. Belgian battalion takes Kasulu.

    Sinai: 16,000 Turks advance to within 10 miles of Romani and entrench.

    Naval Operations:

    Shipping Losses: 2

    Maria: Italy: The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Algeria by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine.

    Mars: Norway: The sailing vessel was sunk in the north Sea off the mouth of the River Tyne by Sm U-19, Kaiserliche Marine, Her crew survived.

    Political:

    Britain: Record credit (£ 450 millions) voted in House of Commons. Total for 1916-1917 £ 1.05 billon.

    Easter Rising Irish Home Rule debates until July 31.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-24-2016 at 16:38.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  43. #1593

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    Thanks a nice work love reading your work.

  44. #1594

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    Keep telling you WingCo we need a new duplicator or better ink!
    Attached Images  
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-25-2016 at 15:02.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  45. #1595

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    Tuesday 25th July 1916

    Today we lost: 1094


    Today’s losses include:

    A Victoria Cross winner (See yesterdays report of Private Thomas Cooke)

    Multiple families that will two and three sons in the Great War.

    The great grandfather of England Football Captain Rio Ferdinand

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    A Gosforth Nomads Rugby footballer

    The son of the Headmaster at The King’s School Parramatte

    A grandson of a former Member of the New Zealand Parliament

    One of the founders of the ‘Old Machen Greys Football Club’

    A man whose son will die as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in September 1944

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:


    Captain Charles Pomeroy Hughes-Gibb (Royal Field Artillery) dies of wounds at age 33. His younger brother will be killed next year.

    Captain Alan Estcourt Boucher (Leicestershire Regiment) dies of wounds received in action at Bazentin-le-Petit at age 21. He is the son of the Reverend Canon Charles Etcourt Boucher.

    Lieutenant Robert Gilroy Bannerman (Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 21. His brother will be killed in November of next year.

    Lieutenant Rex Thomas Challoner MC (Royal Engineers) is killed at age 30. He is a rugby football player with the Gosforth Nomads.

    Lieutenant Geoffrey Servante Champion (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 21. He is the son of the Reverend Arthur Hammerton Champion the headmaster at The King’s School Parramatte. His brother will be killed in April 1918.

    Second Lieutenant Thomas Swain (Yorkshire Regiment) dies of wounds at home at age 19. His brother will be killed in September of this year.

    Lance Corporal George Munro (Australian Pioneers) is killed. His brother was killed on Gallipoli in March 1915.
    Private James P Zahnleiter (Australian Infantry) is killed in action at age 28. His younger brother was killed in April 1915.

    Private Frank Prescott (Liverpool Regiment) dies of wounds received in action at age 25. His brother was killed on the first day of this month.

    Private James Arthur Carmichael (Highland Light Infantry) is killed at age 29. His brother will be killed in October 1917.

    Private Alfred Reeve (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed at age 32. His younger brother was gassed to death one week ago.

    Private Frederick Clarence Rayner Vile (New Zealand Rifle Brigade) is killed. He is the grandson of the late J Vile ex Member of Parliament for Manawatu New Zealand.

    Gunner William Finnerty (Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 21. His brothers will lose their lives in 1917.

    Private Robert James Wheeler (South Wales Borderers) is killed at age 21. His brother will be killed in April 1918.

    One of the founders of the ‘Old Machen Greys Football Club’ Private Sidney Mayberry (South Wales Borderers) dies of wounds received during heavy enemy shelling in Mametz Wood at age 43. Three of his comrades are killed while trying to take him to a place of safety after he has been wounded.

    Stoker 1st Class Charles Carmichael (HMS Valiant) dies of illness on service at home at age 22. His brother was killed in October 1915.

    Lance Corporal Alfred Perry (South Wales Borderers) dies of wounds at age 30. His brother will be killed in September.

    Private Lawrence Wilson Hindle (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 43. His son Lance Corporal Herbert Roy Hindle will die of wounds as a prisoner of war of the Japanese in September 1944.

    Private James Foster (Australian Infantry) is killed at Pozieres at age 38. He is the great grandfather of England Football Captain Rio Ferdinand and Sunderland football player Julian Ferdinand.

    Private Walter Stannard (Northamptonshire Regiment) dies of wounds at age 30. His two brothers will lose their lives in the Great War.

    Air Operations:

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today 5

    2Lt Bowyer, F. (Fritz), 9 Squadron, RFC. Killed in Action 25 July 1916 aged 23.

    2Lt Brown, J.A. (James Alfred), 9 Squadron (Special Reserve), RFC. Missing - Killed in Action 25 July 1916
    A Mech 2Spencer, A. (Albert), 22 Squadron, RFC. Died of Wounds 25 July 1916 aged 24.

    2Lt Steytler, E.D. (Edward ****inson), 7 Squadron attached to 4 Squadron, RFC. Killed in Action 25 July 1916 aged 19. Pilot was Killed whilst flying at Courcelette and his Observer, Lieut J G Robertson, was wounded, shot through the head, by machine-gun fire. Machine crashed and wrecked. The Observer was taken Prisoner.

    A Mech 2 Wellings, J.H. Recruits depot, RFC.

    Claims: 3

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    Oberleutnant Josef Friedrich, flying with Pilot Hpt Raoul Stojsayljevic, for Flik 16, claims his 2nd confirmed kill. As rear in a Hansa Brandenburg CI he shot down a Farman near Monte Paularo.

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    Hauptman Raoul Stojsavljevic, claims his 2nd confirmed kill (details as above). Stojsavljevic graduated from the Maria Theresa Military Academy in 1908. After serving in the infantry, he transferred to the Army Air Service in 1913 and was posted to Flik 13 as a reconnaissance pilot in November 1914. On 16 February 1915, he and his observer were captured by the Russians when their two-seater was forced down by a snow storm. Escaping six days later, the two men evaded the enemy for months until they reached the safety of their own lines in June 1915. Stojsavljevic was posted to Flik 17 later that summer and in September 1915 he joined Flik 16 where he scored his first four victories in 1916.

    Lt Charles Alexandre Bronislas Borzecki, claims his 1st confirmed kill flying for C43 when he shot down an aircraft near Combies. Called to active duty on 2 August 1914, Borzecki transferred to the air service and was assigned to Escadrille C43 on 3 November 1914. With this unit, he scored one victory in 1916 before being reassigned to Escadrille N62.

    Western Front

    In Alsace a sharp attack north of Altkirch is repulsed.

    Somme:

    With fresh reinforcements the Germans counter-attack near Longueval and Bazentin; are repulsed.
    Pozieres, almost entirely in British hands.

    British push along Albert-Bapaume road towards Hill 160.

    French progress south of Estrees, and north of Vermandovillers.

    Haig, Foch and Fayolle agree joint attack for July 30. Rawlinson diary on Battle of the Somme film ‘Some of it very good but I cut out many of the horrors in dead and wounded’

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).

    Tunstills Men, Tuesday 25th July 1916:

    Bivouac at Millencourt

    In the evening new orders were received for the Battalion to move the following morning. The move had been anticipated by 2Lt. Bob Perks (see 24th July) in a letter to his father (I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to quote from Bob Perks’ letter),

    Dear Dad
    Thanks so much for a parcel (July 21) which I recognised as yours before I opened it. The razor blades were particularly welcome as I was shorter than I thought and the crisis came this morning when I had to borrow someone else’s safety! The envelopes too were becoming very necessary though the crisis in that case was overcome for the time being by a small enclosure in Mother’s letter and a very small supply we managed to buy locally. The magazines are in great demand in this sitting down game and I am becoming quite a lending library outside the company.

    Our stay here originally thought to be a night or so seems to be lengthening into quite a pleasant little sojourn. There is great probability of a move tomorrow but I think even then we are not destined to go right into it just yet.

    I have been re-reading Mother’s letter today and feel very glad if as she says, she can’t realise all the horrors. I am beginning to wonder if I did not dwell too much on them but it does me good sometimes to tell you all about it and to know you know. I expect too if I did not tell you all about it you would want to know.
    We are having quite a cheery time here. One regiment in our Brigade held very good sports yesterday. There were some very amusing races like a mule race etc. I saw the Jennings twins there. One of them is with the corps signals now. He told me all the Jennings were going strong. I am afraid Foster Greenwood was killed on the 15th but I am not quite sure. Martin’s college contemporary of our battalion died of wounds. He was a good chap (This refers to 2Lt. Christopher Snell, see 18th July, who, on 15th July, had died of wounds received in action on 5th July; like Bob’s brother, Martin Perks, Snell had been a graduate of Wadham College, Oxford).

    I was feeling the effects of something I had eaten yesterday, (we are feeding very well now much too well for the exercise we take) but am quite alright today apart from now very occasional memories caused by a completely strange mess.
    Much love to both,
    Bob


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    Snell

    Pte. George Mitchell (see 7th June) was promoted Lance Corporal.

    Walter Morrison, who had played such a prominent role alongside Gilbert Tunstill in the original recruitment campaign and who had continued his financial support for the Company via the Craven Comforts Fund, wrote to Geraldine Tunstill. His letter was clearly in response to news he had received from her, about the recent actions in which the Company had been engaged.

    Malham Tarn
    Langcliffe
    Settle
    25th July 1916

    Dear Mrs. Tunstill
    A splendid letter on a splendid theme. I found it here on my arrival from London after post time. It is a glorious record and you and he may well be proud and so may the district in which his company was raised. But the national character has shown itself nearly everywhere and amongst all classes except the conscientious objectors and a few pro-Germans. Our average soldiers are as good as the Elizabethans and the Yorkshires have come out grandly like the rest. We may well be proud of our local brigade and you will be proud of the locals who were raised by your husband and yourself in your singularly modest and efficient way of doing your bit in recruiting.

    But it must be a time of terrible anxiety though I hope that the worst of the war is over.
    Tennyson talks of drinking delight of battle with your peers and your husband explains it to effete people like myself who have never felt it; but I fancy that the feeling is not uncommon among the allies. We are a warlike people by nature and not like the Germans by kind; the raw recruits, fresh from England, as the men who have been under discipline in the war zone for a year.

    I wonder what the Kaiser thinks now of our contemptible little army? He and Haldane have done us a gigantic service; they have restored our self-respect, and further, the army will prove to be unconscious (word unclear) of a higher moral tone in all departments of English life as unconscious modest heroes. Pray use the enclosed cheque £100 for repairing damages among the heroes in whom you take a special interest; damages in health, damages to clothing; I hope the canteen flourishes.

    Yours truly
    W. Morrison

    Pte. Edward Wood of 10DWR, though not of Tunstill’s Company died of wounds (presumably suffered at some point in the actions of the previous three weeks) at no.8 General Hospital. He was buried at Bois-Guillaume Communal Cemetery, Rouen.

    (The records of the CWGC also include a second death of a 10DWR soldier on this date, L.Cpl. William Knox. However, closer examination of the original records would suggest that Knox actually died on 29th July 1916).

    Six new subalterns arrived in France, en route to join 10DWR as replacements for the officers lost in the recent engagements.

    2Lt. Ernest George Costello was 32 years old (born 16th June 1884). Before the war he had been working as a chartered accountant and had also served four years (1909-13) in the territorial army, with the Honourable Artillery Company. He had attested in December 1915, having previously been “recommended for a commission in the ASC by the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants”; having heard nothing further on this he had formally applied for a commission and, having completed his officer training, had been posted to 11th (Reserve) Battalion DWR, based at Brocton Camp, Staffs. On 6th May at the Parish Church, Streatham, he had married Margaret Charlotte Curtis.

    2Lt. David Lewis Evans was 22 years old (born 14th August 1893), the son of a Welsh non-conformist minister and a graduate of University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.

    2Lt. Howard Thurston Hodgkinson was 25 years old (born 19th October 1890). Before the war he had been a farmer growing hops near Evesham, Worcestershire. In October 1912 he had joined the territorial army, serving with the 8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. On the outbreak of war he had been called up for service and promoted Lance Corporal. He had served with the 2/8th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, in England, until November 1915 when he was granted a commission.

    2Lt. Frederick William Millward was 19 years old (born 21st November 1896). Shortly after the outbreak of war he had enlisted with King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and had been promoted Lance Corporal in December 1914. In July 1915 he had applied for a commission and was posted to 11DWR with effect from 7th August. However, on hearing about Millward’s application, his old Headmaster, Charles Brittain, Normanton Grammar School, had written to the War Office, questioning Millward’s suitability for appointment to a commission. Writing on 21st August 1915, Brittain wrote:

    Dear Sir
    I understand that F.W. Millward, who joined 2nd/4th KOYLI in December last as a Private either has received or is about to receive a Commission in His Majesty’s Army.
    I protest against the appointment. Millward left school in December last in extremely suspicious circumstances, which I have since reported to his C.O. (Col. Hird). I also informed Colonel Hird that in the opinion of the staff of this school, Millward was quite unfit in any way to become an officer. I myself flatly declined to sign his application form, as I had told Colonel Hird I should. In spite of this, to my great surprise, he is apparently to be appointed.

    I am perfectly willing to be quite open about the circumstances of his leaving school if requested and I feel most strongly that my letter to Colonel Hird ought not to have been ignored.
    Having received such a strongly-word letter, the War Office wrote to Mr. Brittain asking for details of his objection. In response, writing on 28th August 1915 and marking his letter as ‘private and confidential’, Brittain wrote:
    Dear Sir

    Millward passed matriculation in July 1914 and returned to this school in September last as a scholarship pupil. Early in the term rumours kept coming to me that he was the father of an illegitimate child. Knowing how lying tales are spread, I at first ignored these stories, but after being several times pointedly asked why I did not take action to protect the reputation of the school, I asked Mr. R.C. Williamson, of Green and Williamson, Solicitors, Wakefield, to look into the matter. This he did, and found that there had been a child born to a girl who had lived in Millward’s father’s house. The father is a lower-grade railway man, who is apparently more often than not “on the club”. He had “befriended” the girl and given her a home – on his wage, a small one.
    My solicitor told me he had enough evidence to secure the girl a verdict in any police court if she prosecuted Millward junior, but all of them denied that Millward was father of the child. Nevertheless when the Governors of this school suggested to Millward senior that it would perhaps be as well if the son left the school, he at once withdrew him and the boy enlisted. He was thus not expelled from school and we could not formally prove his guilt.

    At the same time I consider him by no means a fit person to be an Officer, in spite of considerable intellectual gifts. I have no animus against him, but I do feel that his appointment is derogatory to the dignity and importance of Commissioned Rank and prejudicial to recruiting in this area where his unsavoury antecedents are notorious.

    The whole staff of the school agree. We have over 100 Old Boys in the Army (over 30% of the whole) and Millward is the last in our opinion who should have received a Commission. I do not know who signed him up for “moral conduct”, but I fear it was someone who did not know him very well.

    Having considered the circumstances and noted that Millward’s “moral conduct” had been certified by Mr. John F. Sanderson, J.P., a War Office official noted on file that, “The case is one of suspicion only; nothing is proved or has been. I do not propose to take any action in this case”.

    This decision was then communicated to Brittain in a letter dated 11th September.

    2Lt. John Keighley Snowden was aged 24 (born 16th January 1892). He was the third child of the novelist and journalist James Keighley Snowden and his wife Agnes. He had applied for and been granted a commission in August 1915.

    The sixth officer, 2Lt. S. Carrington, has not yet been identified.

    Pte. Andrew Aaron Jackson, who would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR (see 6th June), serving with 27th Battalion Royal Fusiliers at Portobello, near Edinburgh, was admitted to 2nd Scottish General Hospital, Craigleath, with a puncture wound to the armpit, suffered as a result of an accident.

    Eastern Front:

    Brusilov offensive, Galicia: Sakharov advances on Brody (within 5 miles on July 27), defeats Linsingen on river Slonuvka despite arrived Austrian 106th Landsturm Division from Italian Front.

    Southern Front:

    The re-constituted Serbian Army comes into action on the Salonika front against the Bulgarians.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    Armenia: Yudenich occupies evacuated Erzincan, farthest point west, splitting and routing Turk Third Army, 34,000 casualties (17,000 PoW’s) by July 28.

    Naval Operations:

    Shipping Losses: No losses reported today.

    Political:

    Germany:US Ambassador Times protest against Ruhleben Camp inhumanity.

    Russia:Death of Lenin’s mother in Petrograd, his sister Anna arrested by September 19.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-25-2016 at 08:11.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  46. #1596

    Default

    Looks like a double post without the pictures in the first one Neil, but when I click on to edit, the first one shows the pictures up?
    I will leave you to delete as you see fit.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  47. #1597

    Default

    Rectified sir. Any chance HQ could get us a new duplicator. The old one has a broken handle and we are using the handle off the Wash Unit mangle but they keep taking it back.

    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte View Post
    Looks like a double post without the pictures in the first one Neil, but when I click on to edit, the first one shows the pictures up?
    I will leave you to delete as you see fit.
    Rob.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  48. #1598

    Default

    Aah nice to see its not just me that gets the duplications - think it has something to do with it taking so long to complete the post it auto saves part way through.
    Infuriating when it happens but hey ho !

    Great job at the moment Neil - sorry I am fleeing the country shortly but will be back soon

    Never Knowingly Undergunned !!

  49. #1599

    Default

    There was a young man called Freddie,
    Who with a young lass went to beddie,
    Now headmaster Brittain
    thought this most un-befittin,
    But the war office still thought him steady!

    I wonder what became of Frederick William Millward! I do hope he survived. Thanks for another couple of very interesting posts Neil.

  50. #1600

    Default

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    Wednesday 26th July 1916

    Today we lost: 707


    Today’s losses include:

    The son of a Canadian Senator

    Multiple families that will lose two sons in the Great War

    Man who will have three brothers killed

    Multiple sons of members of the clergy

    A 16-year old

    A local cricketer and footballer

    A man shot at dawn

    Today’s highlighted casualties include:


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    Lieutenant Alexander Hewitt Bostock (Lord Strathcona’s Horse attached Central Ontario Regiment) is killed in action. He is the son of the ‘Honorable” Hewitt Bostock Canadian Senator.

    Lieutenant Maurice Penrose Fitzgerald (Royal West Surrey Regiment) dies on service in Ireland at age 23. His brother will be killed in October of this year.

    Second Lieutenant Basil George Hope Maclear MC (Grenadier Guards) is killed at age 30. He is the son of the late Reverend George Frederick Maclear DD Warden of St Augustine’s College Canerbury Kent and he has a brother who will die on service in January 1919.

    Private Edward Sydney Cawe (Australian Infantry) is killed in action at Poziere at age 16.

    Private Philip Beeby (Northamptonshire Regiment) dies of wounds received in action at Rouen. His brother will be killed in May 1917.

    Private Edward George Smith (Sussex Regiment) dies of wounds at age 25. His three brothers will also be killed in the Great War and he is a local cricketer and footballer.

    Bombardier Frederick Stanley Arnold (Canadian Field Artillery) is executed by firing squad for desertion at age 26. He went missing on 5th June and was captured in Boulogne two days later in civilian clothes.

    Private Angelus Basil Elliott (Australian Infantry) is killed at age 24. He is the son of the Reverend Robert Elliott Rector of Queanbeyan New South Wales.

    Air Operations:

    Royal Flying Corps Losses today: No losses recorded today.

    Claims: There are no claims today.

    Western Front

    Somme:

    The whole of Pozieres village in British hands.

    British advance continues northwards towards Hill 160.

    French capture some fortified houses south of Estrees.

    (see Somme special July 1st for more information).


    Tunstills Men, Wednesday 26th July 1916:

    Bivouac at Millencourt

    The men were up early, with tents struck and ready to be loaded by 6 am and officers instructed to see their kit ready for loading by 7.30. The men were ordered to wear their steel helmets and carry their caps in their packs. At 8.20 the Battalion moved off, marching by Company, headed by Tunstill’s Men, and with one minute between companies as far as Albert. From Albert to the chateau at Becourt, where they were due to arrive at 11 am, the men marched by platoons. At Becourt Chateau they were met by their guides who directed them to their positions in trenches north-west of Becourt Wood, in what had been the area of the British front line on 1st July.

    Around this time (though the exact date has not been established) Pte. Leonard Fox (see 13th January 1915) was permanently transferred from the Battalion to join 255th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers.

    Pte. Fred Dyson (see 24th July), who had been at 34th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples for the previous week, awaiting posting to 2DWR, was promoted Acting Lance Corporal and attached instead to 23rd Northumberland Fusiliers. This Battalion (widely known as 4th Tyneside Scottish) had been devastated during their attack on the village of La Boiselle on 1st July; the Battalion War Diary reported that, on 2nd July, “roll call was taken and only about 100 men answered their names”. The Battalion was in now in process of being rebuilt and Dyson was one of more than 300 men who joined the Battalion in late July. He would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR.

    Capt. William Norman Town, who would later serve with 10DWR, was admitted to St. Andrew’s Hospital, Malta, having suffered an attack of malaria. He was then attached to 12th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. Town was 39 years old. He had first been commissioned into 3rd (Territorial) Battalion West Ridings in 1894 and had served nine years before resigning his commission in 1903, by which time he was a Captain and Instructor of Musketry. Prior to the outbreak of war he had been running a paper manufacturing business in Keighley; he was unmarried. Following the outbreak of war he was commissioned Captain with 9DWR in September 1914. He had gone to the Dardanelles in July 1915 as a Staff Captain with 32nd Infantry Brigade, but had been invalided home in September 1915, having contracted dysentery at Suvla Bay. After recovering, he served with 11DWR in England until March 1916 when he was considered fit for a return to active service and was posted to Salonika; whilst there he had suffered two bouts of diarrhoea before contracting malaria.

    African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:

    East Africa: Gold Coast Regiment lands at Mombasa (2nd West Indian Regiment arrives on July 27).

    Western Desert: British-Italian armoured car raid from Sollum.

    Naval Operations:

    Admiral Bacon's report on work of Dover Patrol published in Times.

    Shipping Losses: 2

    Flore: Norway: The cargo liner sank in the North Sea 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of Fetlar, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom. She probably struck a mine.

    Kentigern: Norway: The barque was sunk in the North Sea 40 nautical miles (74 km) east north east of Hartlepool, County Durham, United Kingdom by Sm U-23, Kaiserliche Marine. Her crew survived.

    Political:

    Britain – Commissions of Enquiry into Dardanelles (Cromer) and Mesopotamia (Hamilton).
    Lloyd George vilifies conscientious objectors. Central Tribunal (July 27) finds 4,378 genuine cases (692 refuse to appear); 250 sent to Dyce near Aberdeen stone quarries late August for 8d pd, 1 dies early September.
    See you on the Dark Side......

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