Chapter 4a – Flers-Courcelette

Redeployment During his time in command of the BEF Gen Sir Douglas Haig issued eight despatches, which covered British operations from December 1915 until the end of the war in November 1918. They were…

You must be logged in to view the content of this Chapter.

1. On the 1^st of July the 4^th Army was comprised of III Corps (8^th & 34^th Divn), VIII Corps (4^th, 29^th  & 31^st Divn), XIII Corps (18^th & 30^th Divn), X Corps (32, 36 Divn) & XV Corps (18^th & 30^th Divn)
2. Doullens was a very important allied railhead for the Somme front, on the N25 Amiens-Arras road. From the summer of 1915 to March 1916, it was at the junction between the French 10^th Army at Arras and the Commonwealth 3^rd Army on the Somme. Commonwealth forces replaced the French on the Arras front in March
3.  Fienvillers lies to the south-west of Doullens 
4. Pierregotte
5.  Round is the term for the bullet with the cartridge attached 
6. The principal UK small arms factories were the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield, the Birmingham Small Arms Company and London Small Arms Company Ltd
7. Becourt Wood was used as a military encampment throughout the campaign, the nearby chateau serving as a dressing station. The wood is now the site of the CWGC Becourt Wood Cemetery,  a few hundred metres to the west of Becourt village
8. Shelter Alley -
9. 7^th (Princess Royal’s) Dragoon Guards (9^th Secunderabad Cavalry Bde, 2^nd Indian Cavalry Divn)
10. 20^th Deccan Horse (9^th Secunderabad Cavalry Bde, 2^nd Indian Cavalry Divn) - The charge was the first made since trench warfare began, and it was the last. The regiment suffered 50 casualties (including nine dead) and 72 horses
11. Lachrymatory gas (tear gas) irritated mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, causing the victim to sneeze, cough and shed tears
12.  Quadrangle Trench - was located between Mametz Wood and Contalmaison was captured from the enemy on the 5^th July 
13. 6^th Avenue East -
14. The junction between Intermediate Trench and Jutland Alley - Longueval Map: 57c SW3 - Ref: S.2.d.7.5
15.  Brigadier-General Henry Frederick Hugh Clifford DSO (GOC 149^th Bde) is buried in Albert Communal Cemetery Extension. His father, Major General Sir Henry Clifford, was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1854, in recognition of his gallantry while serving as a Lt in the Rifle Bde during the Crimean War 
16.  Capt D. Hill 
17. Not certain from which unit of the Norfolk Regt they came from, however six figure service numbers suggest many were recruited  into the 3/6^th Cyclist Bn
18.  The 149^th and 150^th Bde boundary ran rearward from the junction of Clark’s Trench with Jutland Alley (S.3.a.0.0), to the Cross roads (S.8.b.6.9), road junction (S.8 c.9.7), the old German (O.G) trench (S.14.a.2.6) to the north-west corner of Mametz Wood 
19. The 142^nd Bde was part of the 47^th (1/2^nd London) Territorial Divn, along with the 140^th and 141^st Infantry Bdes
20.  From Clark’s Trench (Longueval Map:57c SW3 - Reference: S.3d.2.8) back to the windmill (S.9.c.3.9), the road (S.8.d.9.1), crossroads exclusive to 149^th Bde (S.14.b.1.5), point on road (S.13.b.1.0), road inclusive to 149^th Bde ( X.24.a.8.8) to Quadrangle Trench (X.23.c.4.6 ½)
21. Hornbeam, Lime, Oak and Beech trees
22.  Pte Edgar Norman Gladden (7/7137, 292699)
23. Brigadier-General Robert Montgomery Ovens (b.1868) was CO of the 1^st South Staffordshire Regt in 1914 and 1915. The ‘Companion of St Michael and St George (CMG)’; a British order of chivalry used to honour individuals who have rendered important services in relation to Commonwealth or foreign nations
24. The Battle of Albert was in fact the opening of the Somme Offensive on the 1^st of July. Bazentin Ridge – 14^th July
25. The extreme right hand end of Eye Trench rested on the road from Martinpuich to High Wood
26.  Principally Eye Trench - Longueval Map: 57c SW3 - Ref: S.3.b.6.6 - S.3.b.O.5.5
27. Jutland Avenue - Longueval Map: 57c SW3 - Ref: S.2.d
28. Bethel Sap – A trench dug forward into ‘no man’s land’ at a 90̊ angle from the front line trench. This was used as an observation and listening post. Saps were often joined together to make a new forward trench
29.  Clark’s Trench - Longueval Map: 57c SW3 - Ref: S.3.c.4.9
30.  New Quarry - Longueval Map: 57c SW3 - Ref: S.8.d 9.9.5
31. Old Quarry - Longueval Map: 57c SW3 - Ref: S.8.b.8.1
32. Eaucourt L’Abbaye - Gueudecourt Map: 57cSW1-3A - Ref:
33. Winston Churchill sponsored much of the early research and development work  on ‘landships’ whilst serving as First Lord of the Admiralty
34. The twenty-eight ton tank had a crew of eight and was powered by a 105hp Daimler engine, producing a maximum speed of 3.7mph. ‘Male’ tanks were armed with two six-pounder guns mounted in a sponson on either side. The ‘female' tank was armed with four Vickers machine guns
35.  The Loop - Meulte Map: 62d NE2 -  Ref: F.28.b 
36. Both tanks belonged to No4 Section, ‘D’ Coy, Heavy Bde, MGC. Lt Walter Stones commanded D24 (a male tank - serial no 751) and 2^nd Lt Edward Colle D25 (a female tank - serial no 511)
37.  Caterpillar Valley runs from east to west and lies between Mametz village and Mametz Wood 
38. Capt Henry Hogarth Bell was OC ‘D’ Coy
39. Creeping barrage
40. OC - Capt Tweedy
41. The 141^st Bde (47^th Divn) line from left to right comprised the 1/18^th London Irish Rifles, 1/17^th Popular & Stepney Rifles, The 1/19^th St Pancras and 1/20^th Blackheath & Woolwich were to follow
42.  Bn HQ staff consisted of the Commanding Officer (CO) a Lt Colonel, Second in command a Major, Captain adjutant, Captain Quartermaster, Medical Officer, RSM, and Sergeants filling the roles of Quartermaster, Drummer, Cook, Pioneer, Shoemaker, Transport, Signaller, Armourer, Orderly Room Clerk 
43. The north west corner of High Wood:  Longueval Map: 57c SW3 - Ref: S.3.b.8.6
44. 23^rd Bavarian Regt
45. Brecon communication trench linked Bazentin-le-Petit with the eastern end of Clark’s Trench and the western corner of High Wood: Longueval Map: 57cSW3 Reference: S.9.a & S.3.c & d
46. OC - Capt Demford
47.  Grenade throwers
48.  Premature detonations were caused by defective shells and worn out guns 
49. 2nd Lt Norman Campbell Conochie transferred from 9th Highland Light Infantry (HLI). 34 Ancaster Drive, Annitsland, Glasgow
50.  2^nd Lt Richard Danton Browne transferred to the 11^th NF. From Durban, South Africa 
51. 2^nd Lt Keith Patrick was attached from the 6^th HLI – ADANAC Military Cemetery. It is assumed that Patrick was destined for the 6^th HLI, but diverted to the NF because at this time the 6^th was in Egypt
52. 2^nd Lt J Fleming was attached from the 6^th HLI – Bazentin le Petit Communal Cemetery
53. 2^nd Lt George James Balfour was attached from the 6^th HLI – Delville Wood Cemetery
54. The  3^rd objective - Starfish Line: Gueudecourt Map: 57cSW1-3A - Ref: M.34.a
55. OC - Lt Daglish
56.  a Royal Field Artillery Forward Observation Officer
57.  2^nd Lt Browne was on the Bn HQ staff 
58. 15^th Scottish Divn was comprised of the 44^th, 45^th and 46^th Infantry Bdes
59. GSO1 50^th Divn 1916/17 – Brigadier Henry Karslake (1879-1942) 
60.  Pte Ralph Newton (4/3318) and John Edward Newton (4/909) 
61.  Pte Charles Edwin Cade is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial 
62. The drafts were possibly men from the 4^th East Yorks
63. 150^th Bde
64.  ‘Jumping off’ was the term applied to shallow trenches or saps in front of the main line which were dug in order to gain a foothold in ‘No Man’s Land’ and cut the distance the infantry would need to cover out in the open in order to reach the enemy line 
65. Vaux Post strongpoint - Longueval Map: 57cSW3 - Ref: S.3.b.7.5
66. Lt Henry Mylas Carrick
67. Lt Findlayson
68. Lt Henry Archibald Long
69. Lt Stephenson
70. Lt William Barry Hicks
71. Lt John Martin Benson
72. Eaucourt L’Abbaye: Gueudecourt Map: 57cSW1-3A - Ref: M.23.c
73. Lt Henry Mylas Carrick
74. Pte Edward Francis McClafferty (4/1741) served with ‘C’ Haltwhistle Coy and had been wounded on the 26^th April 1915 
75.  Pte Patrick Charles Johnson (9037) 
76. Pte Fred Thomas Norton (aged 24) is buried at Etaples cemetery, so may have died from wounds sustained at an earlier date
77. Pte J. Potter (1342) is buried at St Sever Cemetery in Rouen, so he may have died from wounds sustained at an earlier date
78.  Pte Henry John Mead (4/1869) was born in Hexham and enlisted in Corbridge
79.  (Ancestry.com) 
80. The 1^st Gloucesters were part of the 1^st (Regular) Divn comprised of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Infantry Bdes