Victoria Crosses on the Western Front - Somme 1916

1st July 1916 to 13th November 1916

Paul Oldfield

• Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781473874565
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World War I
• Index: History

In the past, while visiting the First World War battlefields, the author often wondered where the various Victoria Cross actions took place. He resolved to find out. In 1988, in the midst of his army career, research for this book commenced and over the years numerous sources have been consulted. Victoria Crosses on the Western Front – Somme 1916 is designed for the battlefield visitor as much as the armchair reader. A thorough account of each VC action is set within the wider strategic and tactical context. Detailed sketch maps show the area today, together with the battle-lines and movements of the combatants. It will allow visitors to stand upon the spot, or very close to, where each VC was won. Photographs of the battle sites richly illustrate the accounts. There is also a comprehensive biography for each recipient covering every aspect of their lives ‘warts and all’ – parents and siblings, education, civilian employment, military career, wife and children, death and burial/commemoration. A host of other information, much of it published for the first time, reveals some fascinating characters, with numerous links to many famous people and events.

Chapter One

Battle of Albert

1st July 1916

124 Maj Stewart Loudoun-Shand, 10th Yorkshire (62nd Brigade, 21st Division), Fricourt, France

125 Sgt James Turnbull, 17th Highland Light Infantry (97th Brigade, 32nd Division), Authuille, France

126 Pte William McFadzean, 14th Royal Irish Rifles (109th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division), Thiepval Wood, France

127 Capt Eric Bell, 9th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers att’d 109th Trench Mortar Battery (109th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division), Thiepval, France

128 Lt Geoffrey Cather, 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers (108th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division), Hamel, France

129 Pte Robert Quigg, 12th Royal Irish Rifles (108th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division), Hamel, France

130 Cpl George Sanders, 1/7th West Yorkshire (146th Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division), Thiepval, France

131 Dmr Walter Ritchie, 2nd Seaforth Highlanders (10th Brigade, 4th Division), Beaumont Hamel, France

132 Capt John Green, RAMC att’d 1/5th Sherwood Foresters (139th Brigade, 46th (North Midland) Division), Foncquevillers, France

At the end of 1915 the British and French started making plans for a major joint offensive in 1916; whilst their allies in Russia and Italy would simultaneously launch their own offensives. However, the German onslaught at Verdun, beginning in February, forced the French to reduce their contribution to the joint venture. The final plan was for the French Sixth Army and the newly formed British Fourth Army to attack astride the River Somme, while the British Third Army made a diversionary attack at Gommecourt. The opening day of the Somme offensive was a watershed in the conflict, being just several weeks before the mid point of the war. It was also the last major battle opened solely by volunteers – Regulars, Territorials and Kitchener men – and, with a few small exceptions, exclusively by the county regiments of the British Army. Expectations were high that the ‘Big Push’ would lead to a major success.

The attack frontage on 1st July 1916; the first day of the Somme. The general location of each of the nine VCs is shown, the main concentration being around Thiepval. Only the British divisions are annotated. Note there was no attack in 48th Division’s area. The three German positions illustrate their strength in this area. The objective for the first day, the dotted line, takes in the second position in the centre of the attack area. The simultaneous French attack to the south initially covered about half the British frontage.

On the first day, Fourth Army was to launch a general assault on a frontage of twenty-three kilometres. The objective was the first enemy defensive system along the line Montauban – Pozières – Serre and the second system from Pozières to Serre. This necessitated an advance of at least two and half kilometres along the whole front; a daunting prospect. Attempts to maintain secrecy were futile; it was impossible to hide 400,000 men, 100,000 horses and huge quantities of stores. Efforts to divert enemy attention to other areas by raids and mock preparations failed because there was insufficient artillery ammunition to make the deception convincing.

The preparatory bombardment commenced on 24th June and continued until the attack on 1st July, two days later than originally planned, due to bad weather. Over 1,700,000 shells were fired, but they were generally of light calibre and insufficient to destroy the enemy’s deep dugouts; and in many places the wire remained intact or was rapidly repaired. Each morning the bombardment was intensified for eighty minutes, except on the morning of the attack. On that day it was shortened by fifteen minutes in the hope that the Germans would remain in their dugouts long enough for the British to cross no man’s land.

During the evening of 30th June, the assault troops made their way into the trenches, each man carrying at least thirty kilogrammes. Ominously a number of raids that night failed, as the fully alert Germans steadfastly defended their trenches. At 6.25 a.m. the final bombardment began, with the trench mortars joining in at 7.20 a.m. Ten minutes later the fire lifted off the enemy front line and tens of thousands of infantrymen advanced across no man’s land. It was a cloudless summer day, with a little mist lingering in the hollows. In the words of the Official Historian, ‘If ever a decisive victory was to be won it was to be expected now’, but this was not to be. Nine men were awarded the VC for their actions on 1st July 1916.

On the right flank, the attack by XIII Corps alongside the French was successful. Next in line to the north was XV Corps, tasked with capturing the Fricourt salient. In deference to the strength of the enemy defences, the village was to be left until the ground either side had fallen. Accordingly, 7th Division attacked south of Fricourt and 21st Division to the north; their objective was the German second intermediate position. Each division was to push its outside brigade forward to meet at Bottom Wood, while the inside brigades formed defensive flanks to seal off Fricourt and awaited orders to take the village. The final bombardment included gas and smoke and at 7.28 a.m. three mines were blown at the Tambour to divert the enemy’s attention and mask enfilade fire against 21st Division’s right flank.

21st Division attacked with three brigades in line; from the left these were 64th, 63rd and 50th (attached from 17th Division). 62nd Brigade was in reserve, providing 800 men for carrying parties to the forward brigades and Royal Engineers. As soon as the assault brigades went forward, 62nd Brigade was to move into the vacated front line. 10th West Yorkshire (50th Brigade) was to form the defensive flank against the north face of Fricourt, while the rest of this Brigade awaited the order to attack the village.

At zero hour the assault lines swept forward, meeting little initial resistance, but the Germans recovered quickly. Machine-guns north of the village around the Tambour and on the high ground south of La Boisselle caused horrific casualties. Despite the losses, some of the attackers penetrated a mile into the enemy positions, but they were weak and both flanks were left in the air due to the failure or delay of the troops on either side.

The attack north of Fricourt by 21st Division on 1st July 1916. The village was to be isolated by attacks to the north and south (7th Division), and taken later once it had been cut off. Two abbreviations are used; QR = Queen’s Redoubt and FNMC = Fricourt New Military Cemetery. To reach the site of Stewart Loudoun-Shand’s VC action, drive south on the D147 from Contalmaison. Pass Fricourt German Cemetery on the left and 250m further on turn right onto a single track road. After 200m, where the track forks, park on the area of hard standing. Walk along the track on the left, passing the path leading south to Fricourt New Military Cemetery after 150m. Continue westwards for another 400m, until about 100m short of a lone tree. This is where the British front line crossed the track and about 100m south of it is where Stewart Loudoun-Shand urged on his men until his death.

From the track northeast of Fricourt at the point where the British front line crossed. Stewart Loudoun-Shand was 100m south of the track, in line with Fricourt New Military Cemetery on the extreme right of picture.

During the initial assault, B Company, 10th Yorkshire (62nd Brigade), was tasked to follow 4th Middlesex (63rd Brigade) to mop up enemy resistance. The Company, led by Major Stewart Loudoun-Shand, left Queen’s Redoubt and made its way through the trenches. It was to arrive in the front line five minutes before zero, just as 4th Middlesex went forward to close the distance to the enemy lines before the artillery lifted. The machine-gun fire was so severe that 4th Middlesex was driven back. Despite being severely depleted and shaken, the survivors left the trench again one minute before zero, but only 140 men succeeded in reaching the enemy support line.

Just before zero, Loudoun-Shand led his men into the front line in readiness to follow 4th Middlesex. When the time came to advance at 7.30 a.m., the men hesitated to go over the top as the Germans were spraying the parapet with machine-gun fire. Loudoun-Shand climbed out and ran along the parapet, shouting encouragement to his men and assisting them out of the trench. He was hit by three machine-gun bullets and fell back into the trench, but insisted on being propped up so he could continue to encourage his men as they advanced into the hail of fire. He died just as the enemy trench fell and the machine-gun was destroyed. At the end of the day, B Company mustered only one officer and twenty-seven men. The rest of 10th Yorkshire reached Crucifix Trench. During the night 62nd Brigade took over the line from 64th Brigade until relieved early on 4th July, having suffered 973 casualties.

Optimistic reports led HQ XV Corps to order the attack on Fricourt, which failed, and 21st Division only managed to maintain the positions reached during the morning. Conversely, during the afternoon, 7th Division to the south took Mametz. At the end of the day the right of XV Corps had advanced 2,250 metres while the left had managed only 1,800 metres. During the night the Germans abandoned Fricourt as it was untenable.

III Corps at La Boisselle had very few gains to show for its heavy losses. To the north, X Corps’ task was also a difficult one; the capture of the Thiepval Spur and village, the Schwaben Redoubt and the north bank of the Ancre. The German positions were well protected, covered by flanking fire from other units and almost everywhere overlooked the British lines. On the right, 32nd Division was to capture Thiepval Spur, including the Leipzig Salient. On the left, 36th Division was to capture the plateau north of Thiepval and north of St Pierre Divion, beyond the Ancre. Both divisions were then to take the German second position. 49th Division was held in reserve in Aveluy Wood.

32nd Division was already tired, having spent the days preceding the attack digging assembly trenches and carrying stores. The assault was led by 96th Brigade on the left, 97th Brigade on the right and 14th Brigade in reserve. The junction with III Corps on the right was in Nab Valley, which neither Corps attacked, leaving the defenders free to pour enfilade fire into the flanks of both formations.

32nd Division on 1st July had only one success; seizure of part of the Leipzig Salient south of Thiepval. Two abbreviations are used: TM = Thiepval Memorial and G = Granatloch. A short dotted line east of the Granatloch marks the limit of the gains by 97th Brigade. To reach the Granatloch, park at the Thiepval Visitor Centre, where it is worth spending some time, but it can become very busy at times. Walk southwest for 900m along the track on top of Thiepval Spur, passing the Memorial on the right. The Granatloch is the small overgrown quarry through which the track passes. Lonsdale Cemetery, where James Turnbull is buried (IV G 9), is a few hundred metres to the south and can be seen from the track. The quarry can be quite oppressive and finds of live ammunition and human bones are not uncommon. Some years ago, the author visited on a hot day to find the contents of a huge shell lying by the side of the track. A very bold/suicidal collector had cut off the base with a power tool and shaken out the explosives in a solid shell-shaped lump. B...