Falfemont Farm, September 1916

[David Seymour]

One of my Old Boys, Private Gavain Wilson of the 1st Norfolks, was killed in action/died of wounds (SDGW & Norfolk Regt Casualty reports say DOW) on 4/9/16 at Falfemont Farm. As always I'd be most grateful if anyone could help with details of this action.

Many thanks,

David

[Simon_Fielding]

Hi David - My great grandad (below) was wounded on the run up to the attack on the farm. I this is the first account I came across:

From The Battle of the Somme – A Topographical History by Gerald Gliddon Alan Sutton Stroud 1998 pp.145-146

147

Falfemont Farm

The original farm which is not to be confused with the one on the present site was a German fortified strong point. It was to the south-east of Wedge Wood and Guillemont and south-west of Leuze Wood. It was also south of Combles. It was situated on high ground which overlooked the Allied positions and was rectangular in shape.

The ground between Malzhorn Farm and Falfemont Farm was broken by a three pronged ravine that had Angle Wood in its centre. On 24th August the 17th Lanes. Fus. 104th Bde. (35th Div. Bantam) were to be involved in an attack to be carried out against Falfemont Ridge, whilst the French were to attack Oakhanger Wood which was to the south-east of the Farm. The attack was postponed. The French were under the impression that the farm was deserted in this period but it wasn't!

On the 3rd September it was planned to attack the farm together with Wedge Wood. German reinforcements could be seen emerging from Leuze Wood on their way to the farm. The Allied Division involved was the 5th and the 2nd KOSB, 14th and 15th R. Warwicks. of the 13th Bde. were the units involved. On this day the farm had not been bombarded as had been planned, owing to some mistake. Machine gun fire from the Germans at the wood broke up the 13th Bde. attack, but the farm was finally taken in the early hours of the 5th September by the 1st Ches. and 1st Beds. after the 1st

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Norfolks had been held up in the front. No part of the farm was left standing by this time and there were no dugouts or trenches. The battalions therefore had to spend the night in the open. A few bricks were all that was left of what had been a vital part of the German defence system. The 16th R. Warwicks. had established a line down the slope of the ravine which linked the 95th Bde. of the 5th Div. in Leuze Wood with the French left which was now in Savernake Wood. I

In the history of the 5th Div. there is a special tribute to the artillery of the ' 35th and 56th Divs. who covered this Divisional front. Their bombardment and barrage fire had rendered the success of taking the farm possible. Their gun positions in Chimpanzee Valley and the area south-east of Bernafay Wood were subjected to heavy bombardments and much gas shelling. On 10th September the 1st. E. Surreys (95th Bde. 5th Div.) had two companies in trenches halfway up the slope to the farm in the Bois de Falfemont. Amidst the farm crops is a three man grave which contains the bodies of Capt. Heumann of the 2nd London (R. Fus.) (1 69th Bde. 56th Div.) Sgt. Major Mills (known of course as Bertram) and Sgt. Torrance. I have to thank Mr. A. Spagnoly for the account of how the men got to be in this small grave, which is quite separate from an official cemetery. He says that 'Heumann was killed in a abortive attack by A & B Companies of the 2nd London (R. Fus.). The 169th Bde. was endeavoring to get into the sunken road behind Combles and Loop Trench, and thus loosen the grip on Combles. 'A' Company bombed across the wood to Loop Trench and the Germans massed for a counter-attack. 'B' Company under Heumann was at a spot south-east of the wood called 'Lone Tree'. He was ordered to attack 'Q' Trench or Leugemake Trench running from the wood and divert or dissipate the counter-attack: he was sitting in a shell hole at 'Lone Tree' - briefing his officers - and a shell burst overhead killing both him and Mills. Both men were quickly buried where they fell and just how Sgt. Torrance who was killed on the same day at the wood came to be with them, only stretcher bearers cleaning up that night could say. The attack went in under another officer, and was partially success. ful: - but they did manage to get into 'Q' Trench: four officer and 23 other ranks died in the action. The ground gained was 50 metres. There were also 98 wounded'.

Let me know if I can provide more - I'll have a look in the History of the Fifth Div and see what that says.

Regards

Simon

[Simon_Fielding]

And some more:

Battleground Europe Guillemont Michael Stedman Leo Cooper 1998 pp.113 -4

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The capture of Falfemont Farm

As we have seen, 4 September was a day of mixed weather, windy, squally showers and alternating periods of bright sunshine. It was expected that, at 3.10 pm, the 5th Division would carry the attack past the German Second Position from Point 486, through Falfemont Farm and north-westwards to Wedge Wood. A subsequent advance was to be made at 6.30 pm on the Leuze Wood positions by the 5th Division's men, an objective which the 20th Division would also be seeking to reach from their positions east of Guillemont.

The attack on Falfemont Farm was made by three battalions of 15 Brigade, 5th Division. The 1st Norfolks were immediately handicapped by the inability of the French on their right to leave their trenches. The right of the 1st Norfolks was therefore devastated by machine-gun fire from the Combles ravine (Oakhanger Wood) and the

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battalion's attacks failed. However, on the left of the 1st Norfolks one company of the 1st Cheshires managed to work their way round to the north-western face of the farm enclosure under the protection of the spur's shelter. From the north-west the 1st Bedfordshires bombed their way down the German trench, capturing many Germans who were driven towards the 1st Cheshire's men. The 1st Bedfords captured 130 prisoners, mostly from the 164th Regiment, as well as a number of machine-guns.. By 4.00 pm the northern and western parts of the farm’s enclosure had been captured. A further attempt to storm the farm at 5:30 pm was a failure and it was then decided that the 16th Royal Warwicks would sap towards the farm overnight. Whilst this process, continued the 1st Norfolks pushed into the remaining parts of the farm not yet captured and then sent patrols to clear the area down towards Point 48 to the south-east.

[Paul Reed]

There is also an account of this in my own BE book 'Combles', which has maps from the War Diary etc.

For details of the book, see:

http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/great_w...y_paul_reed.htm

[David Seymour]

Simon,

Many thanks for the information. It all helps in our quest to inform today's pupils about the sacrifices of their predecessors.

I would be most grateful for anything else you can provide.

Again, many thanks.

David

[David Seymour]

Paul,

Many thanks for the reference.

Regards,

David

[David Seymour]

Paul,

Is it possible to visit the scene of the Falfemont Farm action? Presumably it is on private property. If one was in the area what would one be able to see?

Or will all that be in your book?

Regards,

David

[Paul Reed]

It is possible to visit; the old Falfemont Farm area was planted with trees after the war, and it would be possible to see it in the Spring or Autumn when there are no crops in the surrounding fields. Details of how to visit are indeed in the book.

[ianshuter]

18 years later (I love this forum) I am researching Private 17055 Frederick Sydney HANCOCK, 15th Bn Royal Warwickshire who died in one of the two failed attempts to capture Falfemont Farm on the 3rd Sept. He is memorialised on the Warwick Eleanor Cross War Memorial.

 

[Howard]

4 hours ago, ianshuter said:

... Falfemont Farm ...

Nicely shown on TrenchMapper. Just put Falfemont in the Advanced find box.

 

Howard

 

[ianshuter]