Fromelles: Battleground Europe Series

[Robert Dunlop]

(ISBN 0 85052 928 X)

I finished reading this account of the combined 61st Division and 5th Australian Division attack on Adolf Hitler's division, near the village of Fromelles. The village is just a stone's throw north of Neuve Chapelle, at the base of Aubers Ridge. The attack was carried out to prevent German reserves being drawn off to the Battle of the Somme. What a shambles! A previous attack in the same area had failed in 1915. Subsequently, the Germans had improved the fortifications, widening the parapets (which had to sit above the waterlogged ground) and incorporating machine gun posts and Wohngraben - small concrete bunkers - into the parapets.

The British attack failed completely, apart from a small group who managed to reach the German lines but did not survive. Some of the Australians made it to the German frontline trench and then pressed on, only to find that the second and third line 'trenches' were waterlogged remnants of trenches that had been abandoned. There are detailed accounts of the German counterattacks that came round both flanks and got in behind the Aussies who were lying in the shell holes beyond the German line.

Having visited the area, I can appreciate why the artillery struggled because there is no opportunity for decent observation, whereas the Germans had the concrete observation tower inside the spire of the church in Aubers. The ground is so flat that the German machine gunners fired 'grazing enfilade fire', where the bullets were never above knee high. This knocked the men down and then killed them as they fell.

An interesting account, with plenty of detail about the Germans as well.

Robert

[PhilB]

Robert, I think the attack at Fromelles (rightly or wrongly) left a bad taste in the mouths of the Australians who thought the British had not pushed strongly enough, resulting in the Aussies being exposed to heavy MG fire from the Sugar Loaf in the centre. The losses in the 2 divisions were:-

61 Div 79 officers & 1468 ORs.

5 Aust Div 178 officers & 5355 men.

Phil B

[Andrew P]

I'll have to look out for this book as I liked Pedersen's bio of Monash.

Another good book on Fromelles is 'Don't Forget me Cobber' by Robin Corfield.

[Robert Dunlop]

I think the attack at Fromelles (rightly or wrongly) left a bad taste in the mouths of the Australians

Phil

Pedersen addresses this issue in the book. He has an entire chapter entitled 'reflections'. My impression is that a bad taste was (rightly) warranted but not because of the efforts of the 61st Division (wrongly). Two previous attacks in the same area had failed. The planning for this attack was shambolic. There were opportunities to call the attack off that were not taken.

McKay is singled out for special criticism - his 'planning and handling of the battle were shaky'. More pointedly, '(h)enceforth, McKay, like Haking, became the "Butcher of Fromelles". His headquarters staff were unwilling to work for him. As a result of soldier' letters home, he became the villain in Australia as well. After the war, Australian veterans scrawled "Butcher McCay" in red paint outside a servicemen's club he was visiting, and one of the AIF's great heroes, Captain Albert Jacka VC, MC, publicly refused to shake his hand.'

Robert

[Robert Dunlop]

I'll have to look out for this book as I liked Pedersen's bio of Monash.

It is extremely well written but very disturbing. The photographs of the dead and the details of the circumstances in which they died, particularly in light of the decisions behind the attack, make for a tough read.

Robert

[Andrew P]

Hi Robert

McCay definately wasn't very well respected among his soldiers and his attempt to make Colonel Pope, the 14th Brigade commander the scapegoat for the failure of the Fromelles attack doesn't put him in a good light either. McCay sacked Pope and sent him back to Australia.

Thankfully Monash, who knew Colonel Pope from Gallipoli and the type of leader he was brought him back to command the 52nd Battalion which he did with much success till he was wounded at Messines.

Thankfully for the 5th Division, McCay wasn't in command for to much longer as Talbot Hobbs took over the command and the 5th flourished under his leadership.

Cheers

Andrew