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Remembered Today:

Guillemont August 1916


bernithebolt

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Hi everyone,

I need need help with photos, trench maps, unit dispositions for the Guilemont area for the period 9th to 12th August 1916. Particularly the 1/5th btn Loyal North Lancs, Particular interest Casement trench area, Trones wood area, Sunken Rd, around this time

Many thanx folks

Berni the bolt

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Berni

On 8/9 August the 1/5 Battalion took part in the attack on Guillemont, there objective was the high ground south of Guillemont and then the village.

Zero hour was fixed for 0420 8 August, and at zero the battalion attacked along a spur adjacent to the French until enemy fire brought the men to a halt. The battalion bombers went down Cochrane Alley, which was blocked by the 1st West Lancs Field Company using gun cotton approx 400 metres east of Maltzhorn Farm.

Source: 148 Days on the Somme by Barry Cuttell.

Regards

John

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From the 55th Divisional History:

"The attack of Guillemont was timed to take place at 4-20 on the morning of the 8th August. The Order of Battle was as follows:-the 165th Infantry Brigade on the right, employing the 1/5th Liverpools and two companies of the 1/6th Liverpools, was to capture the line, roughly the Hardecourt-Guillemont road, and to couple up with the French on their right. The 164th Infantry Brigade, on the left, employing the 1/4th King's Own Royal Lancasters and the 1/8th Liverpool Irish, with two companies of the 1/4th Loyal North Lancs., was to take the) northern and southern portions of Guillemont village respectively-the two companies of the Loyal North Lancs, following up the attack and occupying the German front line. The Liverpool Irish were to establish touch with the 2nd Division on the left of Guillemont station. The Divisional Artillery, with the assistance of other artillery attached for the purpose, was to support the attack by a creeping barrage-a method of support at that time in its infancy-and during the whole of the day on the 7th and until zero hour on the 8th they, together with the Heavy Artillery, kept up a continuous bombardment of the enemy positions and particularly of Guillemont village, which was known to be a strongly fortified place, the south-east corner especially containing a network of deep galleries holding large numbers of Infantry and machine guns. This bombardment was almost awe-inspiring in its intensity, and it might have been, with good reason, thought that nothing could live through it.

The attack took place at 4-20 a.m., as arranged, and at 5-20 a.m. a report was received to the effect that British troops were in Guillemont Station. A little later it became known that the centre had been unable to advance and the artillery barrage had to be brought back. The 1/4th Royal Lancasters had found a belt of the enemy's wire about 200 yards from their jumping off place-probably put out by the enemy during the night. They made a gallant attempt to cut their way through, but suffered so heavily from rifle and machine gun fire both from their front and from their right flank, that they were compelled to return to their trenches.

The position of the 1/8th Liverpools (Irish), who were reported to have reached Guillemont Station, in consequence of this became precarious. Their right flank was in the air and they were being subjected to heavy machine gun fire from Guillemont. They, therefore, attempted to bomb downwards from the north, and, though it is not clear whether they succeeded by this means or by their initial attack, they nevertheless did reach and did hold the northern end of the village.

At 7-15 a.m. the 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers, which formed the left Brigade reserve, had been absorbed into the fight, and suffered severely from the enemy's barrage and from machine gun fire. A battalion of the 166th Infantry Brigade was sent up to take their place as Brigade Reserve.

Meanwhile the attack on the right had succeeded. The 165th Infantry Brigade, after successfully overcoming difficulties, captured and consolidated its objective and the extreme left company "D" Company of the 1/5th Liverpools - even succeeded in laying and maintaining telephone communication with Brigade Headquarters.

The right company had also established touch with the French according to programme. The position, therefore, on the afternoon of the 8th was: the right had succeeded and consolidated; the left had succeeded to some extent, but was cut off; the centre had failed to get forward.

The brave fight of the Liverpool Irish will always be associated with this battle. It is difficult to give a clear account of their actions that day, but they appear - in the thick cloud of dust caused by an easterly wind and the smoke of the enemy's heavy barrage - to have lost direction and to have inclined too much to the north. Moreover, it is certain that some of the trenches captured by them were not completely mopped up, for they were found to be full of Germans by the two companies of the 1/4th Loyal North Lancs, who followed up to occupy them. But there is no doubt that the battalion made a gallant fight and actually reached their objective in face of withering machine gun fire from their right and from the village of Guillemont. Only one or two men were able to make their way back; the remaining survivors were captured and were marched next day up the slope to Ginchy in full view of their comrades on the other side of the valley-powerless to help them.

In the evening of the same day orders were received from the XIII. Corps that the attack was to be continued at 4-20 a.m. the following morning - August 9th. On the right the objective was the capture of the trenches in front of those taken during the day; the objective on the left was the village of Guillemont. The Order of Battle was as follows:-The l65th Infantry Brigade on the right had the 1/7th King's Liverpools with one company of the 1/6th Liverpools in the front line; the remaining three companies of the 1/6th Liverpools in support, and the l/9th Liverpools in reserve. The l66th Infantry Brigade on the left had in the front line the Liverpool Scottish and the 1/5th Loyal North Lancs in support the 1/5th South Lancs., and in reserve the 1/5th Kings Own Royal Lancaster,. For this attack there was no preliminary bombardment, but at 4-20 a.m. the barrage opened. In the centre the Liverpool Scottish moved off, following close under the barrage, and got within a few yards of the enemy trenches, to find that the wire had not been successfully cut. In spite of most gallant attempts to cut their way through, the obstacle proved impenetrable and the Officer Commanding, after leading his men a second time to the attack-in which he himself was wounded-finding it impossible to make headway ordered a return to the original line. On the left the 1/5th Loyal North Lancs., owing to the lateness of the hour at which orders were received, to the narrowness and crowded condition of the trenches, due to reliefs - and to the heavy casualties to officers, were unable to get into position until after 5 a.m. In spite of this and in spite of the fact that the artillery barrage had lifted at 4-23 a.m. as arranged, they made a most gallant assault. They were, however, unable to reach the German trenches, and were compelled to fall back to their starting point. Similar causes and similar difficulties hindered the success of the 165th Brigade on the right. The attack was gallantly pressed, but it failed and the days following were spent in improving the trenches and consolidating the ground won."

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Berni

Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send you a trench map of the area, includes Casement Trench and the Guillemont attack area.

Along with the description from 55th Div history from Ken Lees, it should be quite helpful.

John

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Berni

On 8/9 August the 1/5 Battalion took part in the attack on Guillemont, there objective was the high ground south of Guillemont and then the village.

Zero hour was fixed for 0420 8 August, and at zero the battalion attacked along a spur adjacent to the French until enemy fire brought the men to a halt. The battalion bombers went down Cochrane Alley, which was blocked by the 1st West Lancs Field Company using gun cotton approx 400 metres east of Maltzhorn Farm.

Source: 148 Days on the Somme by Barry Cuttell.

Regards

John

Your're a star, I am researching my great grandfather who would have served in B company at that time in 1/5th LNL, great help for further research thnx

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Berni

Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send you a trench map of the area, includes Casement Trench and the Guillemont attack area.

Along with the description from 55th Div history from Ken Lees, it should be quite helpful.

John

email swiftalinie@yahoo.co.uk

thanks sooo much for the help, am compilin a detailed hiistory of my Gt Grandad who was in the 1/5th B company. I have all war diaries for that unit at that time so can reciprocate if the info is useful to you. Also have the diary of 9th LNL at the time of his death (3rd Ypres)

thanks very much

Berni

From the 55th Divisional History:

"The attack of Guillemont was timed to take place at 4-20 on the morning of the 8th August. The Order of Battle was as follows:-the 165th Infantry Brigade on the right, employing the 1/5th Liverpools and two companies of the 1/6th Liverpools, was to capture the line, roughly the Hardecourt-Guillemont road, and to couple up with the French on their right. The 164th Infantry Brigade, on the left, employing the 1/4th King's Own Royal Lancasters and the 1/8th Liverpool Irish, with two companies of the 1/4th Loyal North Lancs., was to take the) northern and southern portions of Guillemont village respectively-the two companies of the Loyal North Lancs, following up the attack and occupying the German front line. The Liverpool Irish were to establish touch with the 2nd Division on the left of Guillemont station. The Divisional Artillery, with the assistance of other artillery attached for the purpose, was to support the attack by a creeping barrage-a method of support at that time in its infancy-and during the whole of the day on the 7th and until zero hour on the 8th they, together with the Heavy Artillery, kept up a continuous bombardment of the enemy positions and particularly of Guillemont village, which was known to be a strongly fortified place, the south-east corner especially containing a network of deep galleries holding large numbers of Infantry and machine guns. This bombardment was almost awe-inspiring in its intensity, and it might have been, with good reason, thought that nothing could live through it.

The attack took place at 4-20 a.m., as arranged, and at 5-20 a.m. a report was received to the effect that British troops were in Guillemont Station. A little later it became known that the centre had been unable to advance and the artillery barrage had to be brought back. The 1/4th Royal Lancasters had found a belt of the enemy's wire about 200 yards from their jumping off place-probably put out by the enemy during the night. They made a gallant attempt to cut their way through, but suffered so heavily from rifle and machine gun fire both from their front and from their right flank, that they were compelled to return to their trenches.

The position of the 1/8th Liverpools (Irish), who were reported to have reached Guillemont Station, in consequence of this became precarious. Their right flank was in the air and they were being subjected to heavy machine gun fire from Guillemont. They, therefore, attempted to bomb downwards from the north, and, though it is not clear whether they succeeded by this means or by their initial attack, they nevertheless did reach and did hold the northern end of the village.

At 7-15 a.m. the 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers, which formed the left Brigade reserve, had been absorbed into the fight, and suffered severely from the enemy's barrage and from machine gun fire. A battalion of the 166th Infantry Brigade was sent up to take their place as Brigade Reserve.

Meanwhile the attack on the right had succeeded. The 165th Infantry Brigade, after successfully overcoming difficulties, captured and consolidated its objective and the extreme left company "D" Company of the 1/5th Liverpools - even succeeded in laying and maintaining telephone communication with Brigade Headquarters.

The right company had also established touch with the French according to programme. The position, therefore, on the afternoon of the 8th was: the right had succeeded and consolidated; the left had succeeded to some extent, but was cut off; the centre had failed to get forward.

The brave fight of the Liverpool Irish will always be associated with this battle. It is difficult to give a clear account of their actions that day, but they appear - in the thick cloud of dust caused by an easterly wind and the smoke of the enemy's heavy barrage - to have lost direction and to have inclined too much to the north. Moreover, it is certain that some of the trenches captured by them were not completely mopped up, for they were found to be full of Germans by the two companies of the 1/4th Loyal North Lancs, who followed up to occupy them. But there is no doubt that the battalion made a gallant fight and actually reached their objective in face of withering machine gun fire from their right and from the village of Guillemont. Only one or two men were able to make their way back; the remaining survivors were captured and were marched next day up the slope to Ginchy in full view of their comrades on the other side of the valley-powerless to help them.

In the evening of the same day orders were received from the XIII. Corps that the attack was to be continued at 4-20 a.m. the following morning - August 9th. On the right the objective was the capture of the trenches in front of those taken during the day; the objective on the left was the village of Guillemont. The Order of Battle was as follows:-The l65th Infantry Brigade on the right had the 1/7th King's Liverpools with one company of the 1/6th Liverpools in the front line; the remaining three companies of the 1/6th Liverpools in support, and the l/9th Liverpools in reserve. The l66th Infantry Brigade on the left had in the front line the Liverpool Scottish and the 1/5th Loyal North Lancs in support the 1/5th South Lancs., and in reserve the 1/5th Kings Own Royal Lancaster,. For this attack there was no preliminary bombardment, but at 4-20 a.m. the barrage opened. In the centre the Liverpool Scottish moved off, following close under the barrage, and got within a few yards of the enemy trenches, to find that the wire had not been successfully cut. In spite of most gallant attempts to cut their way through, the obstacle proved impenetrable and the Officer Commanding, after leading his men a second time to the attack-in which he himself was wounded-finding it impossible to make headway ordered a return to the original line. On the left the 1/5th Loyal North Lancs., owing to the lateness of the hour at which orders were received, to the narrowness and crowded condition of the trenches, due to reliefs - and to the heavy casualties to officers, were unable to get into position until after 5 a.m. In spite of this and in spite of the fact that the artillery barrage had lifted at 4-23 a.m. as arranged, they made a most gallant assault. They were, however, unable to reach the German trenches, and were compelled to fall back to their starting point. Similar causes and similar difficulties hindered the success of the 165th Brigade on the right. The attack was gallantly pressed, but it failed and the days following were spent in improving the trenches and consolidating the ground won."

Thanks so much for the help. Will be posting from time to time as my work progresses thanks everso much

Berni

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