8th Battalion Devonshire Regiment- 5th/6th September 1916 - Ginchy

[flintman]

Good morning to all,

Can any one please tell me in which trenches the 8th Devon's fought on the 5th/6th September 1916 at Ginchy ? I can find references to the 9th Devon's and other lead battalions but the 8th appear to have been in support? Would their location mirror that of the 9th ?. Both were in the 7th Division- 20th Brigade at the time.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

Clive

[sjustice]

Clive,

In the absence of other replies (I'm sure one of the Devonshire bods will leap on this when they see it) there is a description of actions by Barry Cuttell. He has them assisting 2/Queen's (91st Bde) in consolidating the east edge of Delville Wood between Hop and Ale Alleys on 5 September. Next day they were 'pushing east from Pilsen Lane and strengthening [their] hold on the main road to Ginchy.'

Cuttell, B. 148 days on the Somme, 2nd July to 26th November 1916 (Peterborough: GMS Enterprises, 2000). p.157

Cheers,

Simon

[connaughtranger]

8/Devons moved into ZZ Trench for an attack on the maze of trenches between Ginchy and Delville Wood timed for 3.30am on 5th September. However, delays and poor conditions meant that they didn't relieve the 21/Manchesters until 8am. The attack was postponed until 3.30am next morning. Meantime, later that afternoon, No1 Platoon A Co was sent to the assistance of the 2/Queens in a bombing attack on Ale Alley. By their fire support they enabled the Queens to capture the trench.

After dark, 2 platoons of D Co were sent forward and dug in on the south-east corner of Delville Wood. Overnight these 2 platoons held South Street and Pilsen Lane. On 6th September the renewed advance was delayed until 6.30am. 8/Devons moved out of ZZ Trench and dug in from its junction with Delville Wood along Pilsen Lane towards Ginchy as a defensive flank. As a result of the Gordons' failure to clear Ginchy one platoon of C Co became isolated at Point 13 on the Longueval-Ginchy road and had to drive off a determined German to cut it off. Later this platoon had to withdraw to a safer position

From "West Country Regiments on the Somme" by Tim Saunders

[Frajohn]

Hi Clive

if you pm with your email address I can send you the war diaries for that period

kind regards

John