Traffic Census during the war at Fricourt

[keithfazzani]

I hope someone can help. I read somewhere the figures produced by someone who counted all the vehicles, horses and men passing the junction at Fricourt in a 24 hour period. Needless to say I can no longer find it nor can I remember where I read it. Can anyone help please?

[tootrock]

It appears in a book entitled "A Guide to the Western Front" by Victor Neuberg, published by Penguin in 1988.

I seem to remember that it also appeared in an early edition of "Before Endeavours Fade", by Rose Coombes.

Martin

[Knotty]

It is also quoted, including the figures obtained, in Mud, Blood and Poppycock by Gordon Corrigan published in 2012.

John

[keithfazzani]

Thanks for the references

[CPhillips]

The traffic census is recorded in WO 95/441. It covered the 24hrs ending 9am, 22 July 1916.

The totals are:

26,516 troops

568 cars

1,244 lorries and ambulances, etc.

3,832 horse-drawn vehicles

1,660 motorcycles and cycles

5,404 horses

The Provost Marshal also remarked that it was one of the quietest days they had had.

[keithfazzani]

Thank you for that information

[nigelcave]

I have known about these figures for years but for some reason I never broke them down to parts of a day. That is quite a rate - on average about 18 men a minute, four larger vehicles a minute, a motor cycle of a bicycle a minute and four horses a minute, tho' I would assume that most of the horses were attached to the relevant vehicles (mind you, arithmetic was not my strongest subject at school).

[keithfazzani]

Yes the horse figure puzzled me - is it double counting i.e. including those attached to horse drawn vehicles or were there in fact considerably more than 5,404 horses. I suppose we shall never know.

[Ron Clifton]

Bearing in mind that the British Army had very few carts or wagons drawn by only one horse, 3,832 horse-drawn vehicles suggests a minimum of 7,664 draught horses. I think the 5,404 must be for riding (or led) horses in addition.

As well as the cavalry, most arms of service had all their officers and many of their other ranks mounted, and most officers had two or more riding horses. Even an infantry battalion had ten riding horses and nine pack horses.

Mounted units were normally also provided with 10% spare draught horses, to replace battle or sickness casualties.

Ron