Beaucamp, 100 years on

[SJW]

Yesterday morning 24th April 2017 we got up early from the B&B we were staying at in Ribecourt-la-tour. It was 100 years to the day since my grandfather was wounded while serving with the 14th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. With my copy of the battalion war diary in my bag, my wife and I went to Beaucamp(s) via Trescault, and stopped first where Battalion HQ would have been situated that morning at the crossroads (the point of a road triangle on the 1917 map). We got there shortly after 0600 as the sun was beginning to show itself over the horizon, and made our way quietly into the village itself, using the road rather then tramping across the field, but in the direction the Battalion would have taken. The battalion attack had started with a barrage at 0415 and I had long wondered whether that meant their attack would have started in the dark, and why. Now I know. It would have started well before dawn, and with good reason. Walking towards Beaucamp from the direction the Argylls attacked, you are travelling directly towards the morning sun. When it came up the sun was in my eyes and it was difficult to see. That was about 0630. Proceedings were well under way that time 100 years before. For "Well under way" read "going quite badly". And especially badly for my grandfather, who that morning suffered the wounds which would affect the rest of his life. Better that fate than the fate of many others that morning, though. It was a deeply moving experience to visit this scene, quietly, 100 years on. A unique moment for me which can never be repeated. Afterwards we visited the graves of some of those who died in the action, at Metz en Couture CWGC graveyard. The graveyard was being tended to by a team of Frenchmen, weeding the soil around the headstones and keeping everything as it should be. We thanked them for their work, and left with tears in our eyes.

 

 

Above: I am standing on the high ground looking down towards the village. In front of me 100 years ago would have been German machine gunners with a good vantage point as the Argylls approached Beaucamps from the right and below them.

 

 

Above: the German front line, which was the First Objective, would have been running from a little to our left, and roughly past the closest trees ahead of us in the centre of the photo, running away from us towards the right hand side of the pile of soil which juts into the field a couple of hundred  yards behind and slightly to the right. The Argylls attached from the right of this photo, took the front line, then D and B Coys advanced into the village. Machine guns would have been roughly in front of where I am standing, with a good field of fire down and into the then ruined village. Judging from the 1917 trench maps, the village is not much larger today than it was in 1917. After having to withdraw from the village later, some of the men were struggling to hold a line of shell holes and the old German trench section between those trees and the pile of soil I mentioned earlier.

 

 

Above: where I am standing is in the old German front line looking into the village. It's not very far as you can see.

 

 

Above: I am standing a few meters behind where I believe the old German front line to be, with it running from left to right. I am looking towards where the Argylls came from. Where the trees are on the right in the background is the site of Battalion HQ for the attack.

 

 

Above: After we left Beaucamps we visited Sunken Road cemetery which is on the way to Villers-Plouich. As far as I can see no soldiers from this action were buried here - those who lie here fell later. 

 

 

Above: Metz en Couture graveyard 100 years after, to the day, when Captain Urquhart died in the attack on Beaucamps. His gravestone is the middle of the three in the left foreground. See also below. 

 

 

Post ends.

 

Edited 25 April , 2017 by SJW
tidied up some photo captions

[EAST YORKSHIRE]

Nice personal walk and which is obvious you got a lot out of doing, thanks for posting. Ian.

[17107BM]

Really enjoyed this Post and would welcome any more images of your trip.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post the information with them.

 

Cheers .

 

G.T.K.

[askar-perisikan]

This at a very simple level is what I love about this site.

[Michelle Young]

What an incredible experience for you, thank you for sharing. I hope that you also enjoyed your stay at Le Clos Xavianne in Ribecourt. 

Michelle 

[madgarry]

Great to see and read

[SJW]

We certainly did Michelle. We had not stayed at Clos Xavianne before but I would certainly do so again. When I told Xavier why we were there, he showed me a book which a friend of his had published about trying to trace the history of every British tank engaged in the battles around Cambrai. He also showed me the gearbox of a British tank which he had ploughed up in his field. It was his suggestion that we get up before dawn to go on our walk, and he made us coffee before we went out! Later he showed me his photo album and told me about the history of his family who have been in Ribecourt since 1836. Fascinating stuff. 

 

Edited 25 April , 2017 by SJW
Typo

[David Filsell]

Great light for - and in - your photographs.

[SJW]

Without help from forum members I could not have found out as much as I now know about this action, and my trip could not otherwise have been as immersive as it was.  Over the years kind folk have posted maps, the casualty list with my grandfather's name on it, etc. Thank you to those who helped me learn more. 

 

[clk]

Hi SJW,

 

You may already have this, but if your grandfather was 9130 Lance Corporal E D Wallace 14/A&SH it would appear that having received a wound to his right knee he arrived at 2 General Hospital at Le Havre on 26th April 1917, and transferred to Hospital Ship Grantully Castle on 28th April 1917 for onwards evacuation.  The record reads that at the time he had 2  years service, 11 months of which had been in the field.

 

Regards

Chris                                                    

[SJW]

Hi Chris

Thank you very much indeed for that information. It is not information I had before, and that was indeed my grandfather. I will try to follow up on that lead. 

Regards

Simon

Edited 26 April , 2017 by SJW
More careful reply to earlier post!