53 Bde attack on Delville Wood 19 July 1916

[MaxD]

19 hours ago, David_Blanchard said:

Do you mean WO 95/1746/2 which covers 1916?

 

Yes.

 

The 9 Div RFA brigade diaries too should perhaps be consulted as the CRA diary isn't much use.  50, 51, 52 and 53 (How) Bde all record almost continuous firing 14th onwards,  51 Bde noted that the CRA was controlling all artillery from 17th.

 

Just to note I am not looking at this action in any depth at all, this post is in response to your remarks about "poor link up" and  "artillery or lack of it"

 

Max

[PRC]

On 15/07/2020 at 17:45, PRC said:

The War Diary of the 8th Norfolks shows that while the Colonel and the Intelligence Officer were at Divisional Headquarters on the evening of the 14th awaiting orders, (presumably for an attack), there is no such note on the single entry for the 15th to 17th, when the Battalion was in shelters in Trigger Valley.

 

Probably doesn't add much but the War Diary for the 53rd Machine Gun Company has the following.

 

16th July 1916 MARICOURT. Attack at GUILLEMONT planned and positions sighted. This attack postponed at 2 p.m.

18th July 1916 MARICOURT. Operations against GUILLEMONT postponed. Company relieved from guarding XIII Corps Balloon.

10 PM. Stood to and moved to TALUS BOISE following infantry of Brigade

 

On the 19th the orders for the attack are stated to be verbal, given at conference at Maricourt Chateau at 2.30. (a.m.)

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

 

[David_Blanchard]

Thanks again Peter for your help.

 

David 

[David_Blanchard]

There is supposedly a WD of the XIII which has a section on a Narrative and lessons deduced section from August 1916- which looks at July fighting. However, I have managed to access the Narrative but frustratingly not the lessons deduced. 
 

The reference I have for this report comes from ‘British Generalship on the Western Front’ by Simon Robbins - notes for Chapter Two number 73- XIII Corps Lessons Deduced (August 1916), page 10, Montgomery-Massingberd Papers 47, LHCMA

 

If anyone has access to VIII Corps WD for this period could you please check to see if I have missed something- otherwise it maybe a trip to the Liddell- Hart archive which may not be ideal.