8th Norfolks.

[Bob Coulson]

Would be grateful if anybody has details of this battalions action on July 1st 1916.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bob.

[InkyBill]

Hi Bob

According to SDGW they lost 105 men + 3 Officers. Were part of 18th Div's relativly successful attack between Mametz and Montauban. You will find some quotes from soldiers of the 8th Norfolks in Martin Middlebrooks book 'The First day on the Somme'.

Hope this helps

Bill

[Guest Hill 60]

Some snippets from The Somme, The Day-by-Day Account by Chris McCathy.

Page 18:

At 10 am the 7th Queen's sent parties along communication trenches, cleared The Loop and entered the west end of Train Alley, held by part of the East Surreys; the east end being dealt with by 8th Norfolks (53 Brigade).

Back Trench still held out and continued to do so until 2 pm when, after bombing attempts forced the garrison to surrender, it was occupied by the 7th Queen's and 8th Norfolks.

53 Brigade:

With 8th Norfolks on the right and 6th Royal Berkshires on the left, 53 Brigade was able to get through with little resistance thanks to the mine at Casino Point and the flame-thrower. Resistance was first experianced at The Castle and then in Back Trench where a party held up the right of the Norfolks. The Castle quickly fell, however, and the left of the Norfolks and the Berkshires pushed on to their next objective of Pommiers Trench. This was defended by three machine-guns which checked the advance until rushed by bombers working along Popoff Lane.

Page 19: (I've missed out non-Norfolk bits, best to read the whole part)

Attempts to push further eastward along it and Mountauban Alley were strongly resisted and no further progress was made by the centre and left brigades of the 18th Div until 3.30pm, when a bombing party of 10th Essex reached White Trench, having cleared 400 yards of Mountauban Alley starting from Pommiers Redoubt. At 5'40pm it met parties of the 6th Berks and 8th Norfolks (53 Brigade) which had come from Loop Trench with great difficulty because of snipers....

The Norfolks now sent parties along Caterpillar Trench and set up posts with the Berks in the third objective overlooking Caterpillar Wood.

If you click HERE you will be able to search through the Royal Berkshire's war diaries, just click on 'War Diaires' on the left of the screen in the 'Research' section. On the drop-down menu click on 6th Berkshires and put in the date of 1st July 1916. The 6th Berks' entry includes what the Norfolks were doing at various times of the day.

[Bob Coulson]

Lee/Bill,

Thanks very much for the info and leads.

Bob.