70th M.G.C. Infantry

[BRIAN TALMER]

Hi All

Can anyone tell me where the 70th were fighting aroud the 6th of July 1916 as this is the day my Great Uncle Charlie was Injured in the thigh and died of woounds on the 24/9/16 in a Manchester hospital 11 weeks after he was hit

Cheers

Brian

[Steven Broomfield]

Hi All

Can anyone tell me where  the 70th were fighting aroud the 6th of July 1916 as this is the day my Great Uncle Charlie was Injured in the thigh and died of woounds on the 24/9/16 in a  Manchester hospital 11 weeks after he was hit

Cheers

Brian

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The 70th MC Coy were part of 70 Bde, in the 23rd Division. However, at the moment in question, the 70th Bde was part of the 8th Division (returning to the 23rd later in July), so the 70th MG Coy would also have been part of the 8th Division. The 8th Divnl history reports "On the 6th July, the area behind the Somme, still unspoiled by war and gay with roses though the bombardment thundered in the east, was left behind and the division travelled north by train to the slag heaps of Bruay." The divn had been largely out of the line since the 2nd, when it had been badly hit in the initial attack on the Somme. MG units may well have been in the line longer, however, so I would think it likely that great uncle Charlie was in the line longer than the troops he was there to support.

In that case, your great uncle was unlucky! However, I guess it is possible that the 70th MG Coy stayed with the 23rd Division despite it's parent formation having been posted out. The 23rd Divn were involved in very heavy fighting round Contalmaison at the time

[BRIAN TALMER]

Thanks for the info Steve

Cheers

Brian