The Garde-Fuesilier-Regiment at Ovillers

[Jack Sheldon]

Several German sources state that when early on 16th July 1916 the remnants (2officers, 124 OR) of the Fusilier Guards of 3rd Guards Division, surrounded on all sides and out of ammunition, food and water had to lay down their arms and surrender at Ovillers, a British officer ordered his men to present arms to the captives in recognition of their fighting qualities. According to the history of the Fusilier Guards, the story "appeared later in the British newsaper, the 'Daily Chronicle'". Anbody know if any aspect of this story is true? Did it appear in that newspaper? If so, who might have honoured the prisoners in this way?

Jack

[Terry Carter]

The 1/5th Royal Warwickshire (143 Bde, 48th Div) under the command of Lt Col Sladen shared in the capture of Ovillers on 16 July, 1916. An officer of the same battalion was Charles Carrington who later wrote "Soldier from the wars returning" "The History of the 1/5th Royal Warwicks in the Great War" and "A Subaltern's War" (under the pseudonym Charles Edmunds). I do not recall this incident being mentioned.

Terry

[Jack Sheldon]

Terry

Many thanks for that. I am not totally convinced about the story myself, but I have an open mind. There is no doubt that British newspapers often said complimentary things about the German defence or defenders - after somewhere had fallen - but I think that that may have had a lot to do with explaining away the extreme length of time involved, or costly casualties incurred, by the particular action. For example the Manchester Guardian had good things to say about the defenders of Thiepval and Guedecourt at the end of September 1916. The articles are quoted by German writers; I have read them myself up at Colindale and a contemporary German report by virtually the last officer of Inf Regt 180 on his feet after the fall of Thiepval mentioned the high regard for their performance by their attackers. In this case, however, although the 'Present Arms' story is definitely included in the Fusilier Guards regimental history on page 136 and the officer captured is named as Hauptmann Settekorn, there is no statement from him included in the history, nor is the incident fleshed out in any way - not that that prevented it from being picked up by other writers. However I think that historically this thread or anything related is worth pursuing, so I would still be interested in anything anyone else can contribute.

Jack