State of the Somme battlefield in August

[J T Gray]

This point has come up in chit-chat about the state of the battlefield near Guillemont in mid-August 1916. In a little piece I've writen I described it as a morass. This was certainly true by the time the battle ended, and I have a dramatic quote from Ernst Junger as to what it was like a few days after the events described. However he doesn't mention mud and it's been suggested that the battlefield may have still been quite dry then so morass is not really applicable.

Does anyone know how wet the battlefield was likely to have been then? If you are interested in the original thread and the EJ quote they can be found here:

 

Thank you for any help you may be able to offer!

Adrian

[Terry Carter]

On 26 August 1916, the 5th Division took over the line south of Guillemont opposite Falfemont Farm. The Author of the 1st B'ham Bn War History, J E B Fairclough, Describes the following

"The weather had completely broken up and during this tour heavy rains created apalling conditions. The universal mud and the incessant rain made life miserable and movement difficult."

Thus the conditions you describe were more to the end of the month I would suggest. However I have also come accross an account where, in parts, the gound had been so churned up by shell fire that it was like walking accross dry sandy beach. I suppose one good downpour would soon turn into a quagmire.

terry

[withcall]

In Gerald Gliddon's 'Battle of the Somme' a.k.a. 'When The Barrage Lifts' there is a day-by-day chronology which includes weather reports including temperatures and rainfall. It's not sector-specific, but might be helpful, as I don't think the area between, say, Hebuterne and Montauban has a micro-climate. If you can't get hold of a copy I can try to send you the relevant pages. Let me know if you need the pages.