The First Day of The Somme - 1 July 1916

Discussion in 'Prewar' started by Jonathan Ball, Jul 1, 2011.

  1. grimmy

    grimmy Guest

    Thanks Steve Mac, I appreciate that.

    For those engineers out there: his uncle, William Henry Fowler, manufactured various Fowler's Calculators and was editor of Fowler's Pocket Books on engineering subjects.
     
  2. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Sorry I missed this thread , will catch up on it this evening. :)
     
  3. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    Its the 96th anniversary today so I wonder if any newer members had relatives who went into action on 1 July 1916?
     
  4. GPRegt

    GPRegt Senior Member

    No relatives, but a young man from our village was killed on this day:

    Pte Albert John Craddock – 1st/6th Royal Warks Regt - Aged 19

    • Born: Kings Norton 1897
    • Parents: William & Mary J – 61 Wharf Rd, Kings Norton
    • Commemorated: Pier & Face 9 A 9 B and 10 B Thiepval
    Memorial & on our village's 1914-1918 Memorial


    Steve W.
     
  5. Scout Sniper

    Scout Sniper Senior Member

    "On July 1, 1916, the British launched the assault which resulted in the largest massacre of British forces - over 57,550 casualties in one day. Among them were 732 men from the 1st Newfoundland Regiment. Of the 801 men of that regiment, only 68 men answered the regimental roll call after the attack; 255 were dead, 386 were wounded, and 91 were listed as missing. Every officer who had gone over the top was either wounded or dead. On the day that the British forces suffered their worst losses in history, the 1st Newfoundland Regiment also suffered the worst loss in its history. However, the Newfoundland Regiment was not a force fighting under the Canadians. This single battalion of soldiers came from the Dominion of Newfoundland. They fought with the British and at the time of the July 1st Drive, they were posted with the 29th Division. It was the Newfoundland Soldiers that held proud their heritage that refused any attempt to combine them with the Canadian forces in late 1914. Newfoundland did not become a part of Canada until 1949, 32 years after the end of the First World War."
     

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  6. gpo son

    gpo son Senior Member

    The Royal Newfoundland regiment was slaughtered on July1st 1916 of 780 men in its ranks only 68 could answer role call the next morning they were sent forward in the 2nd wave attack after the first wave had completely failed. they had to leave the communication trenches early beacase of the dead and dying were clogging them. By the time they reached the 'Danger Tree' which was their debussing point they had been wiped out. It is said that they advanced into the withering fire, with their chins tucked into the chests like they were walking into a Newfoundland gale. What brave men and stupid leadership
     
  7. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    "On July 1, 1916, the British launched the assault which resulted in the largest massacre of British forces - over 57,550 casualties in one day."

    Compare this to the recent memorial to RAF Bomber Command in WW2, 55,573 lost in the duration of the war, and this is statistically the highest loss rate of all Allied arms in WW2.

    Interesting to read that Newfoundland did not become part of Canada until 1949, that is news to me. Having visited the Newfoundland Memorial and seen the preserved trenches (and I believe the 'danger tree') it is a moving and magnificent site. The students who conduct tours are well informed and do a great job.
     
  8. grimmy

    grimmy Guest

    Its the 96th anniversary today so I wonder if any newer members had relatives who went into action on 1 July 1916?

    My grandfather was there - 15174 Sgt William Bond Grimshaw, 24th Bn, Manchester Regiment (the 'Oldham Comrades').

    He came through that day OK, but was gassed at Ginchy on the night of Sept 1/2 1916. He transferred to the Tank Corps in December of that year.

    He died in 1971.
     
  9. gpo son

    gpo son Senior Member

    The Newfoundlander's to day this have a love hate relationship with the rest of Canada. And even the referendum to join was won by the narrowest of margins in 1949. But what happened to Newfoundland in WW1 nearly, wiped out an entire generation of their men, some communities lost all their men of the fighting age. The population was only about 240,000 at the outbreak of the war.
    Matt
     
  10. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    My grandfather was there - 15174 Sgt William Bond Grimshaw, 24th Bn, Manchester Regiment (the 'Oldham Comrades').

    He came through that day OK, but was gassed at Ginchy on the night of Sept 1/2 1916. He transferred to the Tank Corps in December of that year.

    He died in 1971.

    Grimmy

    I know now where I've seen your name before :)

    I'll let you tell everyone which one is your Grandfather.

    [​IMG]

    (Image courtesy of the Manchester Regiment Forum)
     
  11. grimmy

    grimmy Guest

    Thanks Jonathan - he's 4th from the right on the front (seated) row.

    Bless their hearts.
     

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