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Age-22

48, High Street, Shadwell

The opening day of the Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916

This was a disastrous day for the British Army in France. Eleven divisions of Fourth Army attacked along a 15 mile front from Maricourt to Serre. Two further divisions of Third Army launched a diversionary attack just to the north of Serre at Gommecourt. For a week beforehand the British artillery pounded the German trenches but the Germans had been there for a long time and they had constructed deep, concrete reinforced shelters beneath their trenches and many survived the bombardment. The troops went over the top at 7.30 am but even before they had left their overcrowded trenches, many had been killed or maimed by German artillery. The Germans knew that they were coming. Once in No-Man’s-Land the artillery continued to take its toll and then the machine guns opened up on the advancing British infantry. They fell in their thousands and the attack came to a standstill almost everywhere. Survivors sought cover wherever they could find it and at night they crawled back to their own lines, often dragging a wounded soldier with them. Only in the south were any advances made with the attack on Fricourt and Mametz. Over 19,000 British soldiers were killed on this day, including 2,500 from London.

On 1st July, 1916, 21st Division attacked just to the north of Fricourt with 63 Brigade attacking on the right with 4th Middlesex and 8th Somerset Light Infantry.  At 7.25 am the leading platoons attempted to leave their trenches and creep as close as they could to the German line but they were met with such fierce machine gun fire that they had to return to their own line. At 7.28 am two mines exploded nearby. Two minutes later the British barrage lifted off the German front line and the assault was launched. It was met by murderous machine gun and rifle fire. Most officers and NCOs of were among the casualties but small groups managed to enter the German line and some reached their support line west of the Sunken Road. Here they hung on despite heavy German attacks until the supporting battalions came up. The failure of 50 Brigade on their right meant that Germans from Fricourt were able to work their way between the remnants of the leading and support companies but at  9.15 am the supporting battalions began arriving.  10th York & Lancaster drove the Germans from their second line trench to the left of 4th Middlesex and 8th Lincolnshire pushed through 8th Somerset to Lozenge Alley and the Sunken Road.  10th York & Lancaster and 8th Lincolnshire reached Dart Lane and Dart Alley and all 4 battalions of 63 Brigade maintained these positions overnight. This was one of the few places where any progress was made on this bloody day but even so 8th Somerset paid a heavy price in casualties.