The First of July – A reflection in 1953

by H. Malcolm M‘Kee, M.C.

THE approach of Ulster's greatest day carries my mind back thirty-seven years. And I think of the men of West Belfast who formed the 9th Royal Irish Rifles. They were nearly all shipyard workers of Harland and Wolff who had left splendid wages to accept one shilling per day.

They felt it was their duty and, without a second thought, they did their duty.

Ireland was then all one. But there was danger, and the Ulster Volunteer Force had been formed, to resist force from the South. Yet when war broke out the 36th Division was formed almost completely from U.V.F. Except the Artillery.

Till the “Princess Victoria” disaster Maynard Sinclair and I were the only surviving Northern Ireland officers who went over the top in the advance on 1st July, 1916. (Or so I thought till I heard that Mr. McAuley was with us. But he was a reinforcement officer, and I had never met him.) It is wonderful how distance lends enchantment to the view. I am sometimes reminded of the film “I Spy a Dark Stranger.” In it a character says the G.P.O. in Dublin wouldn’t hold those who say they were in it on Easter Monday, 1916. And it is a large building.

The reason is that thirty per cent of officers were left behind on 1st July to replace casualties. It was anticipated that there would be heavy casualties, and there were, but if new men had come along, the old officers could have carried on. But Ulstermen, did not come, and the 36th Division, after being filled up with Englishmen, etc., finally dwindled to nothing.

But that does not detract from the glory of the 1st July. Every military critic was amazed at the steadiness and discipline of the Division, and not one other Division got so much praise.

But, as a Division from Ulster, it ended on 1st July. For example, only seventy survived out of seven hundred of the 9th Royal Irish Rifles.

As Brigadier-General F. P. Crozier, who commanded the Battalion, wrote . . . . “War is a contradiction. The fighters seldom come out best, save in this, they keep their souls intact. And that is a possession no man can take from them.

The net result of the barren, glorious bloody battle of Thiepval is that over seven hundred men of the West Belfast Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles proved their ability to subordinate matter to mind. Intellectual discipline had triumphed.

The acid test of killing and being killed had been passed by us with credit. What remained? The memories, the confidence and seventy men to carry on the torch.”

60,000 Casualties

The Battle of the Somme was barren in one sense, for no ground was gained there, and sixty thousand casualties taken on 1st July. Three hundred and sixty were taken in the whole Battle of the Somme. And no ground was taken. But the pressure on Verdun was relieved, and the Channel Ports saved. Everybody knows what happened in the recent war when the Channel Ports were lost. The French were conquered, and we had to wait for years for the Second Front.

It is rather strange the similarity in the figures. 360,000 casualties were suffered in the Battle of the Somme. 337,000 were evacuated from Dunkirk. It took 360,000 casualties to save the Ports, and France.

As Crozier writes in another book . . . “When I marched up through Thiepval Wood into action that July morn, at the head of the pick of Belfast, to the accompaniment of the deafening din of battle, I felt
   ‘Sound, sound the clarion, fill the fife,
       To all the sensual world proclaim.
    One crowded hour of glorious life
       Is worth an age without a name!’

“Literally my blood boiled and saw red. The day — yea, even the hour — had arrived and I thanked my God for permitting me to share in its glories.”

That, of course, is all very well. But Crozier had been ordered not to go over at all. He did go over, for a few yards, and for a few minutes. Then he retired into a forty-foot deep dug-out where, no doubt, his blood continued to boil. Those of us who had to remain in no-man’s land felt that an age without a name was the very thing the doctor ordered. No-man’s land was far too crowded for comfort . . . with shells, machine-gun bullets, and, later, with Germans with bombs and bayonets.

Long Range War

But that sort of personal war is a thing of the past. Modern war is fought at long range. When combatants get near each other, one surrenders.

The casualties are nothing like so high. In the First War those killed in our Army alone were three times the total death in all three Services in the recent war. It was, in fact, quite a war.

In the whole of the Boer War there were 5,774 killed and 22,829 wounded. Total, 28,503. As I have said, the casualties on the first day of the Somme were over 60,000. Almost 20,000 killed.

Under 6,000 were filled in the Boer War. In the first war 1,069,825 were killed. Of these 912,451 were killed in the Army.

So war, in spite of tanks, aircraft and bombs, is getting safer. But when atom bombs are used, all the fun will depart from war. And civilians will join in whatever fun there is.

The only way to prevent war is to be strong. We are not strong. Our solitary battleship is Vanguard. Our aircraft are in plastic as there are no skilled ground-crews to look after them. Our Army hardly exists on an international scale.

I really cannot see much good in spending millions on academic education and Health Services and neglecting to prepare against annihilation.

I really cannot see much good in spending millions on academic education and Health Services and neglecting to prepare against annihilation. But any politician who uttered such a sentiment would be thrown out immediately. For people have not learned from two terrible wars that you cannot have guns and butter. Our weakness caused both wars. We got through both, but instead of having a navy twice as big as the next biggest, we are third, and America and Russia both have larger navies than ours. We are not exactly a third-rate power, but we are third.

We are nowhere as regards army and air force, and have few skilled men.

Free drugs may keep us fit, though I doubt it. But fit, may I ask, for what?

These are sad reflections on the eve of the 37th anniversary of the greatest battle the world has ever seen. When so many died in the war to end war.

The Americans did not win the First War, but they won the Second. Without America we could not even do anything except surrender in the Third.

It is our fault our fellows died in vain.



The above article was published in the County Down Spectator of Saturday, 27th June 1953.

Ulster's Sacrifice

Ah! fair July of tear and sigh
Sad was the news you brought
To many an ancient noble Hall,
And humble peasants’ cot,
Within our old courageous land
Of honour, truth and worth
Grave Ulster of the Iron Will,
Proud Province of the North.

H. G. Gallagher.

From With the Ulster Division in France: A Story of the 11th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles (South Antrim Volunteers), by Arthur Purefoy Irwin Samuels Dorothy Gage Samuels

The Irish Guards at the Somme

Two battalions of the Irish Guards, the 1st. and 2nd. Battalions, took part in the Battle of the Somme 1916. Both battalions were in the Guards Division and the principal actions in which they played an outstanding part were fought out during September 1916 in the battles officially known as "Flers-Courcelette" and "Morval" and embracing such memorable actions as the battles of Ginchy, Guillemont and Lesboeufs and over ground soaked with the blood of their fellow countrymen in the 16th. (Irish) Division a few days earlier.

We will recount the doings of the 1st. Battalion. Two days will always stand out as milestones in the History of the Irish Guards namely 15th. and 25th. September, 1916. Much is already known about the appalling ground conditions - the all prevailing mud and slime, the wreckage and stench of death, to make it necessary to go into any detail here, suffice to say that on these two days the 1st. Battalion lost 99% of its strength. It was on 15th. that the 1st. Bn. advanced at Ginchy in face of the most concentrated machine-gun fire from the "Orchard" and despite the most severe losses held the ground they had so valiantly fought over that day. The landscape at Ginchy was somewhat like the map of the moon. All known signs, landmarks and the like were obliterated, everybody knew the direction of the attack was to be N37 but that was about the only guide. The Guards Division launched itself forward into a veritable sleet of machine-gun and shell-fire and battered their way with bomb and bayonet until they reached a position where they could see the countryside between Flers and Lesboeufs - rooftops complete with tiles and a countryside that seemed normal was a change from the "Hellhole" that was their present position. The Germans fortified by the knowledge that the assault by the 6th. Div. between Ginchy and Leuze Wood had failed, thanks to the driving fire from the "Quadrilateral", were giving the Guards Division their complete attention, thus every shell-burst and burst of machine-gun fire found its way into the ranks of the Guards, but they did not flinch. They held on to the ground they had gained at such a cost. On September l6th the remnants of the battalion were relieved by the Lincolns of the 62nd. Brigade.

We come now to the attack on 25th September. This had limited objectives - German trenches and not merely lines drawn across a map. It concerned, too, a name which is stamped well in the deeds of valour of our Irish Troops - "Lesboeufs" - Of course the battalion had been reinforced with drafts from home since their ordeal on 15th.

The attack opened on a fine Sunday morning at 12.55 hrs. Our barrage locked down 200 yards ahead of the 'Micks', Nos. 1 and 2 Companies moved out with the rest of the line towards the German trenches. Immediately the enemy put down counter barrages and the hair began to fly. Our Artillery fire was much better than on 15th and it enabled the 'Micks' to take all their objectives one after another until finally they had fought through to the northern end of Lesboeufs where they consolidated and firmly held the position. Thousands of Germans were taken prisoner on this day, they were stunned and demoralized by the ferocity of the attacks upon them but on the other hand they seemed pleased to be out of it all. On our side of the scale the Irish Guards lost one officer killed, 10 wounded and 250 Other Ranks killed - Thus in the two attacks in this area within ten days we lost a full battalion.

The 2nd. Battalion was also involved in these battles on 15th. and 25th. September 1916. During the slogging match on 15th. the 2nd. Bn. amongst whose officers was a Captain H.R. Alexander (Field-Marshal Earl Alexander of Tunis), performed very valiantly in the tough fighting which the Guards Division encountered on this day. The battalion suffered severely as they were involved in all the desperate actions of that fateful day. One hundred and sixty-six survivors were all that remained of the 2nd. Bn. when the roll was called, a high price indeed was paid for the ground in front of Lesboeufs.

For the attack on 25th. the 2nd. Bn. were in reserve and when the call came on 16th. they took over from the 1st. Bn., again shattered for the second time in ten days. The Battalion held the positions gained on 25th. by 1st. Bn. east of Lesboeufs.

General Rawlinson, who commanded the IV Army said it was the vigorous attacks of the Guards Division under very trying conditions which won the day. They pressed forward the attack in face of a great concentration of enfilade fire from both flanks. Perhaps it would be right to say that the Guards Division by their success in capturing these key enemy positions was one of the main reasons which forced the eventual German withdrawal "according to plan" to the Hindenburg Line.

A solemn but beautiful reminder of the achievements of the Guards in this sector of the Somme battlefront is the well laid out and beautiful Guards Military Cemetery at Lesboeufs.




The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

Ulster's Cavalry Units at the Somme, 1916

Indian cavalry await the order to advance on the Somme, 14 July 1916.

British Cavalry played an outstanding part in the opening battles of the Great War 1914-18 and none of them played a more valiant part than the Ulster Cavalry Regiments.

During the winter of 1914 the opposing armies had "gone to ground" and the war developed into 'A war of Attrition' in its most ghastly form. It soon became obvious that the traditional role of cavalry was becoming less and less apparent, cavalry could not be expected to manoeuvre over the vast fortified trench systems dug into the terrain and protected by masses of vicious barbed-wire. The Cavalry with its long traditions of the battles of past centuries was in for a period of uncertainty as to its future. It was not until the closing 18 months of the war that the cavalry became identified with the fighting armoured vehicles in the form of "Tanks". These new inventions of war were at first used at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 but were originally manned by men of the Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Section). Since then the Cavalry have developed into what we now know as the Royal Armoured Corps and carry with them in their modern role the great traditions of the old cavalry regiments.

For about eighteen months prior to the opening of the Battle of the Somme the Cavalry Corps, with a few exceptions, were dismounted and put into the trenches in the role of Infantry. In May 1916 when preparations were in progress for the forthcoming offensive on the Somme, all Cavalry Units were taken out of the trenches and remounted on their horses. The Cavalry Corps comprising some three Divisions was assembled at some distance behind the Somme Front and they went into strenuous training in the hope that the great offensive would produce a breakthrough where the Cavalry could exploit the situation in their traditional role. This, however, did not materialize and as the great Battle of the Somme progressed it became apparent that due to the appalling conditions on the ground, the heavily fortified positions all along the front attacked, with thousands of tactically sited machine-guns, all these defences protected by deep belts of barbed wire many up to 100 yards in depth, and all this supported by artillery of all calibres it would be quite impossible to use cavalry in their normal role. However the Cavalry were held in readiness for the expected breakthrough; this never came and in many cases the Cavalry Regiments were again dismounted and took their place in the battle as Infantry. The 8th. Royal Irish Hussars played an important part at the Battle of Bazentin 14-17 July, the 6th. Inniskilling Dragoons were used about this time in the work of consolidation of newly won positions and generally in support of the Infantry, always keeping their mounts within easy reach in readiness in case of the hoped for exploitation. Such an opportunity presented itself near "Flers" in September on the day "Tanks" were used for the first time, but it did not materialise.

Mark I 'Male' Tank of 'C' Company that broke down crossing a British trench on its way
to attack Thiepval on 25th September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme.

The Cavalry while not so deeply involved in the battles on the Somme nevertheless played an important and noteworthy part throughout the Battle of the Somme 1916. The Ulster Cavalry Regiments were awarded the battle honours: "Albert, 1916", "Somme 1916", "Bazentin", "Flers-Corcelette" and "Morval".


To be continued...


The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

Image top: National Army Museum (NAM. 2001-01-279-77).
Image bottom: Imperial War Museum © IWM (Q 2486).

 

Ulster at the Somme - The Royal Irish Fusiliers

Four Battalions of the Royal Irish Fusiliers took part in the Battle of the Somme, 1916. The 1st. Battalion (Regular) formed part of the 10th. Brigade, 4th. Division, the 7th. and 8th. Battalions were in the 49th. Brigade, 16th. (Irish) Division and the 9th. Battalion formed part of the 108th. Brigade, 36th. (Ulster) Division. The part played by the three later battalions is related in the story of the 16th. Division and the 36th. Division respectively.

On the opening day of the battle, 1st July, 1916, the 1st. Bn. in the 4th. Division was still waiting to assault as its sister battalion, the 9th. Service Bn., was being cut to pieces in its advance with the Ulster Division. The 10th. Bde. was to advance in support of the 11th. and 12th. Brigades. As the leading Brigades formed up in front of their trenches, just before Zero Hour, they were met by continuous machine-gun fire and a wall of exploding shells which moved across No-Man's-Land towards them. But the attack was made and the German lines were penetrated at several points. The crucial question was; has the leading brigades reached their objectives? If they had, the 10th. Bde. must be held back or might otherwise be exposed to useless slaughter. Unfortunately, it was impossible to say how far the leading troops had got or in what strength. The signal for 'stopped by uncut wire' - One White Flare - was too much like the signal for 'Objective Gained' - three white flares - for observers to tell the difference between them. Messages had to be taken by runners across No-Man's-Land under much prodigious fire that many were lost. In consequence the 10th. Bde. began to move forward so as to cross the British Front Line at the time previously set; 9.30 a.m. Orders to remain in the trenches until further notice were not received in time and the supporting brigade had already started to move forward. Like the leading Brigades they lost many men, but those who got through joined the leading troops in the melee in the German trenches. Due to the terrible artillery fire the 1st. Royal Irish Fusiliers was held up in the British front line where they were pinned down for some time.

At 1.25 p.m. the Commanding Officer was ordered to send one Company forward with the 1st. Warwicks, which was also a support battalion in the 10th. Bde. They were to cross No-Man's-Land and reinforce a mixed party of Seaforths and Lancashire Fusiliers, who were hanging on to a salient in the enemy line known as the Quadrilateral, in face of repeated vicious enemy counter-attacks. "C" Coy. was sent on this errand which failed despite several attempts to brave the storm of machine-gun fire. The Company Commander was severely wounded. Realising at about 4 p.m. that "C" Coy. had not reached the Quadrilateral, the Bn. Commander now dispatched "D" Coy. on the same task. This company was successful and joined the Seaforths in the Quadrilateral. Some hours later, through confused orders, all troops except "D" Coy. withdrew from the Quadrilateral; these men were left in a very exposed position in the enemy line. Runners failed to get through to them during the night and it was feared that the company had been overwhelmed. In fact it had a busy and successful stay, fighting off enemy bombing-attacks with great spirit. Contact was made with Bn. H.Q. and the Company withdrew in good order at 11 a.m. next morning bringing with them all their wounded, three prisoners and a quantity of arms and stores.

The 4th. Division remained in the line for some weeks after this. The 1st. R.I. Fus. taking its turn in the trenches and helping in the sad task of burying the dead who had to be retrieved from No-Man's-Land. On July 17th the battalion was relieved and went into reserve, shortly afterwards it received orders to move further north and took no further part in the Somme blood bath.


To be continued...


The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

Ulster at the Somme - 1st and 2nd Battalions Royal Irish Rifles

Simultaneously with the attack on Thiepval Ridge by the Ulster Division and the 32nd. Division on the 1st July, the extreme southern end of the ridge was attacked by the 8th. Division who formed part of the 3rd. Corps. In the 25th. Brigade of the 8th. Division was the 1st. Bn. The Royal Irish Rifles. The battalion was in the line directly opposite the strongly fortified village of Ovilliers just a few hundred yards north of the main Albert-Bapaume Road or what was left of it. The objective of the 25th. Brigade was the village of Pozieres, two kilometres further along the Albert-Bapaume Road -- a rather ambitious project. The battalion was to advance in support of the other battalions in the Brigade. The leading battalions having taken Ovilliers -- 1 RIR was to move forward and consolidate with the leading battalions, it was then to make the assault an Pozieres itself.
As mentioned in the story of the Ulster Division's attack on the Thiepval Ridge, a tremendous bombardment preceded the attack. At zero. 7.30 a.m. the Brigade advanced forward to the attack on the German Front Line. They were met with a veritable avalanche of machine-gun and mortar fire. Few men of the leading battalions ever reached the enemy wire, which had not been thoroughly cut by the British bombardment and presented a difficult problem for the leading sections. The few sections who did enter the enemy front line held on grimly against a fierce fusillade of fire from the enemy until the arrival of the 1st. Rifles who were advancing to their support. The Rifles advance was met with similar shattering fire from a mass of strong points covering the German positions which had been entered and were being assaulted by the supporting Rifle Bn. The village of La Boiselle on their right flank had not been captured and from this point the enemy poured a hurricane of machine-gun and mortar fire into the ranks of the attacking riflemen and only a mere handful of men ever reached the German Front Line. These together with those of the leading battalions who were already in the enemy front trenches had to beat off continuous hostile bombing attacks from the enemy elements who had been sheltering in their deep cellars during our bombardment and now came out into the daylight to fire on our already severely mauled infantry. The company on the left, "A" Coy., overran the German Front Line and reached the second support trench and inflicted men losses on the enemy holding out there but alas due to their flanks not succeeding they were eventually forced to withdraw. Eventually all the British troops who had entered the enemy positions had to retire to their own front line, these represented only a mere fraction of those who went into the attack. As was the case on Thiepval Ridge, the flanks having failed any small breaches made were forced to fall back to secure their flanks. The Battalion lost its Commanding Officer, its Adjutant and six other Officers, twelve Officers were wounded and other ranks casualties amounted to 348, many of these were 'Missing' believed killed.

Every man had given of his beat, the men had gone into action with high hopes of victory and fought as though they expected it, but their task was an impossible one, they gained nothing but glory, Ovilliers was a very strongly fortified objective in common with other villages on this part of the front and was not to be entered again by British Troops until the end of September.

What remained of the battalion was taken out of the line that night and a couple of days later was ordered north to the rather more quiet area around Bethune.

However, its association with the Somme battlefield was not at an end. On October 14th the battalion entrained at Lillers for its second venture on the Somme. While the 2nd. Bn. was involved in the Battle of the Ancre Heights over the same ground attacked by the Ulster Divison on 1st July, the 1st. Battalion went into the attack with the 8th. Division between Morval and Les Boeufs. The objective of the 25th. Brigade was Zenith Trench and 300 yards further on a trench known as Misty Trench. The Bn. advanced in support of the 2nd. Lincolns and the 2nd. Rifle Brigade, although limited success was achieved the assault was a failure, in no small measure due to the severe casualties inflicted on the advancing troops of the Brigade by our own artillery and to the fierce stubborn resistance put up by the enemy holding on to what they considered a key position.

The battalion was now moved to Trones Wood where it remained in the line for two or three weeks and had to endure terrible privations due to the appalling conditions in the trenches, if they could be called trenches, the British Front Line consisted of a mass of water filled shell holes and craters, many of them containing half decomposed bodies which could not be properly buried in the circumstances prevailing. On top of all this the enemy kept up a continuous bombardment both day and night, in which gas was largely used and the battalion suffered severely. This was probably one of the worst periods of endurance the battalion had to suffer during the whole war, the long exposure to wet and cold without cover of any kind beggars description, the strain on the men was almost intolerable, but somehow the battalion came through but lost a great proportion of its strength by the time it was relieved for a few days respite. With the fall of Beaumont-Hamel and the capture of St. Pierre Divion and Grandcourt on the Ancre on 15th November and the following two days the Battle of the Somme came to an end on 18th November, 1916. At this time the 1st. Bn. Royal Irish Rifles were holding the line facing the village of Le Transloy on the main Bapaume/Perrone Road from which line the Germans were, a couple of months later, compelled to retire "according to plan" to the new Hindenburg Line.

2nd. Bn. The Royal Irish Rifles.

A few days after the 1st. Battalion was withdrawn from the line on the night of July 1st., the 2nd. Battalion came into action at practically the same spot facing the German Line between Ovilliers and La Boiselle. It formed part of the 74th. Brigade, 25th. Division in the newly formed 5th. Army (later to become famous) under General Sir Hubert Gough.

During the first few days of July further strong attacks were made on both Ovilliers and La Boiselle and although a foothold was gained in La Boiselle, the fortress of Ovilliers resisted all attempts at capture. By 5th July La Boiselle was completely in British hands and in an effort to exploit this advantage and outflank Ovilliers, the 47th. Brigade was put at the disposal of the 12th. Division. The Brigade was to attack towards the eastern side of the Ovilliers defences. The Rifles advanced in support of a battalion of the North Lancs and a battalion of Cheshires. The leading battalions advanced with great dash and by 9 a.m. the whole of the German front protecting the eastern defences of Ovilliers was in our hands except a gap of some 400 yards in front of the Cheshires. The 2nd. Rifles were now ordered to assault this gap, capture and consolidate it. During consolidation the men were amazed by what they found in the German dug-outs and the palatial underground dwellings with separate quarters for Officers, kitchens, telephone exchanges, elaborate first-aid quarters and well appointed bunks for the men up to the standard of any barrack room. Our army had never experienced anything approaching this.

During the night the 2nd. Bn. made bombing attacks and further progress was made into the hostile defensive system. During the following day the enemy made strong counter-attacks but all were beaten of with considerable loss to the enemy. This type of fighting continued for the next day and on this night the battalion was relieved having suffered some 200 casualties in the three days fighting.

Their rest in reserve lasted only two days before they were back in the line again, this time facing Ovilliers itself, the attack on this fortress village, which had resisted all attempts to reduce it, was to be made at dusk with all three brigades of the Division, each Brigade having not more than 300 yards frontage, a moat ambitious venture in the darkness. The attack was not a complete success, despite the large force employed. The advance was raked with machine-gun fire and casualties were heavy. As a consequence of heavy losses and disorganisation in the darkness the battalion was forced to withdraw with the other units in the brigade. On the right of the Rifles a battalion of the Warwickshires was cut off and the only way to relieve them was for the 2nd. Rifles to bomb its way up a trench which led to the surrounded Warwicks. Although the bombers fought desperately no progress was made, continued efforts were made next day but only slight gains were made. Eventually towards dusk on the second day a renewed attack was made with the help of a battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. The fighting was desperate and when it was seen that no progress could be made, suddenly there came the dramatic end, a white flag was hoisted by the enemy, orders were passed to our men to stand upon their guard, it might be a trick, but no! from all sides heads appeared and hands were raised to the accompaniment of "Kammerad"! The whole party had surrendered, Ovilliers had fallen, an expensive victory but nevertheless it put new life into our men. The Bosche had made a splendid defence, but now they seemed to be delighted to be taken prisoner and out of it all, and insisted in shaking hands with their captors. A great quantity of booty of all kinds was taken during the 'mopping-up' of the elaborate trench system which continued throughout the following day. Later that night the battalion was relieved and marched back to Beauval to rest.

After several days rest the battalion moved into the line again to engage trench warfare, it relieved another battalion of Ulstermen, 1st. Bn. Inniskilling Fusiliers of 29th. Division opposite the village of Beaumont-Hamel and the salient known as Mary Redan. This was the part of the line north of the River Ancre where the attack on 1st July had been a total failure and No-Man's-Land was still full of 29th. Division's dead. This was the pattern of trench warfare in which the battalion engaged for the next month or two moving in and out of the line at places well known to the Ulster Division, but now static, namely the Schwaben Redoubt, Thiepval Wood, St. Pierre Divion etc.

In the month of October the 2nd. Bn. took part in the Battle of the Ancre Heights which included the capture of many places which had been taken by the Ulster Division on 1st July but which had to be evacuated because no advance had been made on their flanks. The Bn. took part in the capture of Stuff Redoubt, Houquet Farm, Regina Trench, Courcellette and St. Pierre Divion. The casualties in these actions were comparatively light compared with earlier Somme actions, this was probably due to the fact that British troops were now in possession of many German fortified positions with their elaborately furnished underground cellars which afforded perfect cover against bombardment. It can be said with certainty that enemy losses were very considerably more than British losses in these final actions during the closing days of the Battle of the Somme.


To be continued...


The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

Ulster at the Somme - 1st and 2nd Battalions Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Seven battalions of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers took part in the Battle of The Somme, 1916. The two Regular Battalions the 1st. and 2nd. were in the 29th. and 32nd. Divisions respectively. The 7th. and 8th. Battalions served with the 16th. (Irish) Division and the 9th. 10th. & 11th. Battalions with the 36th. (Ulster) Division. The story of the Irish Division and the Ulster Division at the Somme is told in the chapters on these two Divisions.

The 1st. Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers formed part of the 87th. Brigade of the 29th. Division. On 1st July this Bn. was holding the Line in front of the enemy strong-point known as Hawthorn Redoubt between the River Ancre and the strongly defended village of Beaumont-Hamel and was on the immediate left of the 12th. Bn. The Royal Irish Rifles of the 36th. (Ulster) Division. The task assigned to the 29th. Division was to capture the German positions along the ridge between Beaumont-Hamel and the 36th. Division's left, a most hopeless task, as the result proved. The enemy position rose in terrace after terrace of formidable entrenchments set thick with machine-gun posts with a perfect field of fire for hundreds of yards between them and the British front line trench.

At zero (7.30 a.m.) the Inniskillings moved forward in the general attack in lines of Platoons in Single File, immediately they got out of their assembly trenches they were met with a driving rain of machine-gun and rifle fire combined with a mortar and artillery barrage, it seemed impossible that anything could survive in such a cauldron of fire. The men faced the storm unflinchingly, the casualties were terrible and included the Commanding Officer killed with eleven other Officers before they had moved a hundred yards. A mere remnant of the battalion reached the enemy wire, there only to find that the wire had not been cut by our Artillery bombardment, this made further movement impossible. At this point they were met with heavy cross-fire from neighbouring enemy strong-points and what was left of the battalion had to take cover as best they could in the shell holes, movement in any direction being impossible. It was quite impossible to bring up reserves and eventually the whole 87th. Brigade, or what was left of it was compelled to retire, this in itself was a hazardous undertaking, and by the time they had returned to their own trenches many more casualties resulted. The casualties in the Inniskillings were desolating for that day, amounting in all, to 549 killed, wounded and missing. From the beginning the venture was a hopeless task, but the men put all they had into it and yet not a yard was gained.

The Battalion remained in reserve in this area until brought up to strength by drafts from home and in a couple of weeks moved north to Hazebrouck and the Ypres Salient. During the first week in October the battalion returned to the Somme Area and went into the Line in the Montauban Sector but took no part in any further major operation until the Somme Battle ended.

The 2nd. Battalion was in the Line on 1st July as part of the 96th. Brigade 32nd. Division. Their sector was immediately in front of Thiepval Village and on the right of their three sister battalions in the Ulster Division, the 9th. 10th. & 11th. Their allotted task was to advance in support of the two leading battalions of the Brigade. At 7.30 a.m. on that fateful morning the heavy British bombardment of the German positions suddenly ceased, and the air fell suddenly still, that moment of silence, seemed to some a year as the leading infantry left their trenches and moved forward. In common with the whole front they were immediately met with a murderous fire from everything the enemy had got, and although a little ground was gained the attack did not prosper. Three Companies of the Inniskillings were moved forward to the assistance of the leading battalions of English Infantry who had sustained terrible casualties and were being pinned down by the heavy machine-gun fire from the Thiepval Fortress. A little ground had been gained north of the village and the Division on the immediate left, the 36th. (Ulster) Division had made good progress. Shortly after mid-day an attack by all the available force of the Brigade was made from the positions gained in an attempt to turn the enemy flank at Thiepval, but all was in vain. The murderous fire from the enemy machine-guns made it impossible to advance a yard and due to the appalling casualties the whole of the 96th. Brigade was in effect out of the battle. During the afternoon units of the 49th. Division, whose role was to move in support of the 32nd. & 36th. Divisions, were sent forward to try and fill the gap which now existed between the left wing of the 32nd. Division and the right of the Ulster Division but nothing decisive was the result. The 2nd. Inniskillings during the rest of the day held trenches in the right rear of their three sister battalions in the Ulster Division. In spite of heavy casualties inflicted by enemy bombers and continuous machine-gun fire from the Thiepval Fortress the battalion held on to their positions throughout the night and all the next day. With the remnants of their Brigade they were relieved on the morning of the 3rd July.

After a few days out of the line the battalion was back in the trenches again, this time in font of the Ovilliers-La Boiselle sector, further to the right of Thiepval. Here on 9th July it went into the attack on a series of enemy trenches in front of Ovilliers which had resisted all efforts at capture since the opening of the battle on 1st. Advancing with great dash and resolution the battalion overran, captured and consolidated two lines of hostile trenches in their immediate front. Determined enemy counter-attacks followed in quick succession throughout the day but all efforts on the part of the Germans were held off with severe loss to the enemy. Again on the 13th July the 2nd. Inniskillings together with the 17th. H.L.I. went into the attack in an effort to extend their gains of a few days earlier, but this attack did not prove so successful as that on the 9th., casualties were so heavy in both Officers and Men that they could not hold on to the positions reached and were compelled to retire to their start point. The Battalion somewhat depleted in numbers were relieved in the front line on July 14 and were to take no further part in the Somme fighting.


To be continued...


The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

Ulster at the Somme - The 16th (Irish) Divison

The 16th. (Irish) Division raised in Ireland at the outbreak of the 1914-18 War included no fewer than Seven Ulster Battalions, each of approximately 1,000 men, viz;  7th. and 8th. Bns. The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 7th. Bn. The Royal Irish Rifles and the 7th. and 8th. Bns. The Royal Irish Fusiliers. As well as this the Division included the 6th. Bn. The Connaught Rangers which included over 600 Ulstermen recruited, in the greater part, in Belfast.

This Division made a great name for itself during the war and on several occasions fought side-by-side with the 36th. (Ulster) Division, notably at the Battle of Messines, June, 1917.

It was however at the Battle of the Somme 1916 in the assaults on the villages of Guillemont and Ginchy in September 1916 that the Division is most prominently identified. The 49th. Brigade, comprising the two Inniskilling Battalions and the two Irish Fusilier Battalions and the 47th and 48th. Brigades, the latter including the 7th. Bn. The Royal Irish Rifles, attacked the fortified village of Guillemont, situated close to the junction of the French and British Armies and therefore of great importance from a tactical point of view. Its capture was the most important achievement of the British Army since the taking of Pozieres. It was the last unconquered position in the old German Second defensive system between Mouquet Farm (near Thiepval) and the junction of the French and British Armies near Combles.

The conditions in which the Irishmen had to advance were appalling, the whole of this area was a scene of complete desolation and odious mud, churned up by continuous British bombardment during many unsuccessful attacks on this stubborn bastion since the battle of the Somme opened on 1st July. Movement over the ground in such conditions required a supreme effort apart altogether from the fierce hurricane of machine-gun and artillery fire which the enemy brought to bear on the advancing troops. Nevertheless the advancing Fusiliers and Riflemen hacked their way forward with great determination and traditional Irish dash in spite of the most severe casualties and drove the Germans from their positions, inflicting heavy loss on the defenders and taking many prisoners. A fierce enemy counter-attack on the newly won position in Leuse Wood was decisively beaten off by the two Inniskilling Battalions and the whole of the newly won line firmly held. The newly won ground had to be defended stubbornly for the next few days against many hostile onslaughts, the enemy realised he had lost as important key position and put in great efforts to regain the position lost to the Irishmen.

On September 9th, the 14th. Division again greatly distinguished itself by capturing the closely neighbouring village of Ginchy in an equally brilliant fashion. The attack was delivered during the afternoon of the 9th, and was one of the few successful attacks in a large scale British attempt at further advance. The Ulstermen of the Inniskillings, the Irish Fusiliers and the Rifles advanced with great determination through a fierce barrage of enemy fire so intense as to suggest that not even an insect could have survived in that hell of fire and death. The 47th. Bde, suffered terrible casualties during the assault and the 49th. Bde, moving forward in support came in for heavy punishment from the German Artillery and heavy machine-gun fire. The 7th. Rifles in the 48th. Brigade met with similar stubborn fierce resistance but not only did they capture their objective but a young Rifles Officer rallied a composite party of Dublins, Munsters and Rifles and led them through the village to the second, supporting, enemy position. Although they captured this position and dealt with the defenders who did not manage to escape, they found themselves too far forward and in an exposed position, the young subaltern very wisely led them back to the conforming British Line.

The capture of the German defence system at Ginchy was followed by a magnificent attack at short notice by the two Irish Fusilier Battalions on the enemy position north of Combles. This point was causing a lot of trouble to our troops in the newly won trenches and well did the "Faughs" eliminate the cause.

Some idea of the severity of the fighting in which the Ulster Brigade and the 7th. Rifles had come through may be judged from the fact that their casualties ran into four figures, but although the price was high an important and far reaching victory had been won.

The 24th. Division was shortly afterwards taken out of the line ato reorganise and a few weeks of afterwards found it with the Second Army in Flanders alongside the 36th (Ulster) Division. Here both Divisions were to remain until they, side-by-side, carried all before them in that brilliant and most perfect battle of the whole war - The Battle of Messines.


To be continued...


The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

Image: 16th (Irish) Division Christmas Card

Ulster at the Somme - The 36th (Ulster) Division

The 10th Corps consisted of the 32nd. Division, the 36th. (Ulster) Division and in support the 49th. Division. The 36th.Division embraced 3 Battalions of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 9 Battalions of the Royal Irish Rifles and one battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, each battalion about 1,000 strong. These battalions in three Brigades, 107th. 106th. and 109th. each of four battalions, together with One Battalion of Pioneers (16th. R.I.R), Divisional Artillery, Field Companies of the Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps and Field Ambulances, all volunteers and all Ulstermen.

The Ulstermen's front lay astride the River Ancre and along the lower slopes of Thiepval Ridge as far as the southern edge of Thiepval Wood. Facing its centre was the strongly fortified village of St.Pierre Divion and the notorious Schwaben Redoubt (the most formidable on the whole front) with the Stuff Redoubt supporting these two. The whole of this front was well covered by heavy machine-guns firing from Thiepval Village on the right and the fortified villages of Beaucourt and Beaumont-Hamel on the left, all supported with a great concentration of artillery of all calibres.

Shortly after dawn on the morning of Saturday 1st July every gun on a front of 25 miles was firing. The roar was incessant and quite indescribable, at eight minutes before zero hundreds of Stokes Mortars joined in with a hurricane bombardment of 30 rounds a minute on the German defences. At 7.30 a.m. wave after wave of British Infantry roso and with bayonets glistening in the morning sun moved forward as the hurricane barrage lifted to the German second line, the air was filled with smoke and mist in the trail of the great barrage. The Ulstermen carried all before them and immediately overran the German first and support line. Within half-an-hour the 9th Inniskillings of the 109th. Brigade weer in the enemy Second Line and were sending back prisoners. By 8.30 a.m. the 109th. Brigade after very fierce hand-to-hand fighting captured and firmly established themselves in the supposedly impregnable Schwaben Redoubt. On their immediate left the 11th. and 13th. Rifles advanced rapidly and before 9 a.m. were before the Hansa Line protecting the Thiepval-Grandcourt Road. It was most unfortunate for them that St. Pierre Divion had not been captured and was already being bi-passed by these two Rifle battalions. The 12th. Rifles and the 9th. Irish Fusiliers across the Ancre on their left, after an initial success were held up by the vicious machine-gun fire from Beaucourt and Beaumont-Hamel and the failure of the 29th. Division attack on the fortress of Beaumont-Hamel and the rising ground on their immediate front. The machine-gun posts at St. Pierre Divion wrought havoc in the ranks of the 108th. Brigade, the 12th. Rifles and the 9th. Irish Fusiliers were pinned down when they reached the enemy first line, and suffered terribly, the latter lost practically all their officers. A similar fate befell the 11th. and 13th. Rifles but in spite of the terrible casualties these two battalions, or what was left of them continued their advance to the outskirts of Grandcourt (this village was not to be entered again until after the fall of Beaumont-Hamel on 15th November). This produced a dangerous and exposed position for them, being fired on from both flanks and indeed their rear. The 107th. Bde. (Belfast) advancing in support of the two leading Brigades were now advancing through the positions captured by the two leading Brigades and were now attacking the Stuff Redoubt, a strongly fortified and stubbornly held enemy strong point in the German 3rd. Line. Near the spot called the Crucifix the 11th. Inniskillings and the 14th. Rifles (YCV) found themselves being machine-gunned and plastered with mortar fire from their rear and suffered terribly. German machine-gunners and mortar crews who had sheltered in the deep cellars during the heavy British bombardment now, it must be admitted with great gallantry, came up out of their caverns to fire into the rear of the advancing infantry. No-Man's-Land became a ghastly spectacle of dead and wounded. The 15th. Rifles of the 107th. Brigade were now in the Stuff Redoubt and set about dealing with numerous machine-gun nests who had emerged from their hiding places, the scene can only be described as bloody in the fierce hand-to-hand fighting which ensued and many were the acts of extreme gallantry, most of which passed unrecorded. The hurricane of machine-gun fire from the fortress of Thiepval, which had unfortunately not been captured by the 32nd. Division on the right, played havoc among the ranks of the 8th. 9th. and 10th Rifles as they moved forward in support of the advanced positions gained by the leading battalions, in spite of the awful carnage they continued unfaltering as if on parade. The 10th. Rifles suffered terribly and lost their Commanding Officer who was killed leading his battalion to the assault. Colonel Bernard was the only battalion commander killed on this day, as Commanding Officers were expressly forbidden to accompany their battalions in the assault and were ordered to control the advance of their respective units from their battle headquarters, no explanation is forthcoming as to why this C.O. found it necessary to lead his battalion into the attack.

The 107th. Brigade battalions, sadly depleted, reached the final objective together with the remnants of the leading Brigades. Along this, the "D" or Fourth Line, they proceeded to consolidate and establish themselves. Grimly they had to beat of continuous bombing attacks until the late afternoon. Several fighting patrols were sent forward and one such patrol actually entered the notorious Mouquet Farm and found it vacated.

It is now known that about this time the Divisional Commander 36th. Division (General Oliver Nugent) was considering whether to continue the advance into the open country which had now been reached. He had asked Corps Headquarters whether he should halt his advancing Division where they stood in view of the fact that neither of the Divisions on hos flanks had gained a yard. The reply was that a new and more forceful attack would be made on Thiepval Village and also on his left towards Beaumont-Hamel. He was assured that a Brigade of the 49th. Division was being sent to his support and that he should continue his advance as was the original plan. This order from Corps. HQ., however, was cancelled ¾ of an hour later. His advance forward had already begun and every effort was made to halt the advancing troops, but as communication was extremely difficult the message arrived too late. The job of communication had to be done by runner and the process was a very long affair, fortunate was he who crossed than zone of death unscathed. Of those who went forward in the advance into open country few returned to tell the story, as they ran into masses of enemy reinforcements moving forward to heal the breach made in their line by the Ulstermen. The Fourth Line was held, however, against all onslaughts by handfuls of determined men in the hope that the promised reinforcements would arrive, unfortunately this was not to be. The Ulster Division in spite of the fact that more than half its strength were now casualties held in their grasp the promise of a great and far-reaching victory if the breach which they had made in the strongest part of the enemy defence system could have been put to use. Some 5,000 Ulstermen, though closely wedged in all round by the enemy but thrust well into the enemy line, constituted what could have been the pivot for both wings of the British Line to move forward in the attack, but for some never explained reason nothing was done about it. The Thiepval spur was undoubtedly the German key position and when eventually in the month of October and early November it was finally captured the whole German Line was compelled to retire some distance and eventually as the newly won British positions made the enemy line untenable the whole German Army in the Somme sector retired "according to plan" to the Hindenburg Line 30 miles away. Unfortunately the British casualties in the Somme battles since 1st July had passed the 250,000 mark.

Meanwhile the situation had grown considerably worse for the already sorely tried Ulstermen in the forward zone of the deep salient which they had created. After beating off continuous hostile counter-attacks throughout the remainder of the day of July 1st by German bombers coming up from Thiepval in their right-rear and from Grandcourt on their left and with ammunition and supplies practically run out the situation became desperate. Officers in the advanced positions had observed through their field-glasses trainloads of German Reserves arriving beyond Grandcourt during the evening. A large scale counter-attack was launched by these enemy reinforcements at dusk and drove our exhausted men back into the 2nd. Line which they had overrun earlier that morning. The northern end of the Schwaben Redoubt was again in German hands. During the night of 1st/2nd July three battalions from the 148th. Brigade, 49th. Division were at last put at the disposal of the 36th. Division with the object of re-taking the Schwaben Redoubt and attacking Thiepval Village from the rear with the assistance of the remnants of the 107th. and 109th. Brigades. But alas at 1 a.m. two of these battalions had not arrived and the venture had to be called off. The near exhausted troops holding on grimly to the 2nd. Line had to beat off more enemy attacks throughout the night, but the Line held, and a number of prisoners were taken. The sadly depleted units in the line now held had to fight off vicious enemy attacks all through the second day and no further relief came. Casualties mounted and many who had survived the previous day's onslaught lost their lives due to the terrible artillery and mortar fire brought to bear upon them. The problem of reinforcing and supplying the units in the forward positions was fraught with danger due to the ever narrowing width of the salient held. Several parties of the 16th. Rifles (Pioneers) with supplies of bombs ammunition and water very gallantly went through the hellish enemy barrage in support of the men holding on grimly to the southern end of the Schwaben Redoubt and joined in in the defence with their hard pressed comrades.

That night, Sunday 2nd July, the Ulster Division was relieved by the 49th. Division, the relief was complete by 10 a.m. on the morning of the 3rd July when the battle scarred and weary remnants of the gallant Ulster Division, less than half the numbers who went "over-the-top" on the morning of 1st July, marched into the Martinsart Area and immediately flung themselves down to sleep.

Mention must be made of the supporting troops of the Ulster Division. All gave of their best in support of the heroic effort of the infantry. The Divisional Artillery under most trying conditions and continuous bombardment carried out their task in the true tradition of the British Gunner. The wire in front of all four German Lines was well out when compared with other parts of the battle front. This was in no small measure why the infantry was able to advance with such speed. It should here be mentioned that a Regiment of French Artillery also supported the Ulster Division during the assault and no doubt added considerably to the success of the effective role played by the artillery on this sector of the front. The Royal Engineers, who suffered severely, showed devotion to duty of the highest order regardless to the pounding they took from the enemy barrage of shell and bullet. The Field Ambulances worked unceasingly and heroically in their work of succour for the wounded and the dying. The Army Service Corps Supply Columns gave of their best in their vital supporting role and in common with other supporting elements suffered severe casualties. In all it can truthfully be said that the Division worked well in this their first major, and perhaps greatest, ordeal. All ranks from the highest down had acquitted themselves in the traditional fighting spirit of their race and in the best traditions of the famous Ulster Regiments to which they belonged.

The Ulster Division's assault on Thiepval Ridge and along the Ancre Valley though carried out with brilliant dash and complete success on the opening day and well into the second day and alone of all the divisions in the Northern Sector had taken all their objectives and held on to them for a day-and-a-half their success was not exploited. They had created a deep narrow salient 3,000 yards in depth and approximately half that distance in width, they had overrun and captured the most formidable and reputedly impregnable positions on the whole Western Front and inflicted severe casualties on the enemy, but the Divisions on both their flanks failed to make any movement forward leaving the strongly fortified village of Thiepval and the Leipzig Redoubt on their right and the fortresses of Beaumont-Hamel and Beaucourt on their left unconquered. In spite of this the situation created by the advance of the Ulstermen could have undoubtedly been exploited if someone with the initiative of a Montgomery or a Patton had been there and decided to infiltrate reinforcements into the large gap made in the hostile line, however, the word infiltration had not yet crept into the British military vocabulary and nothing was done and a great opportunity was lost. Haig as a cavalryman had an obsession for cavalry and had taken the Cavalry Units, who for over eighteen months had been used as Infantry in the trenches, out of the trenches and assembled a Cavalry Corps comprising three Cavalry Divisions at some distance behind the front attacked, in the hope of a breakthrough - but this was wishful thinking - Cavalry had long since ceased to fit into the pattern of modern war and the "Tank" was still on the secret list. In any case it would have been quite impossible for horses to make their way across the deep trench systems deeply shell-pocked and covered with forests of barbed-wire entanglements running to a depth of two or three kilometres before the open country was reached. No cavalry could have advanced in face of the thousands of enemy machine-guns which faced the British advance. Why then was the Cavalry not allowed to remain dismounted as Infantry and take their place in the general assault, three further supporting divisions would have been very useful as things turned out.

As previously mentioned, what remained of the 36th. Division was taken out of the line on the morning of the 3rd July and placed in reserve around Martinsart, a few days later it was taken further back to reorganise in the Bernaville area. The Divisional Artillery, the Royal Engineers and the 16th. Royal Irish Rifles (Pioneers) remained in the line to carry on their hazardous duties in support of other divisions. On July 12th the Division less Artillery received orders to move to Flanders.

So ended the 36th (Ulster) Division's first great ordeal. It had cause to be proud of the valiant part it played in this the greatest battle the world had ever seen. Against immense difficulties and the most formidable defences, both Officers and Men had shown the highest degree of personal courage and had won for themselves and their Province a proud place in history. This, alas, was achieved only at a terrible cost in young lives, the Division lost 5,553 Officers and Men in the two days they were in action and practically every home in Ulster was thrown into mourning. We can do no better than end the story of the Ulster Division at the Somme than with Winston Churchill's famous words to the men of the IV Army after the battle ended: "Unconquerable by death, which they had conquered, they have set up a monument of native virtue which will command the wonder, the reverence and the gratitude of our island people so long as we endure as a nation of men".


To be continued...


The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

Ulster's part in the Battle of the Somme, 1916

The following extract and associated articles were written in 1966.

Ulster has reason to be proud of the part played by her sons in the Great War of 1914-1918 and particularly so during the great Battle of The Somme fought 50 years ago this year. Men and women of all creeds and classes joined up in the services in their tens of thousands. No fewer than 75,000 men voluntarily enlisted in the Army alone between August, 1914 and November 1918 and many thousands joined the Navy and Merchant Navy. Of these numbers over 50,000 were given by the City of Belfast, a truly magnificent record.

The establishments of the three Ulster Infantry Regiments was enormously increased as was the strength of the other Ulster recruited regiments. The pre-War strength of the three Ulster Infantry Regiments was two Regular Battalions each and seven Special Reserve Battalions, in support of the regulars. On the call for volunteers to fight for King and Country the Ulster Regiments were increased as follows:--
             The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 13 Bns.
             The Royal Irish Rifles (now R.U.R) 21 Bns.
             The Royal Irish Fusiliers 11 Bns.

Other Ulster Regiments and Corps which greatly increased and played an outstanding part in the war were:-
             6th. Inniskilling Dragoons (now 5th. Innis. Dragoon Guards)
             5th. Royal Irish Lancers (now 16th/5th. Royal Lancers)
             8th. Royal Irish Hussars (now Queens Royal Irish Hussars)
             North Irish Horse
             36th. Div. Artillery (153rd. 154th. 172nd. 173rd. Bdes.)
             36th. Divisional Royal Engineers (121-122nd. 150th. Field Coys)
             36th. Divisional Signal Company
             The Irish Guards (a large proportion recruited in Ulster)
             The Machine Gun Corps (107th. 108th. 109th. Bde. M.G. Coys)
             36th. Div. Train & Supply Column, Army Service Corps.
             108th. 109th. & 110th. Field Ambulances, R.A.M.C.
             48th. Mobile Section Army Veterinary Corps.

Many hundreds of men joined other Irish and cross channel units, particularly: The Connaught Rangers (two-thirds of the 6th. Bn. The Connaught Rangers was recruited in West Belfast), The Royal Irish Regiment (several hundreds were recruited in Derry & Tyrone) and several hundred Ulstermen were already serving with the 6th. Black Watch, T.A.). All this in addition to the several thousand men who were serving as Regulars and Special Reserve and the many Army Reservists who were called to the colours on mobilisation.

During the Great War Ulstermen were awarded thousands of decorations of varying kinds for gallantry in action. Amongst these awards no fewer than 23 Victoria Crosses were won by Ulstermen, of these 9 were won in the Ulster Division - four of them on 1st July, 1916.

This is indeed a splendid and imposing record for a small area the size of Ulster and one of which all Ulstermen may well be proud.

"THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME"

1st July to 18th November, 1916

The Allies had been at war with Germany and the Central Powers for just under two years, the opposing armies had "gone to ground" in the early winter of 1914. The old British Regular Army as we knew it had long since disappeared in a war of attrition in its most ghastly form. The French had been bleeding to death for months in the immortal defence of Verdun and the German Army sat tight in their formidable, self chosen, defensive positions of elaborate trench systems, fortified villages and woods. Something had to be done to relieve the pressure on our French Allies - to quote Winston Churchill - "All the spring of 1916 the French had been battling and dying at Verdun, immolating their manhood upon the anvil-altar; and every chivalrous instinct in the new British Armies called them to the succour of France, and inspired them with sacrifice and daring". This was the situation confronting the British Commander-in-Chief (General Sir Douglas Haig) when he decided in collaboration with the French Commander-in-Chief (Marshal Joffre) that we should take the offensive for the first time since the war began.

The Allied Commanders selected as the point of their offensive what was undoubtedly the strongest and most perfectly defended position along the whole length of the Western Front. They were certain that if the enemy could be defeated here he would be more disheartened than being overcome on some easier battleground.

The point to be assailed was the high ground astride the River Somme extending for some 45 Kilometres from a point near Sommecourt on the left, to Maricourt on the right, as the British Sector; thence further south to a point just south of Chaulnes as the French Sector. We are concerned here only with the destinies of the British Army but with special reference to the part played by the various Ulster Regiments throughout the long drawn out series of battles lasting some four-and-a-half months from 1st July to 18th November, 1916 and referred to as the Battle of The Somme.

The British IV Army, commanded by General Sir Henry Rawlinson, comprised six Army Corps, the 7th. 8th. 10th. 3rd. 15th. and 13th. in line in that order from the left. Sir Douglas Haig decided that the 7th. Corps should carry out a subsidiary attack, only, in front of of Sommecourt on the left flank. The German intelligence, it is now known from records, were fully aware that a large scale offensive was pending, but they mistakenly misjudged the actual point of the attack as being between Vimy Ridge just north of Arras to the southern tip of the Thiepval Spur near La Boiselle, and it was along this sector that, we now know, that the enemy had laboured unceasingly for months to considerably strengthen the many Redoubts and Fortified Villages and no pains were spared to render these defences impregnable, it was along this sector that he had deployed his best and most thickly concentrated forces. The first and second defensive systems each consisted of several deep trenches, out into the chalky countryside and well provided with the most elaborate dug-outs as safe shelters against bombardment. The front of each system was well protected by elaborate wire entanglements, many of them in two belts, forty yards wide, built of iron stakes interlaced with vicious barbed-wire almost as thick as a man's finger. The labyrinths of deep bob-proof shelters surrounded each fortified position and were used to provide safe cover for the hundreds of heavy machine-guns and mortars and their crews during bombardment. Some of these dug-outs were in the stories and were of the most elaborate nature. Each strong-point was self contained and its heavy armament of heavy machine-guns cunningly concealed and sighted to bring mutual support by enfilade and flanking-fire to fire to their neighbouring garrisons. Supporting artillery and mortars were similarly arranged to produce the most effective cross-fire.

This was the situation confronting the 8th. Corps facing the Serre-Beaumont Hamel Sector and the 10th. Corps Sector astride the Ancre Valley and facing the formidable Thiepval Ridge. South of La Boiselle in the sectors Fricourt, Mametz, Montabaun and a dozen more villages attacked by the British and French the enemy was taken at a disadvantage.

To be continued...


The above text is taken from a typed manuscript which was written in 1966 and was signed with the initials W.A.S. If anyone knows who the original author was I would like to hear from you so that it can be properly attributed.

The Ulster Division

After the taking of Thiepval

By Qui Vive.

The following graphic description of the great attack by the 36th (Ulster) Division on the 1st July, 1916, on the Somme, is told by an officer who took part in this famous achievement, which resulted in the capture of four lines of the German defences.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

The Ulster Division proceeded on active service in the beginning of October, 1915. By the end of that month one Brigade was already in the trenches of the Serres-Beaumont Hamel sector, having been detached from the Ulster Division and attached to a Regular division then operating in this area.

The conditions prevailing in the trenches of this section were recognised as being amongst the worst to be found in the whole length of the British line. The hardships endured cheerfully by the officers and men of this Brigade during the wet, cheerless days and nights of winter defied adequate description. So thorough, however, had been their training that the wastage from sickness, trench feet, etc., was very slight, and compared favourably with that of the regular soldiers amongst whom they were privileged to find themselves.

When the time came for them to rejoin their own division, the Divisional General, under whose orders they had been acting, testified to his high opinion of their soldierly qualities, and expressed himself satisfied in every way with their performances under his command.

In 1916 the remaining Brigades of the Division, which had been assiduously training some weeks behind the line, joined the Brigade already in the trenches, taking over from the regular division, and prolonging the line of their own Brigade southwards, almost to the Ancre -- a river which they were destined to know better in later days.

This line the division held solidly during the remainder of the winter, sprinG and early summer.

They proved their mettle in patrol work and many minor enterprises. They matched the cunning of the Bosche with counter-strokes of slimness, and generally brought to nought the enemy's divers plans for their downfall.

Enemy attempts to break into the British line in this sector were frustrated by the alert, determined garrison of North Country Irish men, and where by chance he did succeed in setting foot in their trenches, he was immediately expelled by vigorous counter-attack.

During this period the Division endured the rigours of winter and discomforts of wet trenches, not only uncomplainingly but with a sporting spirit, which showed itself in the mutual banter of the men.

The ridiculous-looking garb necessary to protect them from cold and wet, also the difficulties of "navigation" in the trenches, stirred them to that originality of remark and frequency of phrase in which the Irishman is more than ordinarily fertile.

In May, 1916, the Division slightly altered its front.

"Side-slipping" south, they occupied the trenches astride the River Ancre, and found themselves opposed to the strongly entrenched German line, buttressed by the fortified places Thiepval and St. Pierre Divion.

Here they pursued the same vigorous policy which have come to be associated with their trench life.

They raided successfully the enemy lines on both sides of the Ancre. They harried the enemy in every way practicable, and stirred a formerly quiet sector into a condition of "some liveliness." In this line the Ulster Division still found themselves on July 1st, 1916, the initial day of the Somme offensive.

From these trenches they carried out an attack which in gallantry of execution was in keeping with the highest traditions of the British Army.

-- -- -- -- -- --

The attack commenced on the morning of the 1st July. Abundant artillery had been continuously bombarding the enemy lines fur almost a week.

Viewed from our lines, after the artillery had been operating for some days, the different German trench lines were almost undistinguishable, so great had been the destruction wrought at every point in their front system of defences.

It seemed as though no living thing could exist amid the scene of general destruction.

The remains of the Chateau at Thiepval

The light of after events, however, has shown that the super-industry of the Hun during two years of stationary warfare had accomplished more than he was given credit for. Although his trench system was completely destroyed, he was yet in deep, commodious dug-outs, able to preserve the greater part of the garrison unharmed against the moment when we should launch our infantry assault. A short bombardment of incredible intensity preceded the attack.

A portion of one Brigade attacked on the right or North bank of the River Ancre.

The main attack was carried out by the remainder of the Division from Thiepval Wood, on the left or Southern bank of the river.

THE MAIN ATTACK.

The first waves, composed of men of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Royal Irish Rifles, advanced steadily on the front German trenches.

So perfect was the alignment, and deliberate the advance, that one might well have thought them to be carrying out a practice manoeuvre on a divisional field day.

That day, however, each man's heart was set on a sterner work, and their unfaltering footsteps bore witness to the determination with which they set about it.

The first German trenches yielded easily to their assault. Casualties were comparatively few.

In spite of heavy losses, however, including almost all their officers, they pushed gallantly on and eventually succeeded in penetrating the advanced German defences.

Clearing up parties, which killed or captured Germans left in dug-outs, were dropped, as the main attack swept forward to the enemy second line.

Sharp and vigorous work with the bayonet and rifle soon overcame the enemy's resistance here.

A large number of prisoners were taken, and this trench also fell into their hands.

Up to this point the casualties of the leading battalions had not been unduly heavy; the waves of the immediately supporting battalions, however, suffered very severely. The gabble of the death-dealing machine guns was incessant from Thiepval, on the right flank, and from St. Pierre Divion on the left.

Enemy's trench mortars were also by this time in action, and wrought havoc in the ranks of the Ulstermen.

The attack carried out by other troops against Thiepval itself had failed, and the additional machine guns, which had earlier been used in beating off the frontal attacks, now poured a deadly enfilade fire into the advancing support lines of the Ulster Division.

St. Pierre Divion, on the left flank, was also attacked, and enemy machine guns from this point further thinned the supporting lines of the Northerns.

The flanks of the advance were thus in the air, but, in spite of the galling fire, there was no flinching on the part of those determined troops.

They advanced with unslackened vigour to the attack on the German third line, speedily conquering the garrison by the vigour of their onslaught, and sending back a large number of prisoners.

Germans were everywhere fleeing, putting up their hands in great numbers, waiting for no more than the sight of the bared steel in the capable hands of the doughty Northerns.

The work of consolidating these conquered trenches was already begun but was rendered exceedingly difficult by reverse fire from Thiepval, enfilade fire from St. Pierre Divion and the heavy barrage put down by hostile artillery.

The supporting troops had perhaps the stormiest passage of all.

The enemy artillery and machine gunners, now thoroughly alive to what was taking place, had marked down the point of debouchement from Thiepval Wood.

No smoke barrage existed to screen the advancing troops, who were in consequence subjected to fire of the heaviest description, on their way through the wood and during the crossing of "No Man's Land."

Blasted by machine guns on either flank, harassed by the fire of heavy trench mortars, the supporting troops yet pressed forward unflinchingly through the thick barrage put down by the enemy artillery, passed through the advanced lines of the leading brigades, eventually pressing their attack home and setting their feet in the enemy's fourth line, the farthest limits of the objective.

Strong enemy counter-attacks, preceded by heavy bombardment, repeatedly made throughout the day, were beaten off in the most gallant fashion, many instances of extraordinary individual bravery on the part of the men being seen.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

So ended the attack of the Northern Irishmen on the opening days of July; days of which Ulster may ever be proud, by reason of the self-sacrifice, courage, and dauntless spirit displayed by her valiant sons in the bloody valley of the Ancre.



This article and photos were taken from  a publication entitled "The Undivided Irish Divisions and How They Fought in France and in Flanders." Date of publication currently unknown.

The Charge of The Ulster Division at Thiepval

 July 1st, 1916.

Was ever a Charge in the world like this?
Shall ever a son of Ulster miss
A fame that is wholly and solely his --
     A fame of sublimest splendour?
The lads who laughed in the face Death!
Above the roar of the cannon's breath
Singing their sacred shibboleth
     Of "The Boyne" and "No Surrender!"

Giant-strong, with the strength of Right --
Fired, by the soul of their sires, to fight --
What cared they for the foeman's might,
     Or how many cannons thundered?
Face to face with a hundred Huns,
Half-a-score of Ulster's sons
Silenced the thunder of the guns --
     Ten -- a match for a hundred!

Nought could stay them: nought them stop:
A thirst for blood to the last red drop,
Charging along on the topmost top
     Of the waves of Fire that bore them!
On, with a thirst that nought could quell,
Thro' a hurricane-shower of shot and shell,
To fight -- or fall, as their Fathers fell,
     In the doughty days before them!

Merrily -- every mother's son --
Laughing, as tho' they fought for fun,
With a song and a cheer they charged the Hun,
     Marring his Maker's image!
Chaffing, as tho' each shell might be
The whistle-call of a Referee!
And the bloodiest tussle in History
     Only -- a Football scrimmage!

Into the Hell of "No Man's Land,"
Thro' poisoned air, at their soul's command,
And a shrapnel-storm that none could stand,
     Charging, in wild derision.
Past Sentry Death, who, wondering, kept
His vigil there -- on, on they swept,
Where never a man could live -- except
     Ulster's Divine Division!

Flinging his fun in the face of Death --
Above the roar of the cannon's breath
Singing his sacred shibboleth
     Of "The Boyne" and "No Surrender!"
Wherever a son of Ulster is,
Honour and Glory shall aye be his!
Was ever a fight in the world like this,
     Or a charge of sublimer splendour?

Samuel Kennedy Cowan

Images: At Thiepval;  The Attack of the Ulster Division by J.P. Beadle in Belfast City Hall.