Kiwi losses on the Somme

BATTLE of Flers-Courcelette: New Zealanders making a trench by joining up shell craters, near Martinpuich, September 15, 1916. British Front - France General Battle Somme. PICTURE: ROBERT HUNT LIBRARY/WINDMILL BOOKS/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES

The Battle of the Somme on the Western Front in 1916 is the most catastrophic event in British military history. On the opening day, July 1, the British forces suffered more than 57,000 casualties, of which 19,200 were killed, missing or died of wounds. It was a horrific start to a battle that was expected to punch a hole in the German defences and break the stalemate that had developed 12 months before.
The battle was more than two months old before New Zealand troops were involved. Since arriving in France in early April the NZ Division had been in the Armentieres Sector where they were assimilated into the British Army and trained in trench warfare. They then manned the front lines for three months and, although it was a relatively quiet sector, incurred 2500 casualties, 375 being fatal. In mid-August they withdrew and prepared for the move south to the Somme.
On arriving at the training camp near Abbeville the New Zealand Division was transferred to XV Corps as part of the British Fourth Army under General Rawlinson. They had two weeks training before going into battle. The first to do so were the Engineer and Pioneer Battalions which were sent forward to consolidate the old German line at Bazentine Ridge and to dig the all-important communication trenches. It was here that the first casualty from the Wanganui District occurred when Sgt Matene Duff from Taihape died on September 1 after being wounded by shrapnel. The artillery battalions were next to move forward and joined with the British 7th and 14th Artillery Divisions.
Moving the NZ Infantry Divisions up took a little longer but by September 14 they were in position - their objectives on this first day were to seize the German Switch Trench system, establish control, then carry on to capture the villages of Flers and Gueudencourt and join up with III Corps on their left. With bayonets fixed they climbed out of their trenches at 6.20am under a rolling barrage from the artillery. Leading the way were 2nd Auckland and 2nd Otago Battalions of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, with 3rd Brigade to follow and 1st Brigade to stay in Reserve.
The first objective, the Switch Trench, was taken in half an hour and the evident devastation indicated the good work done by the artillery. The invaders were now able to look down on a rural scene unmarked by war. This battle was the first time that tanks were used and it was planned that they would assist the New Zealand assault on the Switch but failed to arrive. They were very slow - three miles an hour (4.8 kph) - and vulnerable to artillery. They also were easily bogged down on ground cut up by bombing and often unable to negotiate deep trenches but were a great morale booster to supporting infantry.
The next objective was the village of Flers, plainly visible 1000 yards (914 metres) ahead with its tidy houses and gardens - Gueudencourt was a further mile (1.6 kilometres) away. The attack resumed at 8am with 2nd and 3rd Rifle Battalions leading the attack on the Flers trench system defending the village. They ran into stiff opposition before meeting up with the 41st (British) Division which had starting infiltrating the village, with the assistance of a tank. As the Germans withdrew their artillery opened up on the village, causing heavy casualties to the invading force.
Opposition beyond the village was more determined and the operation began falling behind time so the opportunity was taken to call a halt, re-establish units and reorganise the attack. A further move at 11.30am to advance was taken but the stiff resistance took its toll and forced a withdrawal to a defensive position north of Flers. The attackers had been in the field almost eight hours and had suffered heavily - 2nd Otago had more than 800 casualties while 2nd Auckland 600. Both battalions retired the following morning. It was time for the reserve battalions to take over.
The attack resumed the following morning (16th). This brought 1st Brigade into action and their first task was to take Grove Alley trench-lines, north of Flers. At 9.25am 1st Wellington took up the attack amidst heavy enemy bombardment and machinegun fire from the flanks. They were able to take a section of Grove Alley trenches but when their support from either side failed the attack on Gueudencourt stalled. All that could be done was consolidate the gains made.
The two days' fighting, while not achieving all objectives, nevertheless earned high praise from the British Commander-in-Chief Sir Douglas Haig.
"The result of fighting of 15th and 16th September and the following days was a gain more considerable than any which had attended our arms in the course of a single operation since the commencement of the offensive."
And from Sir Henry Rawlinson, Commanding 4th Army -
"Please convey to all ranks of the NZ Division my congratulations and thanks for their successful attacks on 15th-16th September. They showed a fine fighting spirit and admirable energy and dash."
The New Zealanders had stormed two main lines of trenches and advanced a mile forward on a front of six miles (9.6 kilometres) and taken 520 prisoners. Losses had been high.
Rain started to fall on the 18th turning the battlefield into a bog and halting further progress. Trenches became sometimes knee-deep in mud. Raids over the following few days were executed with few gains and significant losses - this time 100 officers and 3000 other ranks.
With an improvement of the weather the offensive resumed on the 25th. First Brigade, faced with little opposition, gained ground with light casualties. Finally on 26th Gueudencourt was taken but a further objective on the following day was fiercely defended and Auckland and Otago suffered heavy losses. Their positions were then strengthened and as any further advance would be costly and the objectives set for offensive had been achieved it was decided to call a halt.
First of the New Zealanders to leave the battlefield were 1st Infantry Brigade on the night of 28/29 September - marching back to Carlton and Savoy and Mamatz Wood. One more attack however was planned for the New Zealanders. On October 1 the remaining brigades were used in support of 47th Division (III Corps) in their attack on Eaucourt l'Abbaye. Starting at 3.15pm the New Zealanders had moderate resistance on the right but on the left Canterbury and Otago were being raked by machinegun fire, achieving their goal only after bitter fighting. The whole lip of the depression ahead was then held by the New Zealanders.
It was during this battle that Sgt Donald Brown (Otago) single-handedly rushed a machinegun post that was barring their way and bayonetted the crew. A similar incident on the 15th earned Sgt Brown the first Victoria Cross awarded a New Zealander in France. This was conferred posthumously as a short while later Sgt Brown was killed by a long range bullet.
The time had now come to relieve the other two heavily depleted New Zealand forces at the front, 2nd Brigade plodding back to Fricourt Camp, followed by 3rd (Rifle) Brigade to a camp at Pommiers Redoubt.
The New Zealander infantry brigades were in the thick of battle from September 15 to October 3 and made a gain of two miles into enemy territory, captured five miles of front-line trenches, taken 1000 prisoners and much enemy equipment. But the cost was high. Of the 18,000 troops involved, casualties amounted to 8000 of which 2000 died, 600 of them on the first day.
The Wanganui District casualty rate was 97 overall with 35 falling on the first day, making it the third worst day during the war, behind Chunuk Bair 72 and Passhendaele 47.
On 6/7 October the NZ Infantry Brigades moved back to the lower Somme before entraining to join II ANZAC Corps at Armentieres. The artillery did not leave the front until 25/26 October, having served continuously for nearly two months.
The Battle of the Somme was the largest battle of the Great War, lasting four and a half months and resulting in total casualties and losses of more than a million soldiers - nearly 624,000 British and French and an estimated 465,000 German. By the end of the battle on November 18 the British and French forces had penetrated six miles into German occupied territory but had failed to break through the enemy line before winter set in.