THE FRONT LINE
THE WGGS FIRST WORLD WAR NEWSPAPER
Edition: 48
FOR HISTORY MATTERS
STRUGGLE ON THE SOMME CONTINUES
DEVILS AT WAR:
A BATTLE TO FORGET
Ominously nicknamed ‘Devil’s Wood’ by the soldiers
who fought there, Delville Wood witnessed a fierce and
devastating battle this month. When the fighting ceased,
Delville Wood had disintegrated into an utter wasteland.
Shattered trees, their stumps blackened with char,
littered the ground. There were craters filled with the
dirty mixture of mud and blood. And then there were the
corpses. Corpses lay everywhere.
It began on the 15th of July, as a part of the Somme
campaign. A force of 3,155 South Africans were ordered
to take control of Delville Wood, clearing it of German
soldiers, regardless of the potential consequences.
Before the soldiers moved into the wood, it was heavily
shelled with Allied artillery, which pushed over trees,
leaving the roots bare and exposed. Digging trenches
was a nightmare. Faced with a huge force of 7,000
Germans, the South African soldiers could do nothing
but rely on the shallow and poorly made trenches,
bitterly hoping for survival. Struck with torrential rain, the
conditions of the South African soldiers simply
worsened.
Fierce machine gun and artillery fire was unleashed as
the Germans launched a brutal series of counterattacks. The opposing soldiers bravely fought on: one
man’s life against another. Bayonets, knives and bombs
were flung about, killing and wounding thousands. At its
peak, 400 German shells landed in the wood every
minute. As the number of casualties rose, Delville Wood
became a grave yard.
The
wasteland
left after 4
days of harsh
fighting at
“The Battle of
Devils
Wood”.
For every one South African wounded, four were killed.
At the end of the terrible battle, just four days later, only
143 South African soldiers were left standing. The few
who remained felt pure relief.
Not a single tree stood whole. It’s hardly surprising that
the soldiers adopted the nickname ‘Devil’s Wood.’
Reporter : Isabella McRae.
15 July 2016
TROUBLE ON EASTERN FRONT
RUSSIA’S LAST STAND?
BRUSILOV OFFENSIVE IS COLLAPSING!
The Allies were initially shocked when the Brusilov offensive
launched in June this year proved to be successful. Russia has
enjoyed very few military successes since this war began. For
example The Battle of Tannenberg in 1914 had been
particularly disastrous: only 10,000 of the 150,000 Russian
soldiers were able to escape the Germans whilst approximately
92,000 men were taken as prisoners. Nevertheless the
beginning of the Brusilov offensive
promised to be different when just two
weeks after the offensive had been
launched, General Alexei Brusilov had
succeeded in advancing 80 kilometres
into Austria Hungary and capturing
200,000 men.
The purpose of the Brusilov offensive
was to create a diversion for the
Germans after their large scale attack
at Verdun. The French begged the
Hero no more?:
allies for help and eventually it was
General Alexei Brusilov
decided that the Russian military
would launch an attack on Austria Hungary in order to force
the Germans into withdrawing troops from the Western Front
to the east. This tactic as we well know has worked very well
and momentarily caught the Germans off guard.
It is thought that the initial Russian success can be put down to
three things: improvement in the training that the Russian
soldiers received, the increase in military equipment made
available to them, and General Brusilov’s excellent leadership
skills. However, now over a month into the offensive we can
see that Russia is not as strong as it has been perceived to be.
Despite Austria Hungary’s early struggle against the offence,
once Germany sent its reinforcements the Russian’s -slowly but
surely- were forced to begin retreating.
Other attempts have since been made to relieve the French of
the persistent attacks at Verdun such as the commencing of
The Battle of the Somme on the first of this month. Although
British Expeditionary Force (BEF) Commander General Sir
Douglas Haig believes this operation will be more successful,
military leaders such as the head of the French Army (General
Foch) and our own General Henry Rawlinson have expressed
some doubts in this plan. The Brusilov offensive is failing and
the last thing we want to do is to waste well-needed military
power in areas where it will not be effective.
It is believed by a considerable number of leading British
Commanders that the Battle of the Somme will also achieve
very little in the scheme of things. Hopefully they will be
proved wrong.
Reporter : Kajal Rowan.
STRAIGHT FROM THE FRONT :
THE SOMME
IN PICTURES AND WORDS.
‘The Battle of the Somme‘ film hit our cinemas only yesterday, but already
thousands have flocked to crowded theatres in anticipation of what is thought to
be a record breaking release. Geoffrey Malins and John McDowell are credited
with this first feature-length documentary film that depicts the conditions and
hardships faced by Britain’s bravest men on the Western Front.
Trench warfare, marching infantries, artillery fire; concepts that seem so
distant, so unimaginable here in Britain have finally been brought home. Now
we can see and understand the true horrors of war. The King himself stated
“The public should see these pictures that they may have some idea of what the
army is doing and what it means”. However, this is not a film for the light
hearted.
Despite clear interest and enthusiasm for the film, the vivid realities of war,
images of the wounded and dead have caused many to turn away and close
their eyes. This reaction has become common amongst the public, particularly
in one of the most dramatic scenes which shows men climbing over the top of
their trenches into no-man’s land. One by one they follow their officer, and one
by one they are shot down by machine guns. Understandably this is distressing
for domestic viewers; however its intention is the complete opposite. The film
hopes to persuade support for the army and to increase volunteer soldiers by
presenting truthful images of the frontline rather than conveying it as game.
It may be a film of tragedy but it does successfully highlight the comradery,
loyalty and humanity of British soldiers. In one scene, two British soldiers run
from their cover to bring in a wounded comrade despite being under heavy fire.
Although its popularity is already evident, the film has faced criticism from
some who claim that it is immoral to portray scenes of violence. The Dean of
Durham stated that he is “against an entertainment which wounds the heart and
violates the very sanctity of bereavement”. Nevertheless it has been embraced
by the people of Britain in their desperation to understand what our country and
our men face. One viewer, who had previously never been to a film-theatre
before, said she was “thrilled to have the realities of war brought so vividly
before [her] even if [she] had to sometimes shut [her] eyes to escape for a
moment”
It may be popular amongst the public, but the futility of battle and the terrible
suffering of induvial soldiers presented, makes the effectiveness of the film
questionable. Will it truly be reassuring as hoped or simply create fear and
anger amongst our young potential soldiers?
Reporter : Sashi Singhal.
Still shots from the new film
TRAGEDY FOR ACCRINGTON.
On the first day alone 19,240 British Soldiers were killed. Pal’s battalions
were some of the hardest hit, with the 11th east Lancashire battalion losing
584 of its 720 men. These numbers may appear incomprehensible, but in
reality this means that in East Lancashire 584 families are grieving, and in all
likelihood not only for their own sons, brothers, and husbands; but their
neighbour’s as well.
The ‘Accrington Pal’s’ were created in response to the offer of the Mayor of
Accrington, Captain John Harwood, to create an entire battalion. When
recruitment opened on September 14th 1914, within the first 3 hours alone
104 men had enlisted. Within 10 days this number had reached 1,100 men not only from Accrington itself but the surrounding area. In February 1915,
after months of initial drilling, these men left for further training Caernarvon.
There they joined with other battalions to create the 31st division. This
division embarked for Egypt in December, to counter a threat on the Suez
Canal, and when the threat passed they were reassigned to France.
On the evening of the 30th June, the 11th East Lancashire’s left their camp
and trekked 7 miles to the Serre Trenches. When they arrived in the early
morning of July 1st they found an already shell-damaged trench, once the
Germans realised that there was once again activity in the trench, shelling
continued. At 6:30am the command was given to attack the German
Frontline, by 8am survivors had been forced to withdraw.
In the space of this hour and a half a community was devastated. Mr Holmes,
a brother of one of the dead, recalled how ‘the bell at Christ Church tolled all
the day.’ And how ‘there was [n’t] a street in Accrington and district that
didn't have their blinds drawn’. This town has been left bereft of the majority
of the men who set out in February 1915, but they will live on in the
memories of those who they left behind.
Reporter : Anenti Winter
Above: The “Accrington Pals”.
Below: Memorial to the Accrington
pals Batallion at Sheffield Memorial
Park, near Serre on the Somme in
France
THE FRONT LINE REMEMBERS
‘LEST WE FORGET’
ARTHUR WILSON
In remembrance of Arthur Wilson, a
Private in the Northumberland Fusiliers.
He was killed near Albert on the first day
of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916,
at the age of twenty-three. He
attended WBGS from 1899-1909.
FRANK B. NASH
In remembrance of Frank Branch Nash,
a Rifleman in the Queen Victoria’s Rifles
Regiment. He went missing on the first
day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July
1916, at the age of twenty. He attended
WBGS from 1907 – 1910.
BERTRAM C. IBBOTT
In remembrance of Bertram Charles
Ibbott, a Private in the 92nd Machine
Gun Corps. Died of wounds near Vimy,
16th July 1916, at the age of twenty-one.
He attended WBGS from 1907 –
1912.
ALFRED C. STRUGNELL
In remembrance of Alfred Charles
Strugnell, Second Lieutenant in 2nd
Yorkshire Regiment. He went missing
on the first day of the Battle of the
Somme, 1st July 1916, at the age of
twenty-seven. He attended WBGS
from 1903 – 1906.
‘One of Those Millions’
This week we resume our tale of one man’s journey
through the Great War; this is told from the
German point of view and reminds us that the
events of 1914-18 were not just a tragedy for the
people of Britain and its Empire. Installent 11:
In early June 1916, Paul again applied to be transferred to
active service and this time he was successful. He wrote to
Maria at once. ‘I cannot forget how you wanted to make me
promise that I wouldn’t volunteer any more. Did I hurt you?
Believe me when I say I understand you, but please try to
understand me too.’ He was granted a brief home leave and
on 11 June, the eve of his departure to rejoin the 247th
Infantry Regiment in ‘our old bloodbath – the Somme’, he
wrote to Maria again. ‘What are you thinking now? I feel as if
your thoughts cross with mine. Last Sunday we parted, the
last time I looked into your eyes, but it was not for the very
last time. Maria, we will see each other again. It might be a
long time before I can hold you in my arms again. But take
comfort. Look to the future – we will see each other again.
Dear girl, think of that beloved time and it will lessen the pain
of parting. I would so love to be with you still, to comfort you
and wipe away your tears. I know how hard it is to part.
Yesterday evening, reading your words, I felt it all over
again. The pictures that you sent brought back all those
wonderful hours. After such happiness, parting is not easy.
But I know that my brave girl will manage to stay strong, as
always. I am so happy that I spent my time with you, taking
with me the memories of those beautiful days with my
fiancée, and I can dream of the future which has helped me
through so many dark hours. You should do the same. You
know that I understand you. I am taking my ring with me. I
cannot be parted from it. I also found leaving home very hard.
It broke my mother’s heart. Mine too.’
The next day he began the long, slow journey north.
Promoted to Second Sergeant with the Eighth Company of
the 247th Regiment, he was now one of the few battlehardened soldiers among a horde of raw recruits. For a while
he allowed himself to be caught up in the excitement and
patriotic fervour of his comrades, but a sense of foreboding
soon returned. ‘We crossed the Rhine at Mainz. The singing!
“Es braust ein Ruf wie Donnerhall” [There roars a cry like
thunder] must have been heard by half of Mainz. Lord, the
Rhine looked beautiful as we crossed, but after Aachen there
was silence. All men’s cheering and shouting ceased. I
entered enemy territory for the second time…We can hear
firing in the distance.’
Contributor – P. Hinsley.
THE FRONT LINE
RECOMMENDS
:
With the 1st July marking the centenary of the Battle of
the Somme, the National Youth Music Theatre will be
showcasing their productions commemorating it.
At cheap prices and being performed by young, up-andcoming actors in London, these shows are not to be
missed.
The Battle of the Boat, playing from 11th to the 13th
August, is a heroic tale about discontent children who
long to be soldiers but are too young. In order to fulfil
their desire to help in the war, they try to aid the war
effort in any way that they are able to in the comfort of
their city. However, with a gang of bullies pushing to see
their endeavour thwarted, their plans are interrupted.
This play shows the perseverance prevalent throughout
the war, especially among the youth.
Wounded: Conflict,
Casualties and Care
This new exhibition at the Science Museum
commemorates the centenary of the Battle of the
Somme and the huge medical and human impact
of wounding during and beyond the First World
War.
Wounded: Conflict, Casualties and Care draws
on the museum’s wartime medical collections as
well as the words of the wounded and those who
cared for them to explore the remarkable medical
responses and innovations catalysed by this
conflict.
Science Museum,
Exhibition Rd, SW7.
Exhibition open until
15 January, 2018
Reporter : Khadra Mohamed.