Germans at Beaumont Hamel by Jack Sheldon

Author:Jack Sheldon
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783034857
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2013-04-17T16:00:00+00:00

A quiet moment in the sunshine of August 1916 in Y Ravine. Notice that steel helmets have still not been issued at this point to men of RIR 119.

Reserve Leutnant Beck of RIR 121 had a unique overview of the events during the bombardment and on 1 July in and around the Heidenkopf. He had been appointed battalion observer and was stationed in a one-man reinforced concrete cupola between the first and second trenches immediately in rear of the Heidenkopf. It is still possible to visit the remains of an observation post like this nearby. It is located just to the right of the track which leads from the Ulster Tower to St Pierre Divion at the ‘Pope’s Nose’ in Sector C2.

Each morning at 5.00 am, I took up my position, he recalled vividly later, It was my duty to observe to my front, to locate the positions of machine gun posts, mortar pits and enemy battery positions. This information I passed on to the artillery forward observation officer, who spent some hours with me each morning. These locations were then engaged by the guns. It did not take the enemy long to spot my periscope and we were brought under especially heavy fire. The enemy trench system was located on the opposite slope, the far side of a slight dip. We noted an increasing number of trenches being dug left and right of the communications trenches. Their appearance left us in no doubt that the major offensive was about to be launched, because their only possible purpose was to house troops waiting to go into the attack.

The morning of 1 July arrived. Everything was enveloped in fumes and smoke. The drum fire, which had slackened to some extent, was mostly coming down on our batteries. As the visibility improved, I could see that the British trenches were overflowing with masses of troops. They stood there laughing and joking, some groups were having a quiet smoke, sitting on the parapet with all their equipment on. The enemy fire increased in intensity, reaching hurricane proportions towards 8.00 am. Suddenly it lifted onto our rear positions and we felt the earth shake violently – this was caused by a mine going off near Beaumont. In no time flat the slope opposite resembled an ant heap. Wave after wave of assaulting British troops hurled themselves forward through the dust and smoke towards our positions. I was just able to report the start of the attack to Battalion Headquarters then my rearward communications, my underground cable, was cut. Elements of the first British wave had worked their way forward very close to our positions under cover of the artillery fire and general obscuration. At once they overran the dugout on the left flank of 3rd Company, which was located immediately to the left of the evacuated Heidenkopf. Following up in strength, the enemy broke through and began to attack 3rd Company from the flank and rear. Courageously the company began at once to defend itself.

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