Guillemont Somme by Michael Stedman

Author:Michael Stedman [ Stedman, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783461486
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
Published: 2013-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

Noel Chavasse VC and Bar

At a memorial service in Liverpool which was conducted by Archdeacon Spooner, Canon Lancelot gave an address. Alluding to the late Captain Noel Chavasse, V.C., he said it was no wonder that the King felt that the whole Army would mourn the death of so brave and distinguished a brother, that his Brigadier declared him to have been the most gallant and modest man he had ever met, that the Major-General commanding the Division should say that his devotion was magnificent, or that the whole battalion, smothered in mud as they were, and ready to drop from exhaustion, paraded for his funeral. Captain Chavasse might have been a great surgeon, or a really great clergyman and medical missionary.’

It would be inappropriate for me to add further to such a tribute or commentary.

The 2nd Division’s attacks against the north of the village and the station on this day, 9 August, were again a failure.

Further Plans for Guillemont

By 9 August Haig was expressing concern about the strain which events at Waterlot Farm, Guillemont and elsewhere on the battlefront were placing on the staff of XIII Corps. The Corps commander’s son, the inspirational Billy Congreve VC, DSO, MC, had been killed before High Wood the previous month. Accordingly, on 10 August, Lieutenant General Congreve relinquished his command, being replaced by Lieutenant General the Earl of Cavan. Cavan brought with him the staff of XIV Corps and from midnight on 16/17 August the old XIII Corps was renamed the XIVth. However, before Congreve departed, his immediate superior Rawlinson had agreed with General Fayolle of the French Sixth Army that there would be a combined attack on 11th, the French attacking Maurepas whilst XIII Corps secured the rising ground on the spur south of Guillemont. In the event this attack was postponed until 12 August on the grounds of inclement weather. Subsequently, Guillemont and Maurepas would then be attacked and captured as soon as both armies were sure this could be achieved. Meanwhile all units were ordered to work forward to their objectives by: ‘..digging, by the seizure of enemy posts, and by advancing their lines towards the enemy whenever an opportunity occurred.’11 This was the most unimaginative siege warfare. One of Congreve’s last contributions to the events at Guillemont was to report to Rawlinson, on the morning of 10 August, that XIII Corps would be ready to capture the village on 17 August.

During the late afternoon of the 12 August, amidst fine hot weather, the 55th Division attempted another attack on the Maltz Horn knoll south of Guillemont. The objective was to secure the higher ground on the Guillemont to Hardecourt road (from east of Maltz Horn Farm at 62cNW1, B.1.a.5,5 northwards to 57cSW3, T.25.c.4,9 and thence to S.30.b.6,1) in order to ensure that further frontal attacks on the village were not exposed to enfilade fire from their right. On the left flank of the British lines facing these positions the trenches were being held by the 1/7th King’s men who heard the divisional artillery begin its bombardment at 3.

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