SECRET

Copy No …..

4^th September 1916

20^th DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 98.

1. H.Qrs and two Battalions of the 49^th Inf. Bde will relieve the 59^th Inf. Bde and attached units tonight.
2. Arrangements for this relief will be made between Brigade Commanders.

Officers of these two battalions will make themselves acquainted with the trenches beforehand.

The 59^th Inf. Bde will collect and hand over all trench stores, maps and dumps to the incoming units.

1. On relief being effected the 59^th Infantry Bde will concentrate at CARNOY.

The H.Qrs of 59^th Bde will be in camp near CARNOY.

The H.Qrs of 49^th Bde will be at BRIQUETERIE.

On relief units of the 61^st Bde attached to the 59^th Bde will move to CRATERS. On arrival there the latter units will come under the command of the Brigadier General 59^th Bde.

1. The Field Company and Pioneers attached to the 59^th Bde will not be relieved until the morning of the 5^th September. They will then be relieved, under orders of the C.R.E. the Field Company returning to its Bde. Group, the Pioneer Coy returning to its Battalion.
2. Medical Units attached to the 59^th Bde will not be relieved at present.

1. The 49^th Bde. on taking over will detail a permanent garrison for GUILLEMONT South but inclusive of MOUNT STREET, which is a defensive locality and should be strongly held.

O.C. 96^th Field Coy will advise and assist. Arrangements made and garrison detailed should be reported as soon as completed.

1. In view of the complexity of the situation G.O.C. 59^th Bde will issue strict orders that no troops are to leave their posts until relieved by troops of 49^th Bde.
2. Completion of relief will be notified by wiring the word “FLARES” and time to this H.Qrs.

1. Until relief is completed command of the Right Bde. Sector will be vested in G.O.C. 59^th Brigade.

1. Acknowledge

(sd) C.A.MILWARD, Major for

Lieut. Colonel,

General Staff, 20^th Division.

Issued at 4 p.m.

Distribution overleaf.

Copies to:-

No. 1. XIV Corps (G),

2. XIV Corps (Q),
3. 5^th Division.
4. 7^th Division.
5. 16^th Division.
6. 47^th Brigade.
7. 48^th Brigade.
8. 59^th Brigade.
9. 60^th Brigade.
10. 61^st Brigade.
11. C.R.A. 24^th Divn.
12. C.R.A. 6^th Divn.
13. C.R.E.
14. A.D.M.S.
15. A.P.M.
16. 11^th Durham L.I.
17. Adv. “Q”.
18. A.A. & Q.M.G.
19. XIV Corps H.A.
20. 9^th Squadron R.F.C.

21/24. Retained.

25. Signal Coy.
26. 49^th Brigade.

SECRET                                                                                                Copy No …….

4^th September, 1916

20^TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 97

Ref – Trench Map LONGUEVAL Sheet,

57 c S.W. – 1/10,000.

GINCHY – GUILLEMONT Map 1/5,000.

1. The 7^th Division have consolidated parties in several houses in GINCHY and are fighting their way from house to house.

2. At 6.30 p.m. the barrage which will start 200 yards E. of the GINCHY – WEDGE WOOD ROAD, will again become intensive and creep forward at the rate of 50 yards a minute. Under cover of this the 5^th, 20^th and 7^th Divisions will push strong patrols, with Lewis guns, forward to the line S.W. corner of LEUZE WOOD – T.20.a.6.5. The patrols from 20^th Division will be found from 59^th and 60^th Brigades.

On reaching this line the patrols will establish themselves thereon and will at once be supported. The ground then seized will be consolidated.   Special parties should be told off to bomb up the trench from T.20.c.2.6. to T.20.b.7.3. and to secure the QUARRIES at T.20.d.2.1.

The Heavy Artillery will arrange to bombard all these objectives.

3. The 9^th Squadron R.F.C. will detail 2 contact aeroplanes to be in the air from 3.15 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. and one after that hour until dark.

4. Flares will be lit on reaching the objectives and at 6.45p.m.

5. The boundaries between Divisions and brigades will be as stated in paras. 5 and 6 of Operation Order No 90 (Revised copy).

6. Strong points will be constructed at the following points:-

Right Brigade – QUARRY T.20.d.2.1.

Road T.20.d.2.5.

Left Brigade – Trench junction T.20.a.6.5.

7. To assist in the construction of these points and the consolidation of the line, 2 sections 84^th Field Coy R.E. will be placed at the disposal of 59^th Bde. and remaining 2 sections of the same coy at the disposal of the 60^th Inf. Bde. A working party of 100 infantry will be provided to assist the R.E. allotted to each brigade. these two parties will be provided under arrangements made by C.R.E.

8. C. 20^th Signal Coy. will synchronise watches at 4.30 p.m.

9. ACKNOWLEDGE

(sd) R.H. JAMES Lt. Col

for Lieut Colonel

General Staff 20^th Division

Issued at 3 p.m.

Distribution overleaf.

Copies to:-

No. 1. XIV Corps (G),

2. XIV Corps (Q),
3. 5^th Division.
4. 7^th Division.
5. 16^th Division.
6. 47^th Brigade.
7. 48^th Brigade.
8. 59^th Brigade.
9. 60^th Brigade.
10. 61^st Brigade.
11. C.R.A. 24^th Division.
12. C.R.A. 6^th Division.
13. C.R.E.
14. A.D.M.S.
15. A.P.M.
16. 11^th Durham L.I.
17. Adv. “Q”.
18. A.A. & Q.M.G.
19. XIV Corps H.A.
20. 9^th Squadron R.F.C.

21/24. Retained.

25. 20^th Signal Coy.

SECRET

Copy No ……

4^th September 1916

20^TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 95.

1. The XIV Corps will renew the attack today.

• At 3.10 p.m. the 5^th Division will attack the line B.2.d.4.8. – WEDGE WOOD and the trench from T.26.c.4.5. to T.26.a.8.5½.

• The French Corps will simultaneously attack the trench from ACK HANGER WOOD to B.2.d.4.8.

• The 7^th Division will simultaneously clear up the situation in GINCHY.

1. Subsequently, the exact hour being notified later, the 5th and 20^th Divisions will capture the line LEUZE WOOD – T.20.a.6.5., the dividing line between Divisions being the N.W. corner of LEUZE WOOD (T.26.b.8.8 ½.)

1. The 48^th Brigade will detail two Battalions for this attack and will assemble in GUILLEMONT and the SUNKEN ROAD T.25.a. before 4 p.m.       Dividing line between battalions the road GUILLEMONT – COMBLES inclusive to the right battalion.

1. On gaining the position the troops will entrench themselves.

1. The C.R.A. 24^th Division will arrange for a creeping barrage between the GINCHY – WEDGE WOOD ROAD (T.20.a.1.5. – T.26.a.1.5.) and the objective.

(sd) R.H. JAMES Lt. Colonel,

General Staff, 20^th Division

Issued to Signals at 8.30 a.m.

Copies to

1. XIV Corps (G), 13. C.R.E.
2. XIV Corps (Q), 14. 11^th Durham L.I.
3. 5^th Division. 15. A.D.M.S.
4. 7^th Division. 16. 20^th Signals.
5. 16^th Division. 17. A.P.M.
6. 47^th Brigade. 18. A.A. & Q.M.G.
7. 48^th Brigade. 19. Adv. “Q”.
8. 59^th Brigade. 20. 9^th Squadron R.F.C.
9. 60^th Brigade. 21/25. Retained.
10. 61^st Brigade.
11. C.R.A. 24^th Division.
12. C.R.A. 6^th Division.

Copy No …24.

4^th September 1916.

20^TH DIVISION OPERATION ORDER NO 96.

1. In continuation of G.893, 4^th September the 48^th Inf Bde will relieve the 47^th and 60^th Brigades tonight, and will take over all trench stores, maps and dumps provided for these Brigades. Arrangements for this relief will be made between Brigadiers.       Officers of the 48^th Brigade should make them selves acquainted with the trenches beforehand.

On relief being effected the 47^th Bde will concentrate at CARNOY, the 60^th Brigade at TRONES and NEW GUARDS TRENCHES and units of 61^st Brigade attached to 47^th Brigade will move to CRATERS. On arrival there of the latter units will come under the command of Brigadier 61^st Inf. Bde.

1. Headquarters of 61^st Brigade will be at CARNOY, Red House.

Headquarters of 47^th Brigade will be at CARNOY & BRICK ALLEY.

Headquarters of 60^th Brigade will be at BERNAFAY WOOD.

Headquarters of 48^th Brigade will be at DUMMY TRENCH.

1. The Field Coys. R.E. and Pioneers attached to the 47^th Brigade will not be relieved until the morning of the 5^th Sept. They will then return under orders of the C.R.E. to CARNOY, the Field Company rejoining its Brigade Group there.

1. Medical units attached to the 47^th and 60^th Brigades will be relieved under instructions which will be issued by the A.D.M.S.

1. The 48^th Brigade on taking over will detail a permanent garrison for GUILLEMONT North of MOUNT STREET which is organised as a defensive locality and stronghold. O.C. 83^rd Field Coy will advise and assist.       Arrangements made and garrison detailed should be reported as soon as completed.

1. In view of the complexity of the situation G.Os. C. 47^th and 60^th Infantry Brigades will issue strict orders that no troops are to leave their posts until relieved by troops of 48^th Brigade.

1. Completion of relief will be notified by wiring the word ”Flares” and time to this Headquarters.

(sd) R.H. JAMES Lt. Col.,

for Lieut. Colonel,

General Staff 20^th Division.

Issued at 1.30 p.m.

Copies to:-

Distribution overleaf.

Less 6^th Bn. Oxf & Bucks L.I.

Copies to:-

No. 1. XIV Corps (G),

2. XIV Corps (Q),
3. 5^th Division.
4. 7^th Division.
5. 16^th Division.
6. 47^th Brigade.
7. 48^th Brigade.
8. 59^th Brigade.
9. 60^th Brigade.
10. 61^st Brigade.
11. C.R.A. 24^th Division.
12. C.R.E.
13. A.D.M.S.
14. C.R.A. 6^th Division.
15. A.P.M.
16. 11^th Durham L.I.
17. Adv. “Q”.
18. XIV Corps H.A.
19. 9^th Squadron R.F.C.
20. A.A. & Q.M.G.

21/24. Retained.

25. 20^th Signals.

Letter to Mrs Fryer

Bury Hill

Woodbridge

Suffolk

Postmarked WOOLWICH 11 pm 3 September 1916

Slessor Corridor

Joan of Arc

Sunday

Deary love mine,

And how did you get on last night? We had a rather sleepless time but b’ Jove it was worth it – for there was a wonderful sight which I wouldn’t have missed for worlds. Augustus in flames hurtling to his doom! He had been rather noisy for some little while, but a long way away – however a couple of guggars next door to me came & hauled me out after a bit, & several folk woke up in this corridor, & we went down & watched the searchlights from a window. Then things seemed quiet again & we said we would go back to bed. I stopped to talk to a woman opposite for a minute & then quite suddenly we heard a tremendous burst of cheering – somebody said “They’ve brought one down” & ran & opened the Emergency Fire door , & we went out & stood on the doorstep, & there, my dear, was Augustus, wreathed in flame, sinking slowly to the earth. A long way off, of course, but it’s flat hereabouts & we got a perfect view – I’ve never seen anything so impressive – he was diving down, nose first, like a great red hot cylinder. & the men in the Arsenal were cheering like maniacs, & the trains blew their whistles, & the steamers on the river blew sirens – no end of a pandemonium there was! & then he disappeared from sight. Rumours are many as to where he fell, but the most general & apparently well-authenticated, is that he came down near Enfield. I’ve been told that the reason why everything was so quiet just before they got him, is that our aeroplanes signalled to the guns to stop firing as they had located him, so I suppose it was a ‘navy who did the deed. No end bucked that navy must be feeling – eh what? I was talking to a man at “dinner” today about it, & he said “The chaps round my part seemed to go quite balmy, clapping their hands & shouting”. I think we all wanted to.” Another man was very much aggrieved because his wife had hustled him down the cellar & wouldn’t let him move, so he missed it all! I shall be awfully interested to hear what happened at home.

I’m afraid this letter will bore Shim nanny but you can tell her that the first evening I was here a girl got on to the piano & the tune she played was – “Oh I saw a Fish a-floating down a stream” I nearly died of it – & yesterday there was a barrel organ making the same statement – so I’m evidently recognised!! There are 500 girls in now – & possibly 200 more coming tomorrow – the odd thing is, nearly all of them slept through the fun last night – rather a mercy as when you get 500 on the move in the dark they take some settling back again. I’ve been helping Miss Macnaghten serve out their suppers, as the staff gets a bit pushed when they all want food at once.

Two new canteens arrived yesterday – middle aged ladies, one rather a good old sort, the other an obvious Governess ( I believe she is one) rather like Miss Goldsmith, but not bad – have to take them under my wing & show them round – I rather like being able to swank along knowing the ropes! We all went to one of the Arsenal canteens for dinner, & now I am catching a little on my bed (by the way, the extra pillow just makes all the difference) till tea time, after which I shall probably go to church. I went to tea with Mrs La Brouy at Eltham yesterday, “3d return, by tram.” She is rather an old pet, a cross between Mrs Telford Smith & a cod fish – but has a couple of very suburban daughters – a type I’ve met often in books but never quite in reality – quite worthy suburban you know – more dowds that Knuts! Tell Pa I passed his cricket ground going there – a nice space. & the Academy too & Woolwich Common, which is a sea of mud with huts along one side.

In Eltham there is a huge signpost To Dover, To Folkestone –to Canterbury, & I feel quite convinced that it’s the road we went by when we motored to St. Albans – could it be? I seemed to recognise it. It poured with rain most of yesterday & today there has been a thunderstorm but it was a nice fine night luckily. I hope you were not boomed & that the staff were not scared too much.

If you are making a book list would you be thinking of putting down any of these? I got them out of the Morning Post so daresay you have done the same. I wonder if you are having Uncle Malcolm to tea today – you ought just to be going in to see if the kettle’s ready, bless you!

Love everybody, yours always Cecily

WAR DIARY Of 30^th DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY August 1916

Place            Date    Hour                                                Summary of Events and Information

CITADEL   1^st August                       Fine – Orders received to concentrate at DAOURS on 3^rd Aug ready to move by rail from LONGEAU & SALEUX to destination unknown yet probably XI Corps – All sections relieved by evening.  30^th D.A. now in Bois autilles.

2^nd August                      Fine – Visited Brigade & D.A.C. at B autilles.

DAOURS       3^rd August                     Fine.  Moved to DAOURS.

DAOURS      4^th August                      Fine – Staff Capt goes in to ST VENANT.

5^th August                       Fine – Batteries commence entraining from LONGUEAU & SALEUX for MERVILLE & HIENNES & BERGUETTE at 3.18 p.m.

ST VENANT 6^th August                       Fine – Batteries arriving all day – H.Q. arrived about 5 p.m.  Are taking over line on 12^th probably.

7^th August                      Fine – Went over to see 39^th D.A. about taking over new line.

8^th August                     Fine – Gen Shea talked to the various brigades 148, 149 150, D.A.C. & 151.  Three different speeches.

9^th Aug                           Fine – Very hot – walked round all the battery positions in GIVENCHY & FESTUBERT Area.

10^th Aug                          Dull – P.V.O. 1^st Army looked at all the horses – A/149, B/149 very bad – sections go into action night as relief of 39^th D.A.

11^th Aug                          Fine- Tried to get new remount – went to LOCON to take over from 39^th D.A.  Remainder of relief completed – Positions as per appendix.

BETHUNE   12^th Aug                          Fine – Took over from 39^th D.A. & moved H.Q. to BETHUNE – Major L.L. Learmouth joined C/151.

13^th Aug                         Fine – Visited right group batteries & O.P.s.

14^th Aug                         Dull – Visited left group & right group.

15^th Aug                         Fine but showery – Gen Shea visited wagon lines.

16^th Aug                         Fine – Visited right & left groups – Gen White commands Divⁿ whilst Gen Shea away.

17^th Aug                         Showery – 71 remounts came – visited the batteries.

18^th Aug                         Showery – Visited front trenches near craters – Gen Mercer came round.

19^th Aug                         Showery – Quiet day.

20^th Aug                         Showery – Visited Right group ****ed some alternative positions.

21^st Aug                         Fine – Visited left group.  A few 4.2 shells in BETHUNE.

22^nd Aug                         Fine – Visited right group also new O.P.s in construction.

23^rd Aug                         Fine – Visited *** H.Q.s of brigades out of line & the two groups Btys to be reorganised into 6 guns.

24^th Aug                         Fine in morning heavy rain in afternoon – Attended medal distribution parade by G.O.C. 1^st ***

25^th Aug                         Fine – Issued order of reorganisation; 2 Brigades of 3 6 gun 18pr & 1; 4.5 in how, 1bde of 2 6gun 18pr & 1 4 gun Howtz.

26^th Aug                         Showery – Visited both groups in the line.  BETHUNE shelled from 12 midnight until 3.30 a.m. also some bombs dropped.  BETHUNE again shelled during the evening.

27^th Aug                         Showery – BETHUNE shelled from 3.30 a.m. for about an hour.

28^th Aug                         Showery – Bethune shelled from 3 a.m. with about 10 shells.  Gen Shea went round batteries.

29^th Aug                         Wet – Bethune shelled at night at 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. Retaliation 8 ***

30^th Aug                         Wet – Inspected all the horses of the batteries.  Bethune shelled at night from about 7.30 p.m. & 11.30 p.m.  Retaliation 3 ***

31^st                                 Fine – Made out Schedules.

O.W. **** Maj.

B.M. 30^th DIV Artillery

September 1916

Verdun

The French advanced on the German positions with an attack on both flanks at Fleury on the 3^rd September 1916. They advanced several hundred metres and German counter-attacks were unsuccessful. These counter-attacks effectively ended the German offensive at Verdun. Paul von Hindenburg had been promoted to Chief of the General Staff in August 1916, and together with his deputy Erich Ludendorff, ordered the German army to go on the defensive.

————————————————————————

The Somme

The battle for the village of Guillemont began on the 3^rd September 1916. Guillemont is located with Longueval & Delville Wood to the north-west, Ginchy to the north- east, Combles to the east and Montaubon to the south-west. Guillemont was close to the boundary of the Anglo-French attack on the north side of the River Somme. For the French and British armies to co-ordinate properly the capture of Guillemont was essential. The southern part of the attack suffered very heavy casualties. The French artillery had been stuck in the Combles Ravine and were not able to give support with their expected bombardment. The British captured Guillemont on the 6^th September 1916, which gave them access to the German second line.

On the 9^th September 1916, the British began an early morning bombardment against the German held village of Ginchy. Waiting until late afternoon to attack, the British denied the Germans time to counter-attack before dark. The attack to the south reached Bureaux Wood but the attack to the centre was repulsed. Ginchy was captured by the British on the northern flank and consolidated after many counter-attacks were repulsed. The loss of Guillemont and Ginchy deprived the Germans of their observation posts from which they could observe the battlefield. By taking Guillemot and Ginchy the British straightened the Allied line and eliminated the salient around Delville wood. It also enabled the Allies to gain observation of the German third line.

Launched on the 15^th September 1916 the Battle of Flers-Courcelette lasted for a week until the 22nd September 1916. The objective was to cut a hole in the German line with massed artillery and infantry attacks. The Allied infantry consisting of British, Canadian and New Zealand forces made significant gains on the first day, accompanied by tanks, and behind a creeping artillery barrage. This was the first use of tanks in warfare. Of the 49 tanks ordered to start the attack in an effort to assist the infantry, only 25 made the start. Although the use of tanks proved to be a psychological boost they proved to have little advantage as they were prone to mechanical failures. Only 9 actually reached the German lines and they were hard pressed to travel as fast as a soldiers walking pace owing to the undulating cratered battlefield. The tanks were a complete surprise to the Germans but the Allied forces were not able to force a breakthrough of the enemy’s lines. However, the villages of Courcelette, Martinpuch and Flers were captured and in some places the Allie’s had advanced their front by over 2,500 yds. (2,300 mts) by the 22^nd September 1916. In the event of a breakthrough it was expected that the underused cavalry would charge through and take the lines from the rear. Instead of a mobile war, the Somme reverted back to trench warfare and with the onset of the autumn wet weather, the conditions for the troops in the trenches deteriorated dramatically.

The Battle of Flers-Courcelette marked the debut of the Canadian and New Zealand divisions on the Somme battlefield. However, one region of Canada had been in action. The 1^st Battalion the Newfoundland Regiment was in the attack on the 1^st July 1916 and suffered something like 60% casualties.

Manfred von Richthofen, the “Red Baron”, recorded his first air combat victory on the 17^th September 1916. He went on to become the greatest German fighter ace of the Great War with a total of 80 victories. Richthofen first entered the war as a cavalryman in the Uhlan Regiment Number 1. After serving on the Russian front, he was transferred to the Western Front. He requested to join a flying unit and was accepted. At first he was a back-seat observer in a reconnaissance plane, before beginning pilot training. After qualifying as a pilot he was allocated an Albatros BII reconnaissance. In August 1916, Richthofen met the 40 victory ace Oswalde Boelcke, who was recruiting fliers for a new Jagdstaffel (Justa 2) squadron. Boelcke took Richthofen back with him to the Somme. During the first mission of Justa 2 on the 17^th September 1916 Richthofen shot down an English Fe-2 two-seater biplane. Both of the English crew were wounded, but the observer died after the aircraft grounded, and the pilot was transported to the nearest dressing station.

Raymond Asquith, eldest son of the British Prime Minister (H.H.Asquith) was killed on the first day of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (15^th September 1916). He was leading an attack when he was shot in the chest, and to encourage his men he lit up a cigarette but died on the way to a dressing station.  Also killed was the Conservative politician Charles Duncombe, 2^nd Earl of Feversham, whilst the future Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was seriously wounded.

On the 25^th September 1916, British and French troops renewed their attacks north of the Somme River. With the British again successfully using tanks, the attacking forces captured several villages including Thiepval. Following these successes, however, heavy rains turned the entire battlefield to mud, preventing further effective advances.

————————————————————————

The Balkans

After Romania had reached an agreement to join the Allies, Bulgaria declared war on Romania on the 1^st September 1916. Romanian forces had a successful offensive against Austro-Hungary through the Carpathian Mountains advancing 50 miles into Transylvania.

The Danube army began the counter-attack on the 1^st September 1916, after Romania had successfully driven the Austro-Hungarian forces back toward Hungary during August 1916. The Danube army consisted of a multi-nation force composed of the Bulgarian Third Army, a German Brigade and two divisions of the Ottoman VI Corps under the command of Field Marshall August von Mackensen. The Danube army remained south of the River Danube. The initial success of the Romanian army against the Austro- Hungarian forces was quickly undermined when Germany re-enforced the Astro-Hungarian forces and began advancing toward the River Danube from the north. In the meantime Bulgarian forces advanced northwards heading toward the River Danube. The Romanian garrison of Turtucaia was encircled and surrendered on the 6^th September 1916 at the conclusion of the Battle of Turtucaia. The remaining Romanian army had to withdraw under pressure from superior enemy forces. Some of Mackensen’s success was due to the fact the Allies had failed in their obligation to supply sufficient war materials. On the 15^th September 1916 the Romanian offensive against the Austro-Hungarian forces was halted, and the Romanian War Council decided to cancel the offensive in Transylvania.  With the assistance of the Russians they concentrated on the Mackensen Danube forces instead. Fighting was furious, with attacks and counter-attacks until the 20^th September 1916 when the Romanians halted the Danube army. It was almost, but not quite stalemate.

On the 12^th September 1916, an Allied offensive was launched against the Bulgarians from Salonika. The Allied forces consisted of French, British and the recently re-equipped Serbian army. Sergeant Flora Sands, an English lady serving in the ranks was part of the Serbian army. The Allies retook some ground lost by the retreat of the Serbian army earlier in the year. They were not able to aid the Romamians who were being hard pressed by the German, Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian forces in the north.

For the French and the British the western front was the main theatre of war. They may well have considered the Salonika Front to be a side-show. However, the Serbians represented the nation in exile returning to their homeland. The campaign exposed both sides to the extremes of weather and disease and the battle casualties were out-numbered by the non-battle casualties by a ratio of twenty to one. After this campaign, neither Serbia, Bulgaria nor Austro-Hungary had very little influence in the outcome of the war

.

On the 18^th September 1916, Erich von Falkenhayn, the recently replaced “Germany’s Chief of Staff”, assumed overall command of the Danube army and started his own counter-offensive. This offensive halted any further Romanian advance and on the 29^th September 1916 the outnumbered Romanian army began retreating to the Vulcan and Turnu Rosu passes.

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Other Fronts

On the 2/3^rd September 1916, a flight of 16 German airships flew on a mass raid over London. William Leefe Robinson was patrolling in a converted B.E.2c night fighter aircraft and spotted a wooden-framed Schutte-Lanz airship. He attacked the airship from below at an altitude of 11,000 ft. (3,000 mts) and at approximately 500 ft. (150 mts) range he raked the airship with machine-gun fire. Whilst preparing for another attack the airship burst into flames and crashed in a field behind the “The Plough” at Cuffley in Hertfordshire. The airship commander Hauptmann Wilhelm Scramm and his 15 man crew were all killed. The action was witnessed by many Londoners, and this showed the German airship threat could be overcome. For this action William Leefe Robinson was awarded the Victoria Cross and it was presented to him by the King at Windsor Castle.

On the 4^th September 1916, Dar as Salaam and all the coastal German held East Africa, was taken by General Jan Christian Smuts and his South African forces. Smuts was the South African leader who had led the Boers against the British during the Boer War. At the onset of the Great War, reconciled South Africa fought on the side of the Allies in Africa. Smuts was the Allied Commander in East Africa. He was chasing Lt. Colonel Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck, Commander of the German forces in East Africa, and his 4500 askaris and 260 white troops south into Portuguese East Africa. By using mobile guerrilla tactics, Lettow-Vorteck’s vastly outnumbered force continuously evaded the South Africans and the British, after he had invaded British East Africa in 1914. Lettow-Vorbeck remained undefeated till the end of the war.

The Seventh Battle of the Isonzo was a short sharp encounter fought from the 14^th to the 18^th September 1916. The Italian Chief of Staff, Luigi Cadorna shifted his strategy from a broad-based diversionary attack to tightly focused initiatives directed against a single target. The Italians attempted to extend their newly-won bridgehead by attacking the south-east corner of the town of Gorizia.  However, the attack was called off after four days of heavy casualties on the 18^th September 1916. The Italians success of the Sixth Battle of Isonzo was not repeated despite the greater concentration of resources upon a single target. However, Cadorna’s continued offensive along the Isonzo gradually wore away the Austro-Hungarian manpower and artillery resources. And as each battle followed the Italian war of attrition seemed ever more likely to wear the Austro-Hungarians into defeat unless their German allies granted them assistance. The Eighth Battle of Isonzo began on the 10^th October 1916.

On the Western Front during the 19^th September 1916, Belgian forces advanced under a co-ordinated attack into Flanders. This was the first time the Belgians were in a position to achieve this. They were supported by the Canadians and British armies. The Canal du Nord was crossed under a creeping barrage of artillery shelling. This barrage was preceded by a 24 hour barrage which had fired almost a million rounds of ammunition.

On the Eastern front, the Brusilov Offensive ground to a halt on the 20^th September 1916. Since its launch in early June 1916, four Russian armies under the command of General Alexei Brusilov had swept eastward up to 60 miles deep along a 300 mile front while capturing 350,000 Austro-Hungarian troops. But by the end of the summer, the Germans brought in reserves from the Western Front and placed the surviving Austro-Hungarian troops under German command. The Russian attack withered after the loss of nearly a million men amid insufficient reserves. The humiliating withdrawal from the hard-won areas wrecked Russian morale, fuelling political and social unrest in Russia, which led to the Russian Revolution and the eventual seeking of an armistice in 1917. Austro-Hungary never again played a significant role in the war, leaving Germany to fight virtually alone for the final two years of the war. Austro-Hungary’s role was reduced to holding trench positions against the weaker Italians.

During the month of September 1916, the Germans continued with a bombing campaign on London and the East coast. Hand-held bombs were more of a nuisance with the material damage being relatively light, although the civilian population was becoming more concerned over the casualties incurred. The German airships began to be more vulnerable as the British had developed incendiary bullets. Also the British used ever increasing numbers of anti-aircraft guns as a defensive counter-measures against German air attacks.

On the 23^rd September 1916, Zeppelins L-32 and L-33 were destroyed during a raid over Britain. L-32 engaged with 2^nd Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey in his Be2c aircraft who fired three drums of incendiary bullets and succeeded in starting a fire in the hydrogen-filled Zeppelin, which quickly spread to the entire airship. L-32 came down in flames at Great Burstead in Essex with the loss of the whole crew. L-33 dropped a few incendiaries over Upminster in Essex and headed toward London. Anti-aircraft guns open fired and L-33 was hit by a shell. Gradually losing height and heading now toward Chelmsford L-33 eventually was forced to the ground at Little Wigborough in Essex. The airship was set alight and the crew headed south and were arrested by police at Peldon in Essex.

On the 24^th September 1916, French and British aircraft bombed the Krupp Works in Essen in Germany. The Allied attack was a retaliation raid for the German raids on France and England as Krupp manufactured the majority of German artillery equipment.

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THE GREAT WAR – SEPTEMBER 1916

Verdun

3^rd Sept                              German offensive ended and the defensive campaign began

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The Somme

3^rd Sept                             Battle of Guilemont

9^th Sept                            Allies captured Ginchy

15^th to 22^nd Sept           Debut of the tank at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette

15^th Sept                            Raymond Asquith, the Prime Minister’s son, killed in action

17^th Sept                            German “Red Baron” registers first air combat victory

25^th Sept                            British and French troops capture Thiepval

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The Balkans

1^st Sept                               Bulgaria declared war on Romania

1^st Sept                               Danube army invaded Romania

6^th Sept                               Battle of Turtucaia

12^th Sept                             Allies counter-attack from Salonika

15^th Sept                             Romanian offensive against Austro-Hungary halted

18^th Sept                             Falkenhayn assumes command in Romanian campaign

20^th Sept                             Romanians halted the advancing Austrian Danube army

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Other Fronts

2^nd/3rd Sept                         Leefe Robinson awarded VC for shooting down an attacking airship

4^th Sept                               Dar es Salaam, in German East Africa is captured

14^th to 18^th Sept               The Seventh Battle of Isonzo

19^th Sept                             Belgian forces launched an attack into Flanders

20^th Sept                            Brusilov Offensive ends

23^rd Sept                            Two German airships destroyed on air raid over Britain

24^th Sept                           Allies attacked Krupp’s steelworks

September                       The bombing campaign of London and East coast continued by the Germans

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