4th SAI at Bernafay, Trônes and Delville Woods; death of Lt.Col. Jones

The Battle of the Somme.

The South African Infantry Brigade’s first introduction to fighting on the Western Front was to be a baptism of fire.

The 4th SAI firstly lost their C.O. Lt. Col. F.A. Jones at Bernafay Wood with Donald taking brief command before handing over to D.M. MacLeod. Then, at Delville Wood, MacLeod is wounded and Donald takes command again.

The full story of Delville Wood is complicated and I cannot do it justice here. For the purpose of this study, I can do no better than simply to repeat Donald’s personal diary for the period covering the South African Brigade’s operation at Bernafay and Delville Woods.

This section of Donald’s personal diary was published in The Springbok in September 1933.

Bernafay & Trônes Woods

1st July
Bivouacking at Grovetown. Clerk and I combine C. and D. Company officers’ messes. Watched large number of German prisoners brought through the cages.
2nd July
Grovetown. Completed fighting equipment, carrying platoons, etc. Moved to Cope Valley during night and were shelled during night . Moved half company from one side of valley where shells were falling to the other side and thus escaped casualties.
3rd July
Moved to Billon Valley where French heavies were and occupied eastern side. Battalion washing and cleaning.
4th July
Billon Valley. Some of our fellows playing football with French heavy gunners.
5th July
Billon Valley. Moved forward and occupied Glatz Redoubt, Dublin and Casement trenches and built strong points at Glatz and Train. Knocked over but unhurt by shell at corner of Little Wood as C moved up.
6th July
Heavy rain and discomfort for all. C Company took over Bricqueterie Trench and began digging. Oughterson took over my tin shelter in Casement as I moved up to Dublin. He was killed there by shell a few minutes later. Regimental H.Q. at corner of Glatz. Colonel very cheery and happy.
7th July
Consolidating Bricqueterie Trench. Shelled all day. Wet day. Oughterson buried at Mariecourt.
8th July
Dublin and Bricqueterie. Working in wet trenches. Shelled all day. Talked with 64th Company, R.E. , Subaltern Clavering about guinea-fowl shooting in Sekukuniland. Fine, quick piece of wiring by C Company beyond road in front of Bricqueterie Trench. The French established mortars behind Dublin and shelled and attacked Faviere Wood on our right. A French soldier gave me a drink of ration wine from his water bottle. French soldiers fine big fellows. A few Germans came from Faviere Wood and surrendered to Farrell A Coy. Old Farrell very cheery.
9th July
A Company moved to Trônes Wood and one C Company platoon, No. 11, under Lieut. A. H . Brown, to Bricqueterie itself— a bad corner. Walked part of the way with Colonel towards Trones, but he sent me back and he went on alone, no orderly!
10th July
Manchesters smashed at Trônes. A Manchester man, mad, came all along Bricqueterie Trench shouting, “Oh! what a day! What a day!” Captain Russell, O.C., A Company, hit at Trones in stomach. Spoke to him as his stretcher was carried past Dublin. Shenton wounded while running telephone wire out from Dublin to Trones, but he ran the wire all right. When visiting Lieut. Brown at Bricqueterie I got knocked over by heavy shell and lifted yards away but untouched. Lieut. Brown excellent. Liverpools relieved us in evening in Dublin and Bricqueterie and we moved to Glatz Redoubt. Sinclair killed by picking up boobytrap bomb in Glatz. (It was a string bomb with
the string nailed to a board).
11th July
Glatz. Sent for by General Lukin. On way passed Padre Hill and Tobias in shell hole reading Bible. Soon after arriving at Brigade H.Q. , while talking to General, orderly came in with message on red paper saying Colonel Jones killed in Bernafay at 6.45p.m. General Lukin sent me up to take over Bernafay. On way up had just passed Corpl. Hockey and ration party in open trench when shell fire killed whole ration party and partially buried me. Helped out by two Black Watch men and went on to Bernafay. Heavy shell fire over whole wood. Found Forbes (M.O.) in the wood in midst of many wounded, his bare arms covered with blood, and a large knife in his hand. He directed me to Battalion H.Q. in wood. Took over. Russell died to-day of wounds.
12th July
MacLeod came up to Bernafay and took over from me and I returned to Glatz. Artillery dump near Glatz set on fire; fire put out by C Company men, especially Pte. Veitch who pulled off the burning camouflage covering, and dump did not go up.
13th July
Middlesex under Kemp—Welch relieved ours in Bernafay and whole battalion concentrated at Talus Boise.
14th July
Highland Brigade go for Longueval. In evening we moved to Montauban Road but Germans saw us settle in and sent over tear shells and crumps. Taylor wounded. Farrell gassed. Bad night.

Delville Wood

15th July
Left Montauban, 2.30 a.m., and advanced rapidly towards Delville. MacLeod with A and B Companies into Delville. B and C Companies under me to small orchard south of Longueval to 5th Camerons. Midday to Waterlot Farm. Kirby wounded. Sent Brown’s and Thorburn’s platoons to flanks north and south of farm. Thorburn killed. Head on during day. In afternoon Ross and I were able to stand out and watch our barrage on Germans coming from Guillemont. Built strong-point E of junction of trench coming from Trônes, but in doing so Germans nearly got us all with 5.9’s. Many casualties to-day.
16th July
At daybreak Camerons relieved us and we moved to Sunken Road just behind Longueval. Heavily shelled. B and C Companies ordered into Wood by Dawson. Moved in past church and lay in front of Prince’s Street. Heavily shelled all day, especially into Cameron
mound to our left rear. Lieut. A. H . Brown killed by machine gun fire at shallow trench to west. Big chunks of trees coming down with shell fire. Young Murdoch-Keith, the youngest of my company laughed at these and seemed to think it great fun. Sent for by Dawson in
Longueval and on my way met Lukin and showed him back where Thackeray and Tanner were. Dawson ordered us to get back at nightfall to Sunken Road, which we did and carried some wounded to Power at dressing station.
17th July
C Company in Sunken Road and B in trench nearby. Heavy casualties. Marshall shell-shocked, he got the shock of a shell that dropped just above Smith and me. Getting weak in men— Lance-Corpl. Horn killed in trench as I was giving him order. Standing with Dawson and Stuckey in Quarry when shell landed and knocked out 26 men of 1st Regiment.
18th July
Sent 50 of B and C Company into wood. Lieut. Smith wounded in leg, a blighty, Boustead wounded, Fitz Bell killed just as 50 were starting off, so sent Maclean of B instead of Smith of C. Brought up remains of B and C Company in afternoon and advanced in line across open without casualties though shelling heavy, with some of 1st Regiment and first occupied Clarges Street with some Argyles and Black Watch, then moved to Longueval ruins and to S.W. corner of wood.
A Black Watch corporal went to a dead man and got his iron ration t in of bully, opened it with his bayonet and gave it to me, then went and got another one for himself. I ate all mine.
19th July
At 7 a.m. received order timed 3.40 a.m. from Dawson to retire to Talus Boisé. Some Norfolks came up. Sent B and C Companies to Talus Boisé. Found Dalgety and walked down road with him to Talus Boisé and then went to look for Brigade H.Q. at Montauban. On getting to entrance of Brigade H.Q. dugout was nearly blotted by shell which landed me in my kilt upside down at the foot of the dugout steps. Found another Brigade had taken over. Returned to Talus Boise and found General Lukin sitting on a stump.
He told me Thackeray was still in Wood and asked if we were ready to go in again to get Thackeray out.
Said “ Yes, sir!” though in my heart knew all my lot were done in.
Lukin then asked what was my strength?
Told him 19 B Company, 21 C Company, 6 A Company here, lying down.
He said “No! That would be no use, stop where you are!”
Company cookers are up here, thank goodness.

THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME, JULY-NOVEMBER 1916 (Q 4018) Troops of the 4th South African Regiment (South African Scottish) cleaning Lewis guns. Carnoy Valley near Talus Boise, July 1916. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205236506

20th July
Talus Boisé. All had a good sleep. Captain Mitchell came to see us. He cried when he saw what was left.
21st July
Moved to Happy Valley. Draft of 88 joined. Harris acting adjutant.
22nd July
Happy Valley. Draft of 59 joined. Mitchell rejoined from Highland Brigade staff.
23rd July
Moved via Meaulté to Mariecourt. Set upon by a plague of war correspondents, but found myself somewhat at a loss as they wanted “incidents” and at the moment I could think of none to tell them. Entrained at night for Hengest.
It is very possible that Donald and Reggie met around this time near Méaulte as related in Reggie’s memoirs:-

We met again by sheer luck, he just out from the Hell of Delville Wood, I from Townes Wood ½ a mile away. Those two woods were not comfy places for a quiet stroll
24th July
Marched to Moufflers and lay down in afternoon and rested in long grass.

Seven days before the battle the brigade mustered 121 officers and 3034 men.

When the brigade was relieved on the 20th July 3 officers and 140 men walked out of the wood

When the remnant of his brigade paraded before Gen. Lukin on 22nd July he stood with bared head and tears running down his cheeks. 748 men remained including 5 officers and 743 men. There had been 2407 casualties by 20th July, of whom 770 were killed or later died of wounds.

27th July
La Thieuloye
31st July
Hermin
War diary of the 4th SAI signed by D.R. Hunt, Major commanding 4th South African Infantry

Bernafay & Trônes Woods

Delville Wood

Further reading