Donald commands the 4th SAI at the Butte de Warlencourt

Training for the upcoming return to the Somme area.

Donald commands the 4th SAI in the action at the Butte de Warlencourt. The action is a dismal failure despite heroic efforts on behalf of the men. The battalion falls back to High Wood to recover.

There is much fallout in the upper commanding ranks as a result of the lack of planning and failure of the operation at the Butte de Warlencourt.

Major General Furse G.O.C. 9th (Scottish) Division is deprived of his command.
Brigadier General H.T. Lukin (formerly O.C. South African Brigade) takes command of the 9th (Scottish) Division
Lt.Col. F.S. Dawson (formerly of the 1st SAI) is promoted to command the South African Infantry Brigade

1st to 2nd Oct
Bombing
Bayonet
Rapid loading
Close order drill
Fire control
Musketry
Attack practice
5th Oct

Moved to Beauvoir
7th Oct

Move to Béhencourt via Amiens
8th Oct
Major Hunt listed in officers at headquarters of the 4th SAI
Camped near Mametz Wood
9th Oct
Moved to Bazentin-Le-Grand
Relieved 24th London Regiment in support at High Wood
10th Oct
Still in trenches at High Wood
2 working parties
11th Oct
Working parties for ration carrying and trench digging
12th Oct
4th SAI strength going in to action at the Butte de Warlencourt:-
- 20 officers
- 574 Other Ranks
The following messages were received by Capt. Mitchell at 2nd Battalion HQ
- 02:05 pm
  Barrage
- 02:06 pm
  Enemy shelling
- 02:07 pm
  Our barrage good
- 02:08 pm
  2nd SAI going over
- 02:09 pm
  Going over all along the line
- 02:11 pm
  4th SAI entering front line
- 02:12 pm
  4th SAI going over & well up ridge
- 02:14 pm
  Barrage lifting
- 02:15 pm
  4th SAI going over ridge
- 02:18 pm
  Men continuing to advance. Scottish moving rapidly
- 02:23 pm
  Wire to forward observer gone
- 02:30 pm
  Report from runner:- Our men last seen in vicinity and along ridge to right of Butte but very difficult to see on a/c of smoke. Enemy shelling heavily over our right sector
“Practically no information was received at Bn HQ until a runner arrived from Capt Ross to say he was to right of our original front & near the 1st objective”

“The attack was unable to obtain its objective owing to machine gun fire from our left which simply mowed down our men as they advanced.”

In his book “The History Of The Transvaal Scottish”, Capt. H. C. Juta describes something of the battle :- “On October 12th, The South African Scottish, under Major (D.R.) Hunt, went over the top under a hail of machine gun bullets falling through the thick mist and smoke; so heavily did they suffer, that they failed to reach the first objective, and were relieved on the 13th when they moved back to High Wood.”
Casualties in the 4th SAI up to 10th Oct:-

Killed Wounded Missing

Officers 3 6 0

Other ranks 24 98 5
14th to 17th Oct
Camped at High Wood
Parties employed in :-
- Burying dead men and horses
- Dugouts
- Digging front line trenches
18th Oct
12pm 120 men under Captain Ross sent to support the attack by the 1st SAI on The Tail. Asked to perform a bombing attack on Snag Trench
19th Oct
4th SAI relieved by 6th King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Proceeded to Mametz Wood
Small parties of Captain Ross’s raiding party returned
The raiding party expedition led by Captain Ross was not successful.
Total of 1150 casualties across the SA Brigade including 45 officers had been incurred between 9th and 19th October.
20th to 26th Oct
The KOSBs had only slightly more success than the SAI regiments
Camped at Mametz Wood
Providing working parties
31st Oct
War diary of the 4th SAI signed by D.R. Hunt Major comdg S.A. Scottish
2nd Dec
Major General Furse G.O.C. 9th (Scottish) Division deprived of his command being superseded by Brigadier General H.T. Lukin (formerly O.C. South African Brigade)
Lt.Col. F.S. Dawson (formerly of the 1st SAI) promoted to command the South African Brigade

	Killed	Wounded	Missing
Officers	3	6	0
Other ranks	24	98	5

The Butte de Warlencourt was never captured during the course of the Battle of the Somme

Further reading