First day of the Somme

by Andrew Macdonald

  44. Sheldon, Somme, p. 141.

  45. Schwarz, Dr Richard, ‘Truppen-Sanitatsdienst wahrend der Sommeschlacht,’ in Treffen der 26.R.D. am 5. Juli 1936, ed. Matthaus Gerster (Stuttgart: unknown publisher, 1936), p. 35.

  46. Holtz, Georg von, Das Württembg. Res. Inft. Regt. No. 121 im Weltkrieg 1914–1918 (Stuttgart: Chr. Belsersche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1921), p. 34.

  47. Soden, p. 109.

  48. ibid., pp. 102–3; Holtz, p. 34.

  49. Fiedel, p. 104.

  50. SS490: The Principles of Trench Warfare as Laid Down in the XIV Reserve Corps (19 May 1916, translated 13 October 1916).

  51. Sheldon, Somme, p. 80.

  52. Soden, p. 85.

  53. ibid., p. 98.

  54. Sheldon, Somme, p. 80.

  55. Sheldon, The Germans at Beaumont Hamel, (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2006), p. 63.

  56. Soden, p. 81.

  57. Sheldon, Beaumont Hamel, p. 63.

  58. Soden, p. 97.

  59. SS490, p. 5.

  60. SS490, p. 5.

  61. ibid., p. 4.

  62. ibid., p. 5.

  63. Greiner, Lt. d. R. and Vulpius, Lt. d. R., Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 110 im Weltkrieg 1914–1918 (Karlsruhe: Macklotsche, 1934), pp. 117–18.

  64. Stein, p. 98.

  65. ‘Bericht des Kommandierenden Generals XIV. Reserve-Korps, Generalleutnant v. Stein,’ by Hermann von Stein, in Der 180er: Festnummer: zum Treffen der 26. Reserve-Division vom 4. Bis 6. Juli 1936 in Stuttgart, 4 July 1936.

  66. Soden, p. 98.

  67. ibid.

  68. ibid.

  69. Sheldon, Somme, pp. 67–8.

  70. Lais, Otto, Erlebnisse Badischer Frontsoldaten: Maschinengewehr im Eisernen Regiment (8. Badisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 169) (Karlsruhe: G. Braun, 1935), unpaginated translation dated 1998 by Andrew Jackson.

  71. ibid.

  72. ‘Der Maulwurfskrieg,’ by Albert Fickendey, in Der 180er, 1 February 1936.

  73. Frisch, p. 98.

  74. ibid., p. 94.

  75. ‘Bericht des Kommandierenden,’ op. cit.

  76. SS490, p. 3.

  77. Stein, pp. 98–9.

  78. Lais, op. cit.

  79. ibid.

  80. ‘General v. Soden und seine eiserne 26. Reserve-Division,’ by Eugen Rueff, in Der 180er: Festnummer: zum Treffen der 26. Reserve-Division vom 4. Bis 6. Juli 1936 in Stuttgart, 4 July 1936.

  81. Reymann, H., Das 3. Oberschlesische Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 62 im Kriege 1914–1918 (Zeulenroda: Sporn, 1930), pp. 77–144; Fiedel, pp. 119–45; neither refers to Châles de Beaulieu inspecting his regimental positions.

  82. Fiedel, p. 104.

  83. Fiedel, pp. 105–20; Reymann, pp. 77–87; —, Das K.B. 1. Infanterie-Regiment König (München: Lindauersche Universitäts, 1922), pp. 23–7; Stosch, pp. 60–75; Bachelin, Eduard, Das Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 111 im Weltkrieg 1914 bis 1918 (Karlsruhe: Südwestdeut., 1937).

  84. ibid.

  85. ibid.

  86. Reymann, p. 79, p. 87; in 26th Reserve Division it was also a case of maintaining positions during the autumn and winter, but that division had done more development work in the spring and summer of 1915.

  87. Vischer, Alfred, Das 10. Württ. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 180 in der Somme-Schlacht 1916 (Stuttgart: Uhland’schen, 1917), p. 6; Whitehead, Ralph, The Other Side of the Wire, Vol. 1: The Battle of the Somme. With the German XIV Reserve Corps, September 1914–June 1916 (Solihull: Helion, 2010), p. 343.

  88. Reymann, p. 71; Fiedel, pp. 104–5; Frisch, p. 122.

  89. Whitehead, Vol. 1, pp. 428–9.

  90. Reymann, p. 71; Fiedel, pp. 104–5.

  91. Reymann, pp. 71–87; Fiedel, pp. 105–118.

  92. Stosch, pp. 249–55; Klaus, Max, Das Württembergische Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 26 im Weltkrieg 1914–1918 (Stuttgart: Christian Belser, 1929), pp. 52–3; Weltkrieg, pp. 348–9.

  93. ibid.; Soden, p. 96.

  94. ibid.

  95. Rudolph, M, Geschichte des Bayrischen Fussartillerie Bataillons Nr. 10 (Zeulenroda: Sporn, 1936), p. 34.

  96. Traumüller, Willi, letter, 29 January 1916.

  97. Weltkrieg, Anlage 1. The table reveals that of the 844 barrels on Second Army’s strength at 30 June, 628 (74.4%) were quick-firing weapons with recoil mechanisms, meaning 216 (25.6%) were not and needed to be re-aimed after each shot. Moreover, 278 (32.9%) were steeptrajectory guns that lacked the range of the 566 (67.1%) generally light-calibre, flat-trajectory weapons. Captured weapons totalled 118 (14%), for which ammunition and spare parts were scarce.

  98. Whitehead, Vol. 1, p. 393.

  99. This was broadly true of Second Army, too.

  100. SS490, pp. 6–7; the shells to be stored in the event of an enemy attack were as follows: field-gun battery 2000 shells; light field howitzer battery 1500; 10 cm gun battery 1500; heavy field howitzer battery 1000; 21 cm mortar 100; German 12 cm, 15 cm ring cannon and Russian 15 cm gun batteries 800; each Belgian 8.7 cm gun 80; and each 9 cm gun 130.

  101. Soden, skizze 23.

  102. SS490, p. 6.

  103. ibid., p. 7.

  104. ibid.

  105. ibid., p. 8.

  106. ibid.

  107. Renz, Irina, Krumeich, Gerd, and Hirschfeld, Gerhard, Scorched Earth: the Germans on the Somme 1914–1918 (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2009), p. 36.

  108. XIV Reserve Corps deployed its artillery in groups of batteries, each with a tactical level commander and collectively responsible to a divisional artillery commander.

  109. SS490, p. 7.

  110. Witkop, Philipp (2013-03-16). German Students’ War Letters (Pine Street Books; Kindle Edition — Locations 4410–4417).

  111. Koch, p. 143; it flew a further 104 practice flights over and around its airfield.

  112. ibid.; the other nine were for photo (3), barrier (3) and night (3) flights.

  113. Sheldon, Somme, p. 66.

  114. Büsing, Georg, Das Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 20 im Weltkrieg 1914–18 (Hannover: Göhmann, 1932), unpaginated translation dated 2014 supplied by Bill MacCormick.

  115. Sheldon, Somme, pp. 66–7.

  116. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 83.

  117. Bielefeld, August, ULLC/WW1/GE29.

  118. Moos, Ernst, Das Württembergische Reserve.-Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 27 im Weltkrieg 1916–1918 (Stuttgart, Belser: 1925), p. 1

  119. ibid., pp. 1–3.

  120. ibid.

  121. Dellmensingen and Feeser, p. 300.

  122. Büsing, op. cit.

  123. ibid.

  124. Rudolph, p. 35.

  125. ibid.

  126. Hermann, Heinrich, ULLC/WW1/GE/29; Whitehead, Ralph, The Other Side of the Wire: The Battle of the Somme. With the German XIV Reserve Corps, 1 July 1916, Volume 2 (Solihull: Helion, 2013), p. 412.

  127. Büsing, op. cit.

  128. ibid.

  129. Dellmensingen and Feeser, p. 300.

  130. ibid.

  131. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 82.

  132. Eberle, Christian, postcard, 19 February 1916.

  133. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, ibid.

  134. Langford, William, Somme Intelligence: Fourth Army HQ 1916 (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2013), p. 23.

  135. Stein, p. 108.

  136. Soden, p. 98.

  137. ibid., p. 97.

  138. Sheldon, Somme, p. 77; this folk song was popularised by Elvis Presley’s ‘Wooden Heart.’

  139. ibid., p. 72.

  140. ibid.

  141. ‘Vor Zwanzig Jahren,’ by Rudolf Greisinger, in Der 180er, 1 August 1938.

  142. ‘Vor Zwanzig Jahren,’ Reservist Wirth, in Der 180er, 10 January 1937.

  143. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 73.

  144. SS490, p. 3.

  145. ibid.

  146. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 31.

  147. Whitehead, Vol. 1, p. 335; Hahn’s sector at this time did not include Mametz as the XIV Reserve Corps-wide reorganisation had yet
to take place, meaning all three of his regiments were holding well-constructed positions.

  148. Sheldon, Somme, p. 119.

  149. Whitehead, Ralph, Vol. 2, p. 413.

  150. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 35.

  151. Greiner and Vulpius, pp. 73–4.

  152. ibid.

  153. SS460 German Mining Officer’s Diary, captured at Fricourt, July 1916.

  154. ibid.

  155. Sheldon, Somme, p. 99.

  156. ibid., p. 76.

  157. SS490, p. 4.

  158. ibid.

  159. ibid.

  160. ibid.

  161. ibid., p. 5.

  162. ibid.

  163. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 35.

  164. Sheldon, Somme, p. 59.

  165. Collet, op. cit.

  166. Sheldon, Somme, p. 101.

  167. ibid., pp. 101–6.

  168. Lademann, Ulrich, Das 3. Magdebeurgische Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 66 (Oldenburg: Gerhard Stalling, 1922), p. 31; IR66 noted 160 men participated in the raid on 15–16 May 1916 and that 29 British soldiers were captured.

  169. Reymann, p. 81.

  170. ‘Tapfere Schwaben,’ by Hermann Klotz, in Der 180er, 1 July 1937.

  171. Reymann, p. 82.

  172. ‘Eine kleine Begegnung mit dem Tommy,’ by Walter Bönsel, in Der 180er, 1 March 1938.

  173. Whitehead, Vol. 1, pp. 318–20.

  174. ibid.

  175. ibid.

  176. Greiner and Vulpius, pp. 91–3.

  177. Fiedel, pp. 111–20; Reymann, pp. 77–92; Lademann, pp. 30–2; Frisch, pp. 81–122; Greiner and Vulpius, pp. 96–118; Gerster, Schwaben, pp. 87–96; Stosch, pp. 11–21; Vischer, pp. 26–32; Holtz, pp. 20–32; Gerster, Matthäus, Das Württembergische Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 119 im Weltkrieg 1914–1918 (Stuttgart: Chr. Belsersche, 1920), pp. 43–9; Whitehead, Vol. 1, pp. 339–432; this is the minimum number of PoWs taken by the stated regiments. It does not include data for IR169, IR170, RIR55, RIR91 and RIR15.

  178. Middlebrook, Martin, The First Day on the Somme (London: Penguin Books, 1984), p. 155.

  179. Soden, p. 90.

  180. Hart, Peter, The Somme (London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2005), p. 75.

  181. Frisch, p. 119.

  182. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 31.

  183. ibid., pp. 73–4.

  184. ibid.; Langford, p. 18; Soden, p. 99.

  185. Whitehead, Vol. 1, p. 314.

  186. Schuler, Karl, letter, 29 May 1916.

  187. ‘An der Somme,’ by Friedrich Conzelmann, in Der 180er, 1 November 1936.

  188. Sheldon, Somme, p. 68.

  189. ‘Zapfenstreich,’ by Albrecht Munz, in Der 180er, 1 March 1938.

  190. ibid.

  191. Lademann, p. 29.

  192. Fiedel, p. 107.

  193. Fickendey, op. cit.

  194. ‘Bericht des Kommandierenden,’ op. cit.

  195. Gerster, RIR119, p. 40.

  196. Greiner and Vulpius, p. 91.

  197. Reymann, p. 75.

  198. Gerster, RIR119, p. 40.

  199. Whitehead, Vol. 1, p. 347.

  200. ibid.

  201. Reymann, p. 74.

  202. Klinkerfüss, Otto, postcard, 9 November 1915.

  203. ‘Bericht des Kommandierenden,’ op. cit.

  204. Keller, Wilhelm, postcard, 9 November 1915.

  205. ‘Eine Erinnerung an Courcelette,’ by Johann Heyberger, in Der 180er, 1 October 1936.

  206. Kaisser, Eugen, letter, 20 May 1916.

  207. Bauer, Fritz, postcard, 21 March 1916.

  208. ‘Eine Erinnerung an Courcelette,’ op. cit.

  209. Bauer, op. cit.

  210. Opielka, August, postcard, 17 May 1916.

  211. ibid., 17 January 1916.

  212. Bauer, Fritz, postcard, 28 April 1916.

  213. Harr, Gotthilf, postcard, 30 May 1916.

  214. Hartung, Heinrich, postcard, 17 June 1916.

  215. Stegmaier, August, postcard, 2 February 1916.

  216. Keller, 17 February 1916.

  217. Öschle, Gustav, postcard, 6 August 1915.

  218. Opielka, 27 May 1916.

  219. Müller, Fabeck and Riesel, p. 97.

  Chapter 4: Ballad of the Blind Gunners

  1. Klaus, Max, Das Württembergische Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 26 im Weltkrieg 1914–1918 (Stuttgart: Christian Belser, 1929), p. 46.

  2. Liveing, Edward, Attack on the Somme: An Infantry Subaltern’s Impressions of July 1st, 1916 (Stevenage: Spa Books, 1986), p. 22.

  3. Renz, Irina, Krumeich, Gerd, and Hirschfeld, Gerhard, Scorched Earth: the Germans on the Somme 1914–1918 (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2009), p. 83.

  4. Lushington, Franklin, The Gambardier: Giving Some Account of the Heavy and Siege Artillery in France, 1914–1918 (London: Ernest Benn, 1930), p. 100.

  5. Edmonds, Sir James, Military Operations France and Belgium, 1916, Vol. 1 (London: Imperial War Museum, 1992), p. 299.

  6. ibid., pp. 299–300.

  7. Hart, Peter, The Somme (London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2005), pp. 94–5.

  8. Edmonds, p. 301.

  9. ibid., pp. 300–1.

  10. ibid., pp. 300, 460.

  11. ibid.

  12. Capper, Derick, ULLC/WW1/GS/0267; Willmer, Edgar, ULLC/WW1/GS/1753.

  13. Edmonds, pp. 301–2; daily totals were U day 138,118 shells, V day 188,881 shells, W day 211,886 shells, X day 235,887 shells, Y day 168,363 shells, Y1 day 189,757 shells, and Y2 day 375,760 shells.

  14. Edmonds, p. 302.

  15. Rawlinson, Henry, diary, 30 June 1916, Rawlinson Papers 1/5, Churchill Archive.

  16. ‘Ammunition Summary,’ 4 July 1916, Rawlinson Papers 1/6, Churchill Archive; this figure is only for part of 1 July and therefore is at odds with the 1.73 million shells that Edmonds states Fourth Army fired 24 June–1 July.

  17. ‘Ammunition Dump Summary,’ 19 June 1916, Rawlinson Papers 1/6, Churchill Archive.

  18. Goodwin, William, diary, 19 March 1916, ULLC/WW1/GS/0644.

  19. Fraser-Tytler, Neil, Field Guns in France: With a Howitzer Battery in the Battles of the Somme, Arras, Messines and Passchendaele 1915–1918 (Brighton: Tom Donovan, 1995), p. 80.

  20. ibid., p. 78.

  21. Capper, op. cit.

  22. Lushington, p. 100.

  23. Jack, James, General Jack’s Diary (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1964), pp. 142–3.

  24. Ashurst, George, My Bit: A Lancashire Fusilier at War 1914–1918 (Ramsbury: The Crowood Press, 1987), p. 97.

  25. Heath, Philip, ULLC/WW1/WF01/H/18.

  26. Price, Leonard, ULLC/WW1/MID01.

  27. Fraser-Tytler, p. 78.

  28. Hart, Peter, Somme Success: The Royal Flying Corps and the Battle of the Somme, 1916 (London: Leo Cooper, 2001), p. 77.

  29. Liveing, pp. 20–1.

  30. Fraser-Tytler, p. 78.

  31. ibid., p. 79.

  32. Lushington, p. 100.

  33. Morland, Thomas, letter, 27 June 1916, Morland Papers, Imperial War Museum.

  34. Congreve, Walter, diary, 27 June 1916, Congreve Papers, Hampshire Records Office.

  35. Ashurst, p. 97.

  36. Kelly, David, 39 Months: With the ‘Tigers,’ 1915–1918 (London: Ernest Benn, 1930), p. 25.

  37. Ashurst, p. 97.

  38. Smith, Aubrey, Four Years on the Western Front (London: Long Acre, 1922), p. 143.

  39. Lewis, Cecil, Sagittarius Rising (London: Greenhill Books, 1998), p. 67.

  40. Kelly, Robert, A Subaltern’s Odyssey (London: William Kimber, 1980), p. 91.

  41. Langford, William, Somme Intelligence: Fourth Army HQ 1916 (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2013), p. 29.

  42. Kircher, Felix, ULLC/WW1/MID01.

  43. Büsing, Georg, Das Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 20 im Weltkrieg 1914–18 (Hannover: Göhmann, 1932), unpaginated translation dated 2014 supplied by Bill MacCormick.

  44. Heinrich, Hermann, ULLC/WW1/MID01.

  45. Vischer, Alfred, Da
s Württ. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 180 (Stuttgart: Christian Belsers, 1921), p. 33.

  46. Sheldon, Jack, The German Army on the Somme 1914–1916 (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2005), p. 121.

  47. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 83.

  48. ibid., p. 75.

  49. Fiedel, Paul, Geschichte des Infanterie-Regiments von Winterfeldt (2. Oberschlesisches) Nr. 23 (Berlin: Wilhelm Kolk, 1929), p. 121.

  50. Gerster, Matthäus, Das Württembergische Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 119 im Weltkrieg 1914–1918 (Stuttgart: Chr. Belsersche, 1920), p. 51.

  51. Maze, Paul, A Frenchman in Khaki (London: Heinemann, 1934), p. 134.

  52. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 83.

  53. Sheldon, Somme, p. 123.

  54. ibid.

  55. ibid., p. 122.

  56. III Corps CRA, war diary, 25 June 1916, NAUK, WO/95/689; X Corps GS, war diary, 24 June 1916, NAUK, WO/95/851; XV Corps GS, war diary, 24–5 June 1916, NAUK, WO/95/921; VIII Corps CRA, war diary, 26 June 1916, NAUK, WO/95/824; the wind blew chlorine gas back into VIII Corps’ positions and some of the gas technicians became casualties of their own weapon.

  57. Senescall, William, ULLC/WW1/WF02/S/7.

  58. Hunter-Weston, Aylmer, letter, 26 June 1916, Hunter-Weston Papers, BL.

  59. III Corps GS, war diary, 27 June 1916, NAUK, WO/95/672.

  60. Fiedel, p. 121.

  61. Baumgartner, Richard, This Carnival of Hell: German Combat Experience on the Somme, (Huntington: Blue Acorn Press, 2010), p. 63; Thomas, Friedrich, ULLC/WW1/MID01; III Corps CRA, war diary, 25 June 1916, op. cit.

  62. Müller-Loebnitz, Wilhelm, Die Badener im Weltkrieg 1914/1918, Band I (Karlsruhe: G. Braun Verlag, 1935), p. 214.

  63. SS460 German Mining Officer’s Diary, captured at Fricourt, July 1916.

  64. Müller-Loebnitz, p. 215.

  65. Edmonds, p. 361.

  66. Sheldon, Somme, p. 128.

  67. Falls, Cyril, The History of the 36th (Ulster) Division (London: M’Caw, Stevenson & Orr, 1922), p. 49.

  68. ‘Berichtet über den Gegestoss am Heidenkopf,’ by Emil Geiger, in Der 180er, 1 July 1938.

  69. ‘Vor Zwanzig Jahren,’ by Rudolf Greisinger, in Der 180er, 1 August 1938.

  70. Westman, Stephan, Surgeon with the Kaiser’s Army (London: William Kimber, 1968), p. 94. Westmann changed his name to Stephan Westman after he moved to the UK.

  71. Renz, Krumeich and Hirschfeld, p. 84.

  72. Kuster, Peter, ULLC/WW1/MID01.

  73. Baumgartner, p. 65.

  74. Sheldon, Somme, p. 133; Gerster, RIR119, p. 51.

  75. Westman, p. 94, Baumgartner, p. 63.

  76. Langford, p. 29.