Pery-Knox-Gore, Captain Ivan 229
Pétain, General Philippe xviii, 24
Peters, Private Noel 140, 168
Petersen, Leutnant 342
Philipps, Major-General Ivor 250
Picardy viii, 11, 15, 41, 77
Pilcher, Major-General Thomas 250, 270
Plumer, General Sir Herbert 15
Polack, Lieutenant Ernest 40
Poland 253
Pollard, Private George 40–41, 43, 46, 70–71
Pollard, Brigadier-General John 217, 241
Pommiers Redoubt 268, 284, 303, 309
Pommiers Trench 302, 306
Porter, Sergeant James 193
Pozières 20, 23, 26–29, 31, 78–80, 113, 144–45, 180, 212, 234, 371, 389
Pozières Plateau 212
Pozières Ridge 33, 36, 79, 136, 214, 243, 361, 373
Pozières–Combles Ridge 25
Pozières–Longueval ridge 80
Price, Private Leonard 111, 308
Princip, Gavrillo 5
Pringle, Private Thomas 291, 293
Prowse, Brigadier-General Charles 164
Prussia, Prussian 2, 4, 119, 281, 286–87, 309, 318, 322
Prynne, Lieutenant George 263
Puisieux 324
Puisieux Trench 144
Pulteney, Lieutenant-General Sir William xvii, 135; on 1 July 212, 214–17, 232, 234, 241–45; assessed 365–66, 378
Pys 36
Q
Quadrilateral (Gommecourt) 322, 333, 335, 338
Quadrilateral (Serre): see Heidenkopf
Quarry Cemetery 318
Querrieu 19, 22, 359, 370–71, 376–77
Quigg VC, Rifleman Robert 210
Quinn, Corporal Joseph 289, 294, 300
R
Railway Valley 290
Raine, Private Frank 159–60
Rancourt 26, 76, 315
Ratcliffe, Lieutenant Alfred 271
Rawlinson, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry viii, x–xi, xvi, xviii; background and character 15–17; planning 1, 17–20, 22–29, 31–32, 33, 35–39; preparations 41, 49, 57, 63–64, 70, 72–73; in bombardment 110, 118, 126, 129, 132, 136; on 1 July and assessed 250, 284, 289, 316–17, 359–61, 370–74, 376–79, 382, 384, 387
Raymer, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert 344–45, 350
Read, Sergeant Isaac 357–58
Rectangle, The 272
Redan Ridge 81, 116, 145, 152–54, 163
Redan Ridge–Beaucourt Spur 80, 144
Rees, Brigadier-General Hubert 148, 158, 166
Reeves, Captain Brian 278
Reymann, Oberleutnant H. 99, 103, 287, 292, 315
Rhine, River and Valley 14, 204, 208
Rhineland, Rhinelanders 78, 208
Richardson, Sergeant Roland 47, 53
Ridge Redoubt 143, 145, 153, 164
Riegel, Leutnant-der-Reserve 163
Ritchie VC, Drummer Walter 169
Ritson, Lieutenant-Colonel William 183
Roberts, Field Marshal Sir Frederick 16
Robertson, General Sir William 11–12, 38, 361
Robinson, Lieutenant Douglas 345
Robinson, Captain Frank 348
Rochfort, Captain Richard 305
Ross, Captain Peter 224
Rouen 229
Round Wood 222, 231, 277
Rowell, Lieutenant Robin 111
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 3, 16, 214, 447
Rueff, Leutnant-der-Reserve Eugen 86
Rupprecht, Kronprinz of Bavaria 77, 79, 386
Russell, Rifleman Henry 332
Russia 4 5 6 7 11 12 14 22 26 34 38 88
Russian army 76, 361
Russian Saps 61, 149–50, 152, 154, 156, 158, 185, 226, 255, 257, 271–72, 288–89, 304
Rycroft, Major-General Sir William 199, 201
S
Sackville-West, Brigadier-General the Hon. Charles 291
St Omer 13, 15
St Pierre Divion 75, 78–79, 178, 189–90
St Pol 63
St Sever Cemetery 229
Salisbury, Salisbury Plain 16, 20
Salonika 22
Sandall, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas 353
Sanders VC, Corporal George 205, 210
Sandringham 210
Sandys, Lieutenant-Colonel Edwin 242
Sansom, Lieutenant Wilfred 255, 271
Sarajevo 5
Sassoon, Second-Lieutenant Siegfried 272
Sausage Redoubt 212, 221–23
Sausage Valley 83, 211–12, 215, 219–24, 231, 233
Savile, Major Henry 237
Saxon, Saxons 48, 78
Scheytt, Unteroffizier Paul 100, 310–311
Schlieffen Plan 6
Schmid, Unteroffizier 93
Schoch, General-der-Infanterie Albert Ritter von 87
Schreiber, Brigadier-General Acton 63–64
Schuler, Vizefeldwebel Karl 102
Schultheiss, Unteroffizier Gustav 334
Schultz, Unteroffizier 98
Schumacher, Feldwebel 129
Schuman, Corporal Arthur 332, 334, 340
Schüsle, Unteroffizier Otto 277
Schwaben Redoubt xvii, 72, 79; on 1 July 161, 167, 171, 178, 180–81, 189–92, 194–204, 206–210; assessed 361, 365, 368, 370, 373–74, 381–83, 386; see also Thiepval and Thiepval Plateau
Schwabenhöhe 212, 215–16, 219, 226, 361, 383; see also Lochnagar mine and crater, and La Boisselle
Schwalbenneste (The Z and Little Z Redoubts) 322, 344, 347–48, 353
Schwartz, Stabsarzt Dr Richard 80
Scotland 391
Scots Redoubt 212, 221–22, 226, 231, 233
Scott, Private Frank 221
Seeger, Leutnant-der-Reserve Richard 209
Senescall, Private William 51, 69, 114, 219, 224–25
Serbia 5, 11
Serre xvi–xvii, 20, 23, 25, 29, 31, 42, 70, 78, 81, 84, 86, 88, 93, 96, 98, 106; in bombardment 127–29, 134, 138; on 1 July 140, 143–45, 147–48, 153, 156–58, 161, 166–67, 171–73, 203, 286, 324, 326, 342, 352, 355–56; assessed 361–65, 367, 370–71, 373, 376, 386, 389; see also Serre–Grandcourt Spur
Serre, Battle of 81
Serre–Grandcourt Spur 26, 28, 31, 80, 144–45, 165, 370
Serre Heights: see Serre–Grandcourt Spur
Serre Road Cemetery No. 2 153, 155, 176
Shakespear, Lieutenant-Colonel John 216, 244
Shannon, Lieutenant James 194
Shaugnessy, Private Lew 224
Shea, Major-General Sir John 289, 299–300, 316
Sheffield Memorial Park 171, 367
Shelter Trench 260
Shelter Wood 275
Shipley, Brigadier-General Charles 350–52
Short, Corporal Robert 192
Shrine, The 262–65, 273
Shuter, Brigadier-General Reginald 200
Silesia 253
Singleton, Private Joseph 347
Slater, Private William 56, 173
Smith, Rifleman Aubrey 112, 119, 329
Smith, Sergeant Henry 335
Smith, Private James 289
Smith, Private Peter 151
Smith, Private Sidney 348
Smith, Private Stephen 272
Smith, Signaller William 333
Snow, Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas xvii, 135; on 1 July 324–30, 341–42, 351–54, 356–57; assessed 365–66
Soden Redoubt 143, 145
Soden, Generalleutnant Franz Freiherr von xvii, 78, 80–81, 83, 86, 88, 93, 95, 101, 107, 121, 128, 138; on 1 July 143–45, 166–67, 171, 194–96, 199, 202–204, 206, 218, 243–44; assessed 363, 373–75
Solihull 176
Somerset, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles 219, 223, 244
Somme River viii, xvii–xviii, 13–14, 20, 22, 24–26, 32, 41–42, 48, 62, 75–78, 86, 90, 95, 97, 106, 112, 137, 180, 314–15, 356, 363, 376, 380–84, 386, 389
Sotham, Captain Ernest 295, 317
South African soldiers 391
South African War 3, 15–16, 141,
214, 250, 260–61, 284, 324
Southam, Lieutenant-Colonel Lionel 327, 342
Sparks, Captain Hubert 339
Spears, Captain Edward 318
Spencer-Smith, Major Richard 164
Spicer, Lieutenant Lancelot 276
Spur Point see Triangle Point
Stadelbacher, Unteroffizier Rudolf 277
Staff College, Camberley 1, 3, 16, 214, 324
Staff College, Prussian 322
Stanley, Brigadier-General the Hon. Ferdinand 291
Stansby, Lieutenant John 346
Starrett, Rifleman Davie 193–94
Steavenson, Brigadier-General the Hon. Charles 295
Steele, Brigadier-General Julian 271
Steele, Private Sydney 294
Stegmaier, Ersatz-Reservist August 106–106
Stein, Generalleutnant Hermann von xi, xvii; planning and preparations 75–89, 91–94, 97–98, 100–101, 103, 106, 167, 180, 286–87, 319; in bombardment 130–31, 133, 137–38; on 1 July and assessed 196, 206, 315–17, 363–64, 373–76, 381–84, 387
Stephenson, Private Edward 186
Stephenson, Rifleman Ernest 186
Stephenson, Private Harold 186
Steward, Lieutenant-Colonel Godfrey 216
Stewart, Private Hugh 192–93, 204
Stewart-Moore, Second-Lieutenant John 182
Stöckle, Unteroffizier Waldemar 281–82
Stornoway 391
Streets, Sergeant John 171–72
Strüvy, Leutnant 228
Stubbs, Private Cyril 253, 255
Stubley, Private Frank
Stuff Redoubt 180, 191–92, 199
Stuttgart 90 196 208
Stutz, Leutnant-der-Reserve Friedrich 122, 154
Sudan 3, 7, 15–16, 324 see also Omdurman
Sunken Lane (Beaumont Hamel) 149
Süsskind-Schwendi, Generalleutnant Richard Freiherr von xvii, 78, 81, 86, 137; on 1 July 322, 329, 338, 342, 344, 355–57; assessed 375–76
Sutterby, Sergeant Robert 123
Suzanne 63
Swabia, Swabians 218, 253
Switzerland, Swiss vii, 6, 239, 253
Symes, Private Maurice 261
T
Talus Bois 290
Tauscher, Major Paul 338
Tawney, Sergeant Richard 264
Tennant, Rifleman Cecil 45, 68
Ternan, Brigadier-General Trevor 230
Tambour, The 62, 251, 256, 258, 271, 369; see separately German Tambour, The
Theurlein, Reservist Michael 292
Thiepval xvii, 20, 25, 78–80, 95, 101, 105, 107; in bombardment 115–17, 119, 127, 129; on 1 July 144, 161, 171, 177–83, 185–87, 190–91, 194–95, 197, 199–201, 206–210, 212, 240, 243, 315, 361–62; assessed 365, 367, 370–71, 373–74
Thiepval Memorial 155, 184, 186, 192, 210, 229, 272, 275, 281, 307, 337, 341, 345, 349, 391
Thiepval Plateau 79–80, 144, 178, 180, 188–89, 191–92, 195, 208
Thiepval Spur 20, 42, 178, 181–82, 185, 207, 212, 242
Thiepval Wood 190, 195, 197–98, 202–203, 205, 210
Thiepval–Hamel road 195
Thiepval–Morval ridge 20, 25, 246–47, 284, 389
Thomas, Unteroffizier Friedrich 278, 302
Thuringians 78
Tivey, Corporal Reg 344
Tomlinson, Private Auberon 348
Tomlinson, Private Sam 256
Train Alley 292, 294, 307
Traumüller, Unteroffizier Willi 88
Treaty of London 4–5
Trenchard, Temporary Major-General Hugh 118
Triangle Point 299
Triangle Strongpoint 302
Trônes Wood 289, 293, 297, 315
Trost, Reservist Gottlob 238
Tullock, Second-Lieutenant William 301, 305
Tunnicliffe, Private Thomas 345
Turnbull VC, Sergeant James 209
Turnbull, Lieutenant John 225, 229
Turner, Lance-Corporal Archibald 219
Tuson, Brigadier-General Harry 241
U
Ukraine 38, 76, 361
Ulyatt, Private Herbert 348
Upcott, Captain John 40, 44, 52, 70
V
Verdun, Battle of viii, xviii, 12, 14–15, 22, 24, 29, 31–34, 37–39, 76, 81, 106, 137, 207, 361, 380–81, 384–85, 387
Victoria, Queen 4–5
Victoria Cross xvi, 55, 72, 112, 169, 205, 209–211, 260–61, 284, 311, 348, 366
Villers-Bocage 362, 376–78
Vimy Ridge 29
Vischer, Oberstleutnant Alfred 113, 121, 235–36, 240
Vivian, the Honourable Dorothy Maud 3
Vogler, Oberleutnant-der-Reserve Heinrich 119, 216, 236
Vulpius, Leutnant-der-Reserve Roland 100, 103
W
Wagener, Hauptmann Otto 83
Waghorn, Private Roger 310
Wallis, Captain Ferdinand 357
Walsh, Second-Lieutenant Arthur 274
Walz, Gefreiter Karl 239
Wanless-O’Gowan, Major-General Robert 166
War Committee 11–12, 15, 38
War Office 3
Ward, Private Arthur 117, 353
Ware, Captain Innes 124, 132
Warlencourt 242
Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery 348
Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension 184
Warren, The 286, 307
Watkin, Private Matthew 260
Watkins, Sergeant 297
Watson, Major Frank 197–98
Watts, Major-General Herbert 268
Weickel, Vizefeldwebel 113, 121
Westmann, Leutnant Stefan 115, 120
Westphalia, Westphalians 78, 208
Weymann, Leutnant-der-Landwehr Karl 96
Wicks, Private Charles 263, 274
Wide, Private Howard 117, 264
Wild, CQMS Gawen 228
Wilding, Brigadier-General Charles 162
Wilhelm II, Kaiser II 4–6
Wilkinson, Private George 255
Williams, Rifleman Frederick 62
Williams, Rifleman Herbert 117, 339
Williams, Brigadier-General Hugh 350–52
Williams, Brigadier-General Weir 149
Willis, Major Arthur 259
Willmer, Lieutenant Edgar 51, 291, 294
Willow Stream and Valley 247, 249, 251, 253, 268–69, 271, 273, 378
Wimereux Communal Cemetery 47
Wirth, Reservist 94
Withycombe, Brigadier-General William 200
Wohlenberg, Oberleutnant Alfred 329
Wonderwork 178, 180, 182, 187
Wood Alley 222
Woods, Private Francis 294
Woodward, Private Harry 155
Worthington, Captain Hubert 296, 299
Wurmb, Hauptmann Herbert Ritter von 204
Württemberg, Württembergers 78, 97, 119, 144–45, 217, 242, 253, 286, 322
Y
Y Ravine 143, 145, 164
Y Ravine Cemetery 174
Yatman, Brigadier-General Clement 186
Ypres 14
Ypres, First Battle of 10
Ypres, Second Battle of 324
Ypres, Third Battle of ix, 15
Y-Sap mine and crater 211, 215, 230, 369
Z
Z and Little Z Redoubts, see Schwalbenneste
Zwisele, Rifleman Charles 391
Photos Section
General Sir Douglas Haig, commander of the British army, was optimistic and bullish, and believed his Third and Fourth Armies would punch through the German lines on the first day of the Somme, bringing a return to mobile warfare. His attack was focused on the strongest portion of the German Second Army’s positions and was significantly under-resourced. (Te Papa)
General-der-Infanterie Erich von Falkenhayn, the German Chief of General Staff, Supreme Army Command, was focused on operations at Verdun and Galicia, and believed his Second Army had the resources to ward off an Anglo-French offensive on the Somme. Falkenhayn underestimated
the French component, however, and was forced to rethink his Somme strategy going forward. (Period postcard)
Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Rawlinson, commanding Fourth Army, preferred a step-by-step approach to operations on the Somme and doubted a breakthrough would be achieved on the offensive’s first day. (Imperial War Museum [IWM])
General-der-Infanterie Fritz von Below, commanding the under-resourced German Second Army, expected a strong British offensive north of the Somme, but underestimated the strength of the French attack. (Author’s collection)
Lieutenant-General Sir Edmund Allenby, commanding Third Army, went along with plans for an operation at Gommecourt salient to divert German artillery and infantry reserves, despite his initial reservations. (IWM)
Generalleutnant Hermann von Stein, commanding the German XIV Reserve Corps, expected the Allied offensive, but the outcome of battle revealed his failure to create defences of uniform strength north of the River Somme. (Period postcard)
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas D’Oyly Snow did not understand the difference between diversions and feints, which explains why his VII Corps became a magnet for German machinegun and artillery fire at Gommecourt. (IWM)
Generalleutnant Richard Freiherr von Süsskind-Schwendi was the aloof and ruthless commander of 2nd Guards Reserve Division at Gommecourt, where his men annihilated VII Corps. (Author’s collection)
Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston condemned his VIII Corps to disaster around Serre and Beaumont Hamel after bungling his artillery plan and the timing of the Hawthorn Ridge mine blast prior to battle. (IWM)
Generalleutnant Karl von Borries oversaw his 52nd Infantry Division’s construction of bespoke and robust defences between Gommecourt and Serre, which defeated VII and VIII Corps. (Courtesy of Infantry Regiment 170)
Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Morland’s X Corps mostly failed bloodily because of his linear thinking around Thiepval, while dithered command decisions on his part resulted in missed opportunities at Schwaben Redoubt. (IWM)
Generalleutnant Franz Freiherr von Soden drove his 26th Reserve Division hard to develop a lethal network of defensive killing zones between Serre and Ovillers, which mostly repulsed III, VIII and X Corps’ attacks. (Courtesy of 26th Reserve Division)
Lieutenant-General Sir William Pulteney was guileless and ignorant of the strength of the German defences his III Corps faced at Ovillers and La Boisselle, which was why it failed so tragically in a maelstrom of machine-gun fire. (IWM)
Generalleutnant Ferdinand von Hahn, the head of 28th Reserve Division, successfully defended La Boisselle against III Corps, but lesser-quality positions at Fricourt and Mametz saw both lost to XV Corps by 2 July 1916. (Courtesy of Reserve Infantry Regiment 221)
First day of the Somme Page 62
