by Ian Uys
He had missed the fighting in Egypt as he was a witness in a murder trial at Alexandria, concerning a Pte Matthews who had shot Pte Beckley in the head after an argument.
“When we went into Delville Wood about 6 am on 15 July 1916 with fixed bayonets everything was a beautiful green. We managed to dig small individual trenches at the edge of the wood facing a slight rise. It was a hazy morning. We could actually see some very indistinct figures on the horizon; we were ordered not to shoot — were threatened with dire results if we did as our captain (Jackson) said they were French. How wrong he was. Not long after in the morning one of our chaps standing just behind us got a bullet in the head from a German sniper.”
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Harry Cooper went with his company toward the larger wood, which he later learned was Delville.
“Our way led along a sunken road through a smashed-up village, Longueval, which we had captured. We were shocked when we saw one side of this sunken road had been used as a front line. Men were standing in the firing position facing the wood. Not one of them would ever fire a shot again. They were all dead, hundreds of them, and everything seemed so quiet and peaceful. Only the movements of our regiment were to be heard, no shells or rifle fire, only dead silence.
“It is hard to banish this picture from my mind, even after all these years. My thoughts went out to the near and dear ones waiting to hear from them. What a day of sorrow for poor old England.
“No stretch of imagination can picture the scene. The only comparison being once when I went into a butcher’s shop and saw a fly paper covered with thousands of dead flies. This was the lot that had gone at the beginning of the ‘Great Push’ on July 1, 1916. Our introduction to the rough side of war was here and I was sure that our lot had guts enough to face it unflinchingly, especially when we realised that we were now going forward and into … what?
“Plodding on farther we came across some army kitchens, mobile type, but their mobility had gone. Men, mules and mobile kitchens appeared to have been through a mangle. Wiped out completely — and still the great silence. Further on we rested and I noticed that a number of our senior sergeants had removed their chevrons and were wearing officers’ stars. My sergeant happened to pass by and I called out in a friendly way, ‘Hello, Sarge.’
“When I noticed the cloth ‘pip’ he grinned at me and said something about, ‘Keep your chin up’, for I must have looked pretty green. He only answered to ‘Sir’ for a very short time. He was one of the first to be killed.
“What a man! Medals and ribbons of the South African War on his chest. I was proud of my sergeant. These old soldiers often kidded us about soldiering and what it was to be a hero, fighting for your country. I was fascinated with the ribbons they wore and I used to wonder what it felt like to wear them.
“On we went. We had now reached the edge of the wood and the first thing I noticed was all the dead were wearing a different uniform. Then I saw they were Jerries — and very dead ones.
“We were now in Delville Wood and I can only relate what I did and saw. The wood seemed very peaceful and not unlike any forest I have been into in South Africa. There were large and small trees and plenty of vegetation. I might mention here that I had been appointed a ‘runner’, red stripes on sleeves, which meant that I had to deliver messages from headquarters to anywhere I was sent.
“The brigade had taken up certain positions and I was standing near our Col Thackeray when hell broke loose. My opinion is that Jerry waited and, after seeing us enter the wood, started giving us the works. The shells came from all angles. Machine-guns opened up and the game was on. I saw men digging in with entrenching tools all over the place battling to get some cover.
“Many times I was sent with messages to officers from the centre of the wood, and what a job it was to find them. Running zigzag, ducking and diving behind trees and feeling about as brave as a mouse. Sometimes I was lucky and found who I was looking for. Others? Well, they did not need any information nor could they give any replies.”
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The company spread out to occupy and consolidate the eastern and north-eastern edge of Delville Wood. While his comrades dug, L/Cpl William Shapcott climbed a tree and from this vantage point sighted seven Germans and a machine-gun close by.
William Henry Shapcott, 46, was born at Tiverton in Devon and had served with the 7th Hussars for seven years, the BSA Police for eight years and in Cullinan’s Horse in SWA. He had enlisted as Henry Jones, but assumed his correct name in May 1916.
They then came under heavy fire from infantry and machine-guns in an uncharted German trench some 150 yards east of the wood. As heavy casualties were being inflicted on the troops, on his own initiative Capt Tomlinson led an attack on the enemy trenches.
Leonard Tomlinson had served as a lieutenant in the machine-gun section of the Pretoria Regt in SWA. His wife, Ethel, stayed in Pietermaritzburg at the time. Owing to previous service he was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal.
His small fighting section rushed the trench. It transpired that there were more Germans than Shapcott had seen, so Capt Medlicott and some of his men from B Coy came to their rescue. Together they killed 32 Germans and captured two officers, 70 men and a machine-gun. All then came under heavy fire from enemy machine-guns and rifles. Of the prisoners taken only two officers and 35 men were brought in safely.
Members of Tomlinson’s party behaved with the utmost gallantry.
Company-Sgt-Major J Bryant personally shot two of the enemy machine-gunners. Lance-Corporal O Chapman rendered splendid service as a sniper. Shapcott was the soul of the enterprise: During the bombing raid he was fearless and dashing and continued to fight after being wounded through the right elbow.
Shapcott was ably supported by Sgt W S McDonald who was himself seriously wounded in the chest. Private W Hollingberry threw his bombs superbly until he was dangerously wounded in the abdomen. He was to die of his wound on 31 July.
The following decorations were awarded to members of the raiding party: Capt Tomlinson — DSO; Sergeant McDonald — MM; L/Cpl Shapcott — DCM; Pte Hollingberry — MM.
Tomlinson was wounded later in the day.
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A Swede who had served as an officer during the South African War was to fight alongside an Afrikaner, a former enemy, whom he grew to respect and depend on.
Private John Augustus Lawson, 41, was born at Warberg, Sweden. He served through the South African War as a trooper in the Colonial Scouts, as a lieutenant in the Field Intelligence Dept (with Gen Woolf Murray) and as a captain in Steinacker’s Horse. He stood almost six foot tall and had a light Nordic complexion with blue eyes and fair hair.
Between the wars Lawson was a beacon inspector in the Mines Dept at Pilgrim’s Rest. He was of great assistance to the resident magistrate during the Rebellion. The magistrate recommended Lawson for a commission in the brigade — however he was to serve as a private in No 15 Platoon, D Coy.
His wife, Betty, and two children stayed at Anstey, Castle Hederingham, Essex, while he served in France.
John Lawson enjoyed locating German snipers and machine-guns.
“I had just scored a success and was congratulating myself, when a cheery voice at my side joined in the congratulations with the remark, ‘You have got the range of that gun all right.’ I turned, and it was then I met Breytenbach. A smile lit up his face. A man of medium height, dark, with a strong, calm face — a good man to fight by the side of. We could not then enter into conversation, as our attention became riveted on a party to our right, just starting off to attack enemy trenches about eighty yards ahead. (Capt Tomlinson’s raiding party.)
“This party had orders to take prisoners and anything else they could lay their hands on, and return. Away they went, crawling and taking cover, for about thirty yards. Then, with a furious rush, they reached their objective. The overwhelmed ‘Kamerads’ appeared willing enough to leave their trenches and rush for safety to our lines. Our attacking party then
entered the now empty trenches and secured a machine-gun.
“It was pitiful to see how the Germans now picked off their own men, shooting them in the back as they came running towards safety. It was a hideous sight, and I could see that this moving spectacle of callous inhumanity touched my friend to the quick. Intense disapproval and disgust had changed his cheerful expression of a few minutes ago to pallor, a set jaw, and trembling lips — a face of resolution and determination.
“Out of the garrison of the raided trenches forty or fifty reached our lines. The others dropped in no-man’s-land, shot through the back by the very men who had been fighting side by side with them until their power of resistance had to give way to the tenacity and courage of the men from South Africa — by this time we had been well tried in Egypt and Flanders.
“Early morning merged into day, and then came the first counterattack against our line. This was completely broken by our rifle and machine-gun fire before the enemy had half crossed no-man’s-land. Then came our turn to let them ‘have it in the back,’ and when it was over the old smile again suffused my friend’s face.
“I felt he had got something back on behalf of those of the enemy who, after faithful service, had been so cruelly murdered in cold blood by their own comrades before our eyes.
“After the counter-attack, a welcome lull. Shelling us in what may be called a moderate way, the Huns commenced reorganising their formations. They could be seen at the double, taking advantage of all cover in these preparations. The range was long, but anything up to 800 yards proved a tempting target to good riflemen, and, with nothing else to do, we settled down to independent rifle fire for the day.
“As the sun went down the enemy’s activity increased, the angry crescendo rising and gathering volume till, at 9 or 10 pm, the wood, illuminated by the fireworks of the missiles of death, became the centre of an orgy of havoc and destruction beyond all description. Counter-attack followed counter-attack only to find us alert and ready, and be broken down by our fire.
“But shell fire steadily thinned our lines — the same mechanical slaughter proceeding on both flanks as well as in the centre. By midnight we had to be reinforced from the 4th Battalion (the South African Scottish). Our machine-guns were put out of action and the crews with them. Fresh guns and crews came in only to meet with the same fate. It was a dark night that dealt out death and destruction.”
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Lance-Corporal Cecil Rice was fortunate to leave the wood through a minor injury.
“Unfortunately I had developed a sore heel and the march to Longueval made it worse. I got into the wood and after about half a day the heel got so painful I thought I’d go along to the medical HQ and get some dressing.
“I showed the doctor and he took one look and said, ‘You had better get out as quick as you can. Make your own way back.’
“At the time the wood was being very heavily shelled and I managed to get out without being wounded and got to the nearest dressing-station I could find. When I got there I was put on a stretcher and sent down the line.”
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One of the most popular NCOs of the SA Scottish was Regimental-Sgt-Major J Cameron. He had joined the Highland Artillery Brigade in 1892 and transferred to the Seaforth Highlanders two years later. After serving through the South African War, Cameron joined the Transvaal Scottish Volunteers as an instructor. He was an excellent marksman who participated in many Bisley meetings.
Cameron was appointed RSM to the 2nd Battalion of the Transvaal Scottish and served through the SWA Campaign. Thereafter he helped to mobilise the 4th SAI Overseas Contingent. For many years he had been the right hand man of Major Donald MacLeod on the staff HQ of the Transvaal Scottish at Johannesburg. He was killed during the operations at Delville Wood on the 15th.
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Two companies, B and C, were to follow up and consolidate after the 5th Camerons attacked Waterlot Farm. The position was not taken until the following day so their role was principally in protecting the flank of the Cameron attack.
Captain Thomas Hesketh Ross, OC of B Coy, reported on the day’s events.
“On morning of 15 July SA Scottish arrived at Sunken road. Commanders of B and C Coys were ordered by OC (Major Macleod) to report to OC Camerons at Longueval. They were ordered by OC Camerons to occupy orchards north-west of Waterlot Farm and to remain there as reserve garrison. B and C Coys moved up to this positions under heavy shell fire which caused about 25 casualties.
“About 10.30 am OC Camerons moved those companies to communication trench leading to Waterlot Farm and explained that he was attacking the farm at 11 am and wished B and C Coys to furnish a party to follow and consolidate. OC B Coy proceeded with one platoon from each company for this purpose. B Coy Platoon on reaching farm, doubled out as covering party while C Coy Platoon commenced a block facing south when machine-guns were placed to cover enemy’s approach by main road. This was done under shell fire and very persistent sniping from concealed posts south of farm and trenches east of farm.
“Attempts to mark strong points east of farm were frustrated by fire from the trenches — so the following dispositions were made. The block in the road now improved as much as possible and machine-gun then proceeded to retaliate the fire from south and east of farm.
“South-west of farm a strong point was established to prevent enemy flank attack, further, any enemy crossing from east or from neighbourhood of Trones Wood. From block in road, a series of picquets were posted in shell-holes and connected by cordons of men extending in north-east direction towards Delville Wood.
“This cordon covered any approach of enemy from south and east. One Lewis gun was placed to enfilade enemy’s trench east of farm — another to strengthen cordon mentioned. In addition to these two platoons of B and C Coys, SA Scottish, there was a detachment of Camerons — including a MG section.
“All MGs suffered very heavily — one gun at length having no crew — the reserved being used up. Casualties at the farm this day were between 20 and 30 including one officer killed (Lieut Thorburn). These dispositions were retained throughout the day with the view to complete consolidation after dark.
“About 7 pm an enemy force estimated at a battalion were seen approaching from the direction of Guillemont. Cordons and picquets east of farm were opened out so as to bring all rifles into action and Lewis guns were placed to enfilade enemy on approach.
“When the latter were about 1,000 yards from farm — artillery answered on request for barrage — which though not of heavy calibre, was apparently effective, as enemy who had entered falling ground were not seen again. They apparently were driven east as they now crossed in front of our block. Shortly after this, about 7 pm, a party at the farm was recalled by OC Camerons to communication trench south-west of Delville Wood — an observation post alone remaining at the farm.
“Acting on orders C Coy then built strong point at northern end of trench leading from Waterlot Farm to Longueval.
“At daybreak (16th) B and C Coys were ordered back to trench by Sunken Road from which they started in the morning (of the 15th).”
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Major Hunt’s diary provides a synopsis of Capt Ross’ report.
“July 15. Left Montauban, 2.30 am, and advanced rapidly towards Delville. Macleod with A and D 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.
“Held 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 east of junction of trench coming from Trones, but in doing so Germans nearly got us all with 5.9s. Many casualties today.”
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The ‘Kirby wounded’ was Sec-Lieut Walter Houx Kirby, 28, who had been born in San Diego, USA. He was educated in England and came to South Africa in 1896. Kirby served as a trooper in the Natal Light Horse in SWA and
was wounded and captured at Gibeon in April 1915, however managed to escape. He joined the 4th SAI as a sergeant and served through the Egyptian Campaign.
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Private Bert Higgins, recalled the attack on Waterlot Farm.
“George Thorburn, who was Pipe Major of Johannesburg Callies, was Pipe Major of the 1st and 2nd in SWA, led the remnants of the Camerons to take a sugar refinery where the Germans had their guns in concrete reinforced dugouts. The Germans sent over a terrific bombardment with coalboxes and very heavy shells, and all that could be seen was black smoke, shell-holes and blokes falling all over the place.”
Lieutenant R B Thorburn had served with the Cameronians. He rejoined as a Pipe-major in the Transvaal Scottish for SWA and was subsequently promoted in the field. He showed remarkable courage and skill in organising an excellent line of trenches at Waterlot Farm.
Thorburn was killed while gallantly leading a covering party to protect those of his old regiment who were endeavouring to consolidate the captured position. He was reputedly killed by a bomb thrown by “surrendering” Germans.
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Private Charles Stanley Slade, 38, a merchant from Mowbray stood over six feet tall. He served for eight months in the Potchefstroom Commando, then joined the brigade. During his absence overseas his wife, Clarice, lived in Durban.
On 21 May he had been burnt on his head and neck. He acted as stretcher-bearer at Waterlot Farm, where he steadily and continuously collected and evacuated the wounded.
He and Pte J Royan worked together as stretcher-bearers, collecting and evacuating wounded at Waterlot Farm and later in Delville Wood. They carried wounded men through the barrages and worked unceasingly day and night until Royan was killed. Slade continued to fearlessly bandage and bring in wounded under fire.
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Despite the escalating battle Arthur Betteridge noted many details, especially what he had to carry. “At 2 am on the 15th, B and C companies of the Scottish attacked a small orchard alongside the Cameronians. Our boys were led by Major Hunt and I accompanied them as signaller, carrying rifle and ammunition, hand grenades, shovel and trenching tool with a small haversack on my back filled with emergency rations, a few personal possessions, small towel, hair brush and comb and my diary. I was wearing an overcoat owing to the rain.
