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Born-Bermondsey

Regina Trench Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme

The Somme trenches were no place to be during the winter of 1916-1917.  Constant rain, snow and cold winds made them a nightmare. Men who were able to make the comparison said that the mud of the Somme was worse than that at Passchendaele, later in 1917. Simply surviving in the shell battered trenches was arduous enough but by now the plans for a major offensive at Arras were well advanced and they included a need to keep the Germans fully occupied on the Somme front. Starting early in the year, the British launched a number of attacks on the Somme front, aimed at capturing strategic points in the German line and thereby undermining their overall defences.

One example of this was when, on 17th February, 1917, 2nd and 18th Divisions attacked towards Hill 130, south-east of Miraumont, while north of the River Ancre, 63rd Division made a subsidiary attack. Unfortunately the whole operation was undermined by two factors. The first was an overnight thaw that turned the frozen, hard ground to thick mud which clogged weapons and slowed down progress. The second was that somehow the Germans had got wind of the attack and at 4.30am they opened up a violent artillery bombardment along the whole front of the attack, resulting in serious casualties for the troops moving up for the attack.

2nd Division used 99 Brigade for this attack with 6 Brigade in reserve. However two companies of 17th Middlesex were attached to 99 Brigade to lend support to their attack if required and another company were used as a carrying party. At zero hour, 5.45am, on 17th February, ‘C’ Company moved to dug-outs on the West Miraumont Road and ‘D’ Company went to a position just west of Courcelette in readiness. However the attack was only partially successful and these two companies were not called upon. ‘A’ Company was involved carrying up ammunition to the posts that were established in the new front line and it is likely that the few casualties sustained by 17th Middlesex on this day came from ‘A’ Company. One of these was William Downey.