Current Information:

Age-19

Friern Lodge, Friern Lane, Whetstone

Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuille, France

The opening day of the Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916

This was a disastrous day for the British Army in France. Eleven divisions of Fourth Army attacked along a 15 mile front from Maricourt to Serre. Two further divisions of Third Army launched a diversionary attack just to the north of Serre at Gommecourt. For a week beforehand the British artillery pounded the German trenches but the Germans had been there for a long time and they had constructed deep, concrete reinforced shelters beneath their trenches and many survived the bombardment. The troops went over the top at 7.30am but even before they had left their overcrowded trenches, many had been killed or maimed by German artillery. The Germans knew that they were coming. Once in No-Man’s-Land the artillery continued to take its toll and then the machine guns opened up on the advancing British infantry. They fell in their thousands and the attack came to a standstill almost everywhere. Survivors sought cover wherever they could find it and at night they crawled back to their own lines, often dragging a wounded soldier with them. Only in the south were any advances made with the attack on Fricourt and Mametz. Over 19,000 British soldiers were killed on this day, including 2,500 from London.

On 1st July 1916, 31st Division attacked at the northern end of the British line against the heavily fortified village of Serre.  94 Brigade attacked on a two battalion front with 11th East Lancashire and 12th York & Lancaster in front and 13th and 14th York & Lancaster following in support  This was their first time in action. The wire had been destroyed on this sector but not the deep dug-outs.  At 7.20am, as the first waves left their trenches to lie out in No-Man’s-Land, they were met by machine gun fire and an artillery barrage onto the front line trench and 50 yards into No-Man’s-Land. Ten minutes later, as the leading waves rose, the machine gun fire intensified and  German soldiers were seen standing on their parapet firing on the advancing British. Some even moved forward to shell holes to fire more effectively. Despite this, the right hand company of 11th East Lancashire managed to enter the German line and reports had about one hundred of them entering the village of Serre.  Their bodies were found there some months later.  But the bulk of the men were held up in no-man’s-land where they occupied the Russian sap that had been opened to provide cover.  The German barrage then hit the 14th York & Lancaster as they moved up and the attack was called off. Among the casualties suffered by 14th York & Lancaster was James Baker who was killed in action.