Current Information:

Born-Lambeth

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, 14 Brigade was the reserve brigade of 32nd Division which attacked Thiepval and the Leipzig Salient.  96 and 97 Brigades led the attack and the plan was then for 14 Brigade to pass through them and take Mouquet Farm. However, German artillery and machine gun fire was fierce and although some troops made it to the Leipzig Salient, their numbers were small. At 8.45am, with no counter orders reaching them and believing all was going to plan, 1st Dorset moved forward from Authuille Wood and immediately came under intense machine gun fire from Nord Werk on their right. Many did not even make it to their own front line and even fewer managed to get across to join the remnants of 97 Brigade in the Leipzig Salient. The position there was untenable and overnight all troops made it back to their own front line, leaving only their dead behind. One of those who did not survive the day was Charles Chaney.