Source: File: Soldiers
and 18 Pounder Shells. National Army Museum. [online] See an original image at:
<http://www.army.mod.uk/firstworldwarresources/somme-1916/soldiers-leaning-on-a-pile-of-18-pounder-shells-somme-1916>
[Accessed: 24 June 2016]
With plans for a
battle formed 1915, began by
French Commander-in-Chief Joffre,
Adjustments resulted due to French
occupied
In Verdun - their allies
of British force
Stepped into the breach; preparations
took time.
Changes of dates from April to
August finally
Settled for mid summer, at start
of July -
A summer strike of large
proportions needed
Careful preparations - the meticulous
Slow methods gave General Joffre
frustrations.
After the Chantilly agreements led
to decision
Over which western
sector for their
Agreed strike - developments began which
Would take months; the total of
logistics
To be involved included transport and supplies.
To be involved included transport and supplies.
Shelter, water, war materials and medical back
Up, all had to be planned - the
sector of the
Somme river up to Arras was the
chosen area -
The major needs of transport led
all plans
To this quiet sector; here 400,000
men gathered.
Alongside required 100,000 horses, logistical
Reserves had to be called on for
physical
Manpower - the railway was
central to shift
From ports to the front - the third
army needed
58 supply trains daily, while fourth
army 70.
These tactics were a challenge,
with only
Two lines then running into the
town of Albert -
One of the closest frontline
towns - the line
from Arras and Albert clearly was a
no go run;
Across the Ancre Valley into German
area.
While movements
between communes,
Doullens, Acheux
and Albert areas were fine,
Decision was finally made
to build another
Light gauge rail - in total of 55 miles of tracks,
Their building
was left in the infantry hands.
Between Acheux and
Candas 17 new line
Miles would give
15 trains daily, while Contay
And Daours would
add 10 track miles -
With a spur
extension created the loop from
Dernancourt to
Fricourt, to add depots.
Spur rails lines
off Albert and Acheux gave
Links to
Thiepval Wood, Martinsart, over
To Aveluy - such
a massive operation made
Challenges to the
road systems, within
A quiet area given
to farmland of chalky earth.
Suited to
small population of farm workers
And
carts, roads for heavy machinery
Of military was
another matter - any stones
To build roads
had to be brought there,
And labour was
too short to make dumps.
While stone dumps
were rare other
Ammunition dumps
were quickly formed
Close to rail lines, as at Gezaincourt,
Contay and Puchevillers
- while all horse
transports used the timber roads.
transports used the timber roads.
One lesson
learned from prior battles
Was the need of
medical services -
Close to the
frontline would be Casualty
Clearing Stations
- near to rail lines
Ready to move all
injured away to safety.
Six sites saw main
C.C.S's at Puchevillers,
Vecquemont,
Corbie, Contay, Doullens,
Heilly and
Warlincourt - others at St Ouen
Amiens,
Beauval, and Gezaincourt - but
An enemy walk-over they would be unused.
An enemy walk-over they would be unused.
Interrelated
cogs turned in a build up
For the day -
all villages between Ameins
And the front, filled with tents to house
Gathering
armies - every soldier provided
A grave sized
space; 2 foot by 6 billet.
Even at that
stage the presence of French
Civilians had
remained, living close
To daily fight, holding onto villages - their
Mayors advised
they had 48 daylight
Hours to leave -
given only 10 days supplies.
Effectively
civilians would be ensnared,
Being informed from Sunday 25 June
They could not
move - shells would start
To fly over
civilian heads, their homes
Would then be on
wrong side of firing lines.
In a none
silent method, the countdown
Began on
Saturday 24 June 1916 -
A bombardment
began artillery lines fed
By Blighty
shells, spewing across
Farmland; a
warning of something coming.
Over eight days
the continual raking action
Of British
gunnery would pulverise any
German defences - ready for gathered armies,
Waiting along
the chalky land each slow
Minute, hour, day rang with thud, thud of shells.
by Jamie Mann.
Source: File: The Great War 1914-1918. The Battle of
the Somme, 1916. Online. Available at: <http://www.greatwar.co.uk/battles/somme-1916/> [Accessed 26 June 2016]
Source: File: The Long, Long trail. The British Army In The
Great War of 1914-1918. Logistical
preparations necessary before the Somme offensive, 1916. Online. Available at: <http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-battles-of-the-somme-1916/logistical-preparations-necessary-before-the-somme-offensive-1916/> [Accessed 26 June 2016]
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 26 June 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone
#worldwaroneremembered #WW1Somme
No comments:
Post a Comment