Herbert Watson Atkinson

Sergeant 8th Battalion (Duke of Wellington's) West Yorkshire Regt
Killed in action 14th September 1916 at Flers-Courcelette (Somme)

My maternal grandfather (known as Bert) enlisted as a volunteer in August 1914 and saw action at the Dardanelles before the regiment was shipped to Egypt and then France in time for the Somme offensive of 1916. One of the objectives of that offensive was to occupy the Thiepval Ridge, heavily defended by the Germans, who were able to shell British lines accurately and at will. In support of the assault on the Ridge by British forces, a major attack was planned for the 15th September. This attack is now known as The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and is famous as the battle in which tanks were used for the first time.

The German defences supporting their occupation of the Ridge included the "Wundt Werk" (Wonder Work). A cleverly-sited and heavily-defended trench system and artillery platform on the reverse slope of a small ridge, this could not be seen from British positions and was thus less susceptible to elimination by artillery alone. The purpose of the attacks on the evening on the 14th September was to destroy the German defences, including the Wundt Werk, which could impede the success of the main British assault. The 8th West Yorkshires formed the right wing of the attack, whose main and final objective was the Wundt Werk itself.

The following description of the events of the attack is taken from the War Diary of the West Yorkshire Regiment, to whom I express my grateful thanks. (Please note that the Diarist's command of English spelling, grammar and syntax was less than perfect and I have made some small modifications - shown in red - where this was necessary to improve clarity).


Introduction To The Somme Offensive

The Somme offensive had now ground on for a little over two months. In the Thiepval Sector to which the 11th (Northern) Division were now about to enter, little or no substantial gains had been obtained since the opening day of the offensive on the 1st July. The Division were now contained in 2nd Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Claud William Jacob, forming part of the Reserve Army, renamed the Fifth in October 1916, under the command of General Sir Hubert Gough.

Early on the morning of the 7th September, the 9th West Yorkshire's in conjunction with the 8th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's, were ordered to take over front line trenches near Authuille with orders issued to relieve the 10th (Service) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment and the 8th (Service) Battalion, Border Regiment, 25th Division. Authors note: The War Diary of the 8th Dukes records the Cheshire unit as that of the 11th Battalion.
The specific order and time of the commencement of the march to the front line trenches were as follows:

This time scale was no doubt formulated to firstly avoid congestion on the "Up" route, i.e., the entry point into the front line, and secondly, to minimise casualties if forward movement was detected by enemy artillery. The Battalion was to be disposed as follows:

The relief was carried out, as the War Diary records, "satisfactorily" by noon however not without incident as one man was wounded. Authors note: An analysis of Soldiers Died In The Great War and that of the Commonwealth War Graves records one man, Lance Corporal Hubert Hemsley, 10053, as died on this day albeit SDGW records his death as Killed in Action. Hubert, who had served on the Western Front since December 1914 was possibly a draft from either the 1st or 2nd Battalions, West Yorkshire Regiment. A resident of Burley, Leeds, unfortunately his body could not be identified after the War therefore Hubert is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial To The Missing.

The line in this sector had advanced some distance on the rank (right(?)) flank to the north of Ovillers over the days preceding the commencement of the Somme offensive. The line then occupying high ground, descended into a valley, referred to as "Nab" or later "Blighty Valley." Climbing westwards, the line then incorporated a small section of a quarry, known to the Germans as the "Granatloch," or to the British as "Authuille Quarry." The quarry was incorporated into the German defensive system in this sector of the line referred to as the "Leipzig Salient" by the British. It was here in the quarry that on the 1st July units of the 32nd Division managed to gain a tentative, if priceless foothold, in this strategic position.

The Site Of The Granatloch Or Authuille Quarry, 2013 In the weeks that followed this vital gain, numerous units held the position under constant artillery fire, probes and bombing raids by the enemy. Attempts by the enemy to dislodge the defenders even involved the use of "Liquid Fire," the Flammenwerfer, a Flamethrower, that was used in an attack on the 1/6th West Yorks, 49th (West Riding) Division, on the 15th July.
As the position was expanded and outposts extended, the key to the enemy's ability to hold and continue to attack and probe in this sector lay in a cleverly sited position. Known as the Wundt Werk (Wonder Work), this position occupied a reverse slope to the north, shielded by rising ground to the west making it invisible to direct fire by the artillery. With its associated trench system this position contained a myriad of dug-outs, trench mortar, and machine-gun positions with extensive fields of fire if an attack was to be made from the west over the slope or spur, and to the east covering any approach along "Nab" or "Blighty Valley." Further back, although by now a heap of rubble, lay the remains of Thiepval Village, its defenders tenaciously holding on due to a network of subterranean defences.
It was into this volatile position that had claimed so many lifes in its subsequent defence, that the 9th West Yorks were introduced into the offensive on the chalky uplands of Picardy.

During the following day as the men settled into an unfamiliar position, the German artillery commenced a sporadic bombardment, so characteristic of events experienced by units that had previously held this sector of the line. Shells smashed into the parapets resulting in the deaths of four men and the wounding of nine others. Feverishly the men worked to repair the damaged trenches but ultimately this baptism of fire must have had, one would presume, a demoralising effect on the men as this was the greatest loss of life in one incident as yet experienced by the Battalion on the Western Front. Soldiers Died and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission record these men as Privates, Clifford Duffy, 21147, George Jennings, 19920, Richard Watson, 21670 and Tom Worsnop, 21778. All of these men were 'veterans' of the Dardanelles Campaign and are now commemorated in Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuille, Somme either by known graves or Special Memorials.

Despite the Battalion holding the front line, the by now familiar routine of officers either joining the West Yorkshire's for duty or departing continued. Second-Lieutenant Broomhead who had joined the Battalion in March 1916 departed for England and the Machine Gun Corps School located at Grantham whilst Second-Lieutenants Eric Joseph Woods and Harry Oldham joined the Battalion on the 8th and 9th September respectively.
Enduring further bombardments that luckily resulted in no further casualties, the West Yorkshire's were relieved at 8 a.m. on the morning of the 10th by the 6th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, the 8th Dukes, by the 6th Battalion, Yorks & Lancs. With this relief being completed by the West Yorks at 11.30 a.m. and without incident, the men proceeded into dug-outs located at Crucifix Corner near Aveluy.

Cricific Corner - Aveluy

The site of Crucifix Corner is still today, as it was in 1916, marked by a Calvary, with the remains of dug-outs still visible in a rather unsightly quarry situated behind.
For a period of three days the Battalion remained in Reserve, far from an ideal place of rest with future operations imminent. On the 11th, Second-Lieutenant Hay was admitted to hospital sick whilst on the following day the first of two drafts arrived consisting of 26 Other Ranks from the 33rd Infantry Base Detail (Depot) located at Etaples, 24 O/R's arriving on the 13th respectively. On the latter date also, Brigade Operation Order No. 18 was issued for future operations however more detailed orders were to be forthcoming during the afternoon of the following day.

The Attack On The "Wundt Werk"

In preparation for any future operations to sieze the Thiepval defences and the infamous "Schwaben Redoubt" (Feste Schwaben), Sir Douglas Haig recorded in his official despatch published in the London Gazette, Issue 29884 and dated Friday 29th December 1916 (War Office dated 23rd December) that:
"The Thiepval defences were known to be exceptionally strong, and as immediate possession of them was not necessary to the development of my plans after the 1st July, there had been no need to incur the heavy casualties to be expected in an attempt to rush them. The time was now approaching, although it had not yet arrived, when their capture would become necessary; but from the positions we had now reached and those which we expected shortly to obtain, I had no doubt that they could be rushed when required without undue loss."
With the commencement of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette due to take place during the following day, this final key to the launching of a successful attack on Thiepval and its associated ridge would be the capture of the Wundt Werk, this task was to be undertaken by 32nd Infantry Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division.

Zero Hour was to be fixed for 6.30 p.m. during the early evening of the 14th September. The assault was to be led by the 9th West Yorkshire's in the centre, jumping off positions from "Hindenburg Trench" (Lemberg Stellung), R.31.c.7.6. - R31.d.0.7., objectives, "Turk Street" (Turken Stellung) and the "Wonder Work" (Wundt Werk). On the right flank, the 8th Dukes would also advance from "Hindenburg Trench", R31.c.7.6. - R.31.d.0.7., objectives also being the "Wonder Work" and also that of "Hohenzollern Trench" (Hohenzollern Stellung). To the left of the West Yorkshire's, the 6th Yorkshire Regiment would assist the attack by performing a bombing demonstration, in effect a bombing attack. The 6th Yorks & Lancs would remain in reserve.

The assault was to be supported by heavy artillery batteries of 2nd Corps assisted also by three batteries of French 75 mm field guns, the 11th Divisional Artillery, and batteries of both the 25th and 48th (South Midland) Divisions. In addition to the artillery, the 32nd Machine Gun Company under the command of Captain Hugh Alvar Geaussent would supply close support as and when needed establishing their Headquarters at "Gloucester Post" in Authuille Wood.

schematic of battlefield

Derived From An Original Sketch Contained In The War Diary Of the 8th Dukes, WO/95/1809

Both the Dukes and the West Yorkshire's would advance on a two company frontage with one company in support and the remaining company in reserve. Orders for the 9th West Yorkshire's dictated that both attacking companies "D" and "C" respectively, were to attack in four waves, a wave consisting of one platoon with its complement of bombers. The front waves were to advance on to the final objective but before continuing the advance they would leave behind "care takers" in "Turk Street" as the men pressed home their attack. The fourth wave was to act as a "clearing up" party.

The Battalion were disposed as follows:

8th Dukes (Exact dispositions not recorded in War Diary)

6th Yorkshire Regiment

"D" Company - Assembly Positions Points 78 - 68

On the morning of the 14th September the 8th Dukes accompanied by the 9th West Yorks proceeded towards the front line relieving "A" Company of the 6th Battalion, Yorks & Lancs in "Hindenburg Trench." Regarding the latter battalion, both "A" and "B" Companies moved into positions at "Wood Post," Authuille Wood, whilst "C" and "D" Companies took up positions in reserve, close at hand, should they be required. Authors note: Chronology varies between War Diaries (time not recorded by 9th West Yorks) but relief of the company of the Yorks & Lancs commenced or concluded between 8 - 8.30 a.m.
On the way up to the front line, enemy artillery fire, as recorded in the War Diary of the West Yorks was "desultory" however, Lieutenant Cecil Beaumont Robinson aged 32 years, who had been with the Battalion since October 1915, fell victim to the explosion of a shell. Lieutenant Robinson's body was unfortunately not identified after the War therefore like so many of his comrades he is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial To The Missing.

With the trenches crowded with men, it is not surprising that difficulty was experienced issuing the various stores such as ammunition, bombs and materials to assist consolidation to the attackers, no doubt in part to the distance to be covered from the relevant 'dumps' located to the rear.
In anticipation of the bombardment that was timed for 6.30 p.m., the men left the relative safety of "Hindenburg Trench" at 6.28 p.m. and debouched into No Man's Land. Upon performing this act, the enemy reacted with spasmodic firing from the direction of "Turk Street." From this trench signal flares of a greenish colour were also observed being fired into the sky, possibly a signal to his artillery to respond to what the enemy perceived correctly as a developing offensive situation.
It was then that a machine-gun position located in "Turk Street" began to open fire but no sooner had this weapon come into action, the bombardment commenced and the rapport of the gun was not heard of again.

view of Wundt-werk
Schematic Derived From An original Sketch Contained In The War Diary Of The 8th Dukes, WO/95/1809

The barrage was now timed to fall on "Turk Street" for the duration of three minutes and for a few moments the men watched in awe as this storm of metal wreaked destruction on the already badly damaged German trench. Advancing across No Man's Land unmolested by rifle or machine-gun fire the men entered the remains of the trench as the barrage lifted onto the "Wonder Work" where it would remain for a period of three minutes. Casualties had however been sustained as the War Diary records due to the closeness that the men kept to the barrage, this only affording effective protection to the men if this closeness was maintained sadly, and all to common, resulting in death by what we would now term as 'friendly fire.'

On the right flank, the 8th Dukes had obtained their objectives by 6.40 p.m. The attacking companies, "X" and "Z" respectively, continued the advance a further 40 yards northwards whereupon they proceeded to 'dig in.' Immediately construction of a communication trench commenced to assist consolidation.
Despite the enemy now putting down an accurate artillery barrage on the sector, the West Yorks pressed on to their final objective, the "Wonder Work." Only two officers had made the objective and these were both wounded; Captain Oswald Vernon Guy, son of the Vicar of Christ Church, Harrogate, had been hit by shrapnel in three places, and Second-Lieutenant Noel Thomas Hartley, a married man residing in Scarborough, was wounded in the arm. Sadly, in 1918, Captain Hartley, aged 23, would be killed just days before the end of the War.

It was on the left flank, as the barrage had lifted towards the "Wonder Work," that stout resistance was met by "D" Company of the 6th Yorkshire's. Advancing from their assembly trench located between Points 78 - 68, the men attacked the enemy trench between Points 91 - 69. Untouched by the artillery bombardment and with the site of Point 91 containing numerous dug-outs, it is of no surprise that the enemy took full advantage of the unfolding situation unleashing heavy rifle fire and attacks with bombs.
At 8.15 p.m. orders were received by Second-Lieutenant Clement Bromley, 32nd M.G.C. to move his 4 guns up from their postions in "Angel Tunnel," R.31.c.3.4., a sap located near "Campbell Avenue." Due to the intense enemy bombardment however, 2/Lt. Bromley was unable to move his guns forward until about two hours later.
A party of "D" Company had however managed to reach their objective, Point 91, and although under heavy fire, they were reinforced by one of the platoons of "B" Company, 9th West Yorks. The fight in this sector of the line continued until midnight when the enemy trench from Points 91 - 69 was gained by a bombing party. A 'Bombing Block,' an obstacle constructed of either barbed wire and wood or simply sandbags was established about 70 yards from Point 91. As S.O.S. signals illuminated the night sky indicating the need to act quickly should positions be overun by the enemy, the British artillery responded with a heavy barrage. At 32nd M.G.C. Headquarters located in Authuille Wood, Second-Lieutenant Albert Brunning was ordered forward with one gun to take up a position in Prince Street which was reached by 1 a.m. however Second-Lieutenant Leslie Bassnett was wounded whilst moving forward. The enemy were determined to retake the lost positions but despite three attacks being made their efforts were repulsed and the positions consolidated.

Throughout the next day, attempts were made by the enemy to retake the lost positions. On the right flank the War Diary of the 8th Dukes records "Counter-attacks repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy. The attack a complete success."
Indeed the attack had proved successful but as the 8th Dukes were relieved at 4 p.m. on the afternoon of the 15th by the 1/6th Duke of Wellington's, 147th Infantry Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division, their casualties amounted to 8 officers and 250 Other Ranks, Killed, Wounded or Missing. An analysis of both Soldiers Died In The Great War and that of the Commonwealth War Graves databases, search criteria from the 14th-15th September, indicates this figure as 3 officers and 54 Other Ranks Killed or Died of Wounds. Curiously however, if the data is accurate and there are anomalies in both sources, one man Private Herbert Skinner, 11622, is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. Amongst the dead there are two brothers who joined the Colours together; Private William Thompson, 17227, and Private Harry Thompson, 17228. Residents of Leeds, William is now buried in Lonsdale Cemetery, Aveluy, whilst Harry is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, both brothers commemorated or buried close to where they fell, separated in death by just a short distance.

Of the 6th Yorkshire's, during the early hours and for the remainder of the 15th, the men set about consolidating Prince Street and the captured trench between Points 91 - 69. The enemy it is recorded remained very quiet that is until 10.15 p.m. when a strong attack proceeded by a bombardment was launched against Posts 68, 78 and 46 and also on the trench at Points 91 - 69, a section of this trench falling into the hands of the enemy. With the situation critical and with enemy assaults eminating from a sap east of "Hohenzollern Trench," i.e. from the bottom of "Nab Valley," the attacks on 68, 78 and 46 were driven off and a counter-attack against the section of the trench held by the enemy proved to be successful, all ground lost being regained and the positions held.
During the early hours of the 16th September, the 6th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment were relieved by the 1/7th Duke of Wellington's, also of the 147th Infantry Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Division, this relief being completed by 4.30 a.m.
The War Diary records casualties sustained by the Battalion as 5 officers and 130 Other Ranks Killed, Wounded or Missing. An analysis of both Soldiers Died In The Great War and that of the Commonwealth War Graves databases, search criteria this time from the 14th-16th September indicates this figure as 3 officers and 40 Other Ranks Killed or Died of Wounds.
Included in the latter figure is one Private James Wilson, 18658, a native of Spennymoor, County Durham, who Died of Wounds on the 16th (Soldiers Died records the 15th) and who is now buried at Contay British Cemetery.
Another sad example of a family suffering more than one death can be found with Privates Matthew Heseltine, 20348, and Matthew Heseltine 20349. Both men, sharing the same name were in fact cousins and residents of Aysgarth, North Yorkshire. Enlisting together in the picturesque Yorkshire market town of Leyburn, they both fell in action on the 14th September and are now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
The Battalion had also lost its gallant Lieutenant-Colonel, Cusack Grant Forsyth D.S.O.
Forsyth possessed an association with the Yorkshire Regiment dating back to 1906. Steadily rising through the ranks and appointed Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion in April 1912, he would witness the actions of First Ypres and eventually rise to the rank of Major. Forsyth assumed command of the 6th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment whilst the Battalion were located in Egypt. Awarded the D.S.O. in January 1916 for services rendered and during the following month the Croix de Chevalier, he had proved already to be a most competent officer with the prospect of a bright future. One of six brothers who served in the Great War, five were killed.
The Green Howards In The Great War by H.C. Wylly records the circumstances surrounding his death:

"A report had been received that "D" Company was in difficulties; it proved to be unfounded, but Colonel Forsyth at once went up to the extreme front, where he was shot through the head."

On the night of the 15th/16th, the 9th West Yorkshire's were relieved by the 1/7th Duke of Wellington's however this was not without incident. Prior to the commencement of the relief the night was described as fairly quiet that is until the bombardment commenced prior to the assault by the enemy on the 6th Yorkshire's at 10.15 p.m. Due to this action beginning to unfold the relief was made even more difficult by enemy artillery shelling the communication trenches along which the West Yorkshire's had to pass, this no doubt resulting in further casualties.
By 3.30 a.m. on the morning of the 16th the relief was completed and the men proceeded back to dug-outs at Crucifix Corner where they slept for the night. Casualties had been heavy, mainly due enemy artillery. Prior to the attack on the "Wonder Work," the 9th (Service) Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment had gone into the action with a strength of 20 officers and 780 Other Ranks. The War Diary records the losses of the Battalion as 8 officers Killed and 4 wounded.

Killed:

Wounded; Captain Oswald Vernon Guy, Captain, Ralph Eric Maxwell Cherry, Second-Lieutenants Noel Thomas Hartley and Eric Joseph Woods, the latter officer only being with the Battalion for a matter of days.

In Other Ranks, the War Diary records 33 Killed, 33 Missing and 240 Wounded. An analysis of the sources SDGW and that of the CWGC indicates that the total number of O/Rs Killed or Died of Wounds between the 14th-15th September as 71.

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