Lives of the First World War
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South Africans at Delville Wood, Somme, July 1916
South Africans at Delville Wood, Somme, July 1916
The South African National Memorial is at Delville Wood because it was the site of the gallant action of the 1st South African Infantry Brigade from 15th-21st July 1916, where despite losses of two-thirds, it captured and then held the wood against determined German artillery and counter-attacks. "The six days and five nights on which the South Africans held the most difficult post on the British front, a corner of death on which the enemy fire was concentrated at all hours from all sides... constitute an epoch of terror and glory scarcely equaled in the campaign." John Buchan - The South African forces in France. The South African Brigade in France had other hard battles - at the Butte de Warlencourt on 12th October 1916, Arras and the Fampoux debacle in April 1917, and the last stand against the German Spring Offensive at Marrieres Wood on 23rd March 1918 - but for sheer doggedness, Delville Wood is the battle that is revered. (The CWGC remembers 11,352 South African First World War casualties.) There is an excellent website at delvillewood.com which lists all the men present at the rollcall on 14th July, and the equally impressive southafricawargraves.org gives much more information, usually including an image of each soldiers record card. (I've also included British soldiers from 64th Field Company R.E. and 28th Brigade Machine Gun Company, who fought alongside the South African Brigade.)
Created by: , Guy74824
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Born 1895
Died 1916
South African Services 97 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Walter Edmund Rowe -
Born 1892
Died 1916
South African Services 7063 Private 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about Edward William Gilbert -
Born 1892
Died 1916
South African Services 3024 Private 2nd South African Infantry
More about Johannes Petrus Lodwyk Bester -
Died 1916
South African Services 8767 Private 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about Lawrence Joubert Hogan -
South African Services 4087 Sergeant 4th South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about A Smith -
Born 1887
Died 1916
South African Services 3906 Private 1st South African Infantry
More about Aaron William John Brookstein -
South African Services Captain 3rd South African Infantry Wounded and captured at Delville Wood
More about Richard Frederick Cavendish Medlicott -
Born 1894
Died 1916
South African Services 6914 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Donald Fraser -
Born 1880
Died 1921
South African Services 231 Lance Corporal 4th South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about Walter Todd -
Died 1916
South African Services 510 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Andrew Edward Quirk -
Born 1897
Died 1916
South African Services 3312 Private 4th South African Infantry
More about Horace Clayton Towers -
Born 1881
Died 1916
South African Services 4894 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Robert Fivaz -
South African Services 5871 Lance Corporal 4th South African Infantry attached Trench Mortar Battery at Delville Wood
More about Arthur R Thomson -
Born 1899
Died 1916
South African Services 7330 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about George Bertram Lake Hirtzel -
Born 1890
Died 1916
South African Services 3836 Second Lieutenant 2nd South African Infantry
More about Robert Gibb Miller -
Born 1889
Died 1916
South African Services 4211 Private 1st South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood
More about Harry Hawkins -
Died 1916
South African Services 7984 Private 1st South African Infantry
More about Thomas Arthur Downey -
Born 1895
Died 1916
South African Services 3476 Signaller 2nd South African Infantry
More about George Henderson Fennell -
Born 1875
Died 1916
South African Services 983 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Menyn Coote Loverock -
Born 1887
Died 1916
South African Services 2123 Private 2nd South African Infantry
More about Peter John Macdonald