Lives of the First World War
Discover, explore and remember millions of personal stories from the First World War
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
-
Born 1896
Died 1916
British Army 89660 Sapper Royal Engineers 64th Company
More about Joseph James Eddy -
Born 1895
Died 1959
South African Services 5751 Private 3rd South African Artillery ? Delville Wood
More about Harold Frederick Gaul -
Died 1916
British Army 672 Lance Corporal Highland Light Infantry
British Army 18569 Acting Serjeant Machine Gun Corps
British Army 18569 Sergeant 28th Brigade Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) With the South African Brigade at Delville Wood
More about Albert Slack -
South African Services 1665/ 1665 Signalling Corporal 3rd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood as a Private
More about Charles Ernest Long -
South African Services 3120 Sergeant South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood as a Private
More about Charles Morton Guy Glencross, M.s.m. -
South African Services 3488 Lance Corporal 4th South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood, M.M.
More about Charles Dixon -
Born 1884
Died 1916
British Army Second Lieutenant Highland Light Infantry
British Army Second Lieutenant Highland Light Infantry With the South African Brigade
More about David Balfour Patrick -
British Army Second Lieutenant West Yorkshire Regiment
South African Services Private 3rd South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood
More about John Augustus Lawson -
Born 1882
Died 1916
South African Services 217 Sergeant 4th South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about Ian Ramsay Russell -
Born 1882
Died 1916
South African Services 8478 Sergeant 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about Albert Kirkpatrick Irvine -
Born 1899
Air Force (RAF/RFC)
South African Services Private 3rd South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood
More about Horace Gerald Wepener -
South African Services Lieutenant Colonel 2nd South African Infantry Commanded 2 S.A.I. at Delville Wood, later commanded the South African Brigade
More about William Ernest Collins Tanner -
Died 1916
South African Services 2179 Sergeant 2nd South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood, D.C.M.
More about John Clark Hilson -
Born 1891
Died 1918
British Army 5097 Private South African Immediate Reserve
South African Services 5097 Corporal South African Infantry 4th Regt
South African Services 5097 Corporal 4th South African Infantry 4th Regt.
More about Walter Prentice -
South African Services 10386 Private South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood
More about W J J Oosthuizen -
South African Services Captain 3rd South African Infantry Wounded and captured at Delville Wood
More about Richard Frederick Cavendish Medlicott -
South African Services 5871 Lance Corporal 4th South African Infantry attached Trench Mortar Battery at Delville Wood
More about Arthur R Thomson -
Born 1871
Died 1956
South African Services Lieutenant Colonel South African Infantry 3rd Regiment.
More about Edward Frank Thackeray -
South African Services 128 Serjeant 3rd South African Infantry At Delville Wood as a Private
More about Sydney John Hinwood -
Born 1893
Died 1916
South African Services 3198 Corporal 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood as a Private
More about Carol Alfred Noble