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 1887
Died 1917
South African Services 1026 Private 4th South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood
More about Hubert Cunningham Hutton -
Born 1897
Died 1916
South African Services 3932 Corporal 1st South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood as a Private
More about Valentine Mansergh Robinson -
Died 1916
South African Services 576 Private 4th South African Infantry
More about Bertie Cecil Smith Timms -
Born 1894
Died 1916
South African Services 2126 Private 2nd South African Infantry
More about Morris Hyman Myers -
Born 1891
Died 1916
South African Services 7215 Lance Corporal 2nd South African Infantry
More about John Montague Cockburn -
Born 1870
Died 1918
South African Services 5444 Sergeant Signaller 4th South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about Harry Nicholls -
Born 1887
Died 1916
South African Services 5726 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about William Lloyd Hollingbery -
Born 1879
Died 1916
South African Services 3058 Acting Company Sergeant Major 2nd South African Infantry One of the last 120 men to leave Delville Wood
South African Services 3058 Second Lieutenant 2nd South African Infantry
More about James Mcaulay Thomson -
Died 1916
South African Services 287 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about John Dillon -
Died 1916
South African Services 2139 Corporal 2nd South African Infantry
More about Alfred Ernest Benjamin Armstrong -
Born 1897
Died 1918
South African Services 1038 Private 1st South African Infantry Wounded at Delville Wood
More about William Viljoen -
Died 1916
South African Services 5566 Private 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about Norman Oliver Day -
Born 1886
Died 1916
South African Services 3976 Private 1st South African Infantry
More about Wilfrid Hetherington -
Born 1886
Died 1916
South African Services 4873 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Vivian Roland Burton -
Born 1887
Died 1916
South African Services 4564 Private 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
South African Services 4564 Second Lieutenant 2nd South African Infantry
More about Basil John Ingleby Flack -
Born 1895
Died 1916
South African Services 5390 Private 4th South African Infantry
More about Henry John Roberts -
Born 1881
Died 1916
South African Services 1190 Corporal 3rd South African Infantry
More about Mark Travill -
Born 1875
Died 1916
South African Services 6623 or 6622 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about John Glasson -
Born 1895
Died 1916
South African Services 2987 Signaller 1st South African Infantry
More about George Alan Leak -
Born 1897
Died 1916
South African Services 6417 Private 2nd South African Infantry
More about Cyril Phillip Geraghty