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 1896
Died 1916
South African Services 4529 Private 2nd South African Infantry
More about Lionel James Tuckett -
Born 1898
Died 1916
South African Services 2537 Private 1st South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about John Jacobus Strydom -
Born 1899
Died 1916
South African Services 4241 Private 1st South African Infantry
More about Charles David Soderlund -
Born 1885
Died 1916
South African Services Lieutenant 1st South African Infantry
More about Cecil Braithwaite Parsons -
Died 1916
South African Services 3658 Lance Corporal 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood as a Private
More about Percy Clark Gold -
Born 1876
Died 1916
South African Services 1367 Corporal 3rd South African Infantry
More about William Belshaw -
Born 1886
Died 1916
South African Services Second Lieutenant 1st South African Infantry
More about Arthur Ernest Brown -
South African Services 6286 Private 2nd South African Infantry M.M. and wounded at Delville Wood
More about Andrew Hoatson -
Died 1916
South African Services 7269 Private 2nd South African Infantry Fought at Delville Wood
More about John Wetherstone -
Born 1882
Died 1916
South African Services Second Lieutenant 3rd South African Infantry
More about Francis Henry Somerset -
Born 1873
Died 1916
South African Services 5833 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Edward Turner Woodburn -
Born 1897
Died 1916
South African Services 1077 Private 1st South African Infantry
More about Victor Reginald Pattison -
Born 1895
Died 1916
South African Services 4044 Private 1st South African Infantry
More about Thomas Perry Conway -
South African Services 5752 Corporal 3rd South African Infantry
More about Geoffrey Watkin Williams -
South African Services 5381 Private 4th South African Infantry
More about Ernest Evelyn Hollington -
Born 1891
Died 1916
South African Services 4169 Private 1st South African Infantry
More about John Kaber -
Born 1896
Died 1916
South African Services 2274 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Vernon Liddell Adams -
Born 1895
Died 1916
South African Services 2395 Private 2nd South African Infantry
More about Colin Gerald Kidson -
Born 1897
Died 1916
South African Services 1377 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Ashley Ronald Harris -
Born 1897
Died 1916
South African Services 7294 Private 3rd South African Infantry
More about Lionel Crossley