Today is the 90th anniversary of the Great War battle of The Somme. On July 1st an offensive was launched by the British and French armies against German defences at the Somme. The losses were staggering. The British (which included Canada and other Commonwealth nations) lost almost 20,000 men on the first day alone. Over the next five months one million lives would be lost. Imagine the promise lost.
One of the battles that day was a place called Beaumont Hamel. Newfoundland was not yet part of Canada, but a colony of Britain at that time, and when war broke out they quickly raised a regiment, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, known to all as the Blue Puttees. At Beaumont Hamel that July 1st eight hundred and one of them went over the top at 8:45 in the morning. Most never even got a chance to fire a rifle, as they were cut to pieces by machine gun fire. Of the 801 only sixty-eight answered roll the next day. In less than a half hours time the regiment lost all twenty-two officers, a total of 324 killed and 386 wounded, a casualty rate of 88% (and as incredible as that is, it is only the second highest battalion casualty rate that day). Not one yard was gained there that day.
Essentially, at the end of the battle five months later, there was no net gain by either side along the front. My Grandfather entered the war at the battle of the Somme, coming in in the last months of the battle. It often amazes me that he had fought at many of the bloodiest battles in the Great War, Somme, Ypres, Vimy, Hill 70, Passchendaele, and made it through, beating the odds.
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The price of freedom is high.
Yes it is Dave. Unfortunately so is the cost of madness, ineptitude, jingoism and inflexibility. The Blue Puttees were in the second wave, and attacked from support positions. The first wave, which went over the top at 7:30 had been a miserable failure and most of them laid dead or wounded in no man’s land. Dispite that the Newfoundlanders were sent over the top to the same fate. One of their generals said of the attack “It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and its assault only failed of success because dead men can advance no further.”
The world spiraled into the great slaughter that was the Great War, largely because of jingoism and mutual defence treaties and alliances. The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand gave Austria-Hungary an excuse to invade Serbia. Russia had pledged to help Serbia and mobilized. Germany had pledged to support Austria-Hungary and after an ultimatum to Russia to stop mobilization declared war on them. The German plan for war was to fight on two fronts and invaded neutral Luxemborg and Belgium enroute to rolling up France quickly so as to concentrate resources against Russia. Britain had a defence pact with France and they declared war by the beginning of August. Countries such as Canada and Australia followed England into the war.
An average of almost 6,000 young men lost their lives every day for over four years. Much of it as cannon fodder in battles of attrition. In the battle of the Somme British losses (which include Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland) alone amounted some 2500 young men everyday for five months.
Clare, your post has reminded me of one of my favourite songs of all time, Great Big Sea’s version of “Recruiting Sargeant” I always knew that there was an historical context to this moving song. Your post has strengthened the emotion that I feel when I listen to it. I’ve just finished listening to the song, and I the meaning has evolved now that I know the history behind it. For this, I thank you.
I am researching a great-uncle of mine named Evan A. Grant also from Manitoba. he served with the 16th Canadian Scottish and fought with them from Sept 1916 to early 1918 when he transfered to the 1st Battalion CMGC. My question is do you know where and possibly what date the picture of your relative who also served in the 16th was taken? I have a photo of uncle Evan in the same area, small brick fence, wire fencing and over hanging trees. Perhaps they were taken around the same time.We know almost nothing about this great uncle of ours. Thanks!