Attack on the Gommecourt Salient facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Attack on the Gommecourt Salient |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Battle of the Somme | |||||||
 Battle of the Somme 1 July – 18 November 1916. |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Britain |
 Germany |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Sir Douglas Haig | Erich von Falkenhayn | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 2 divisions | 5 regiments | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 6,769 | 1,241 | ||||||
The Attack on the Gommecourt Salient was a battle during World War I. It happened on 1 July 1916, on the Western Front in France. British forces attacked a German-held area called the Gommecourt Salient. A "salient" is a part of the battle line that sticks out into enemy territory.
This attack was a diversion. It was meant to draw German attention and troops away from the main British attack happening further south. This main attack was part of the huge Battle of the Somme. The British Third Army carried out the Gommecourt attack. Two British divisions, the 56th (London) Division and the 46th (North Midland) Division, prepared for the fight. They trained openly, so the Germans knew an attack was coming.
At 7:30 a.m. on 1 July, the battle began. The 56th Division managed to capture the first two German trenches. Some troops even reached the third trench. However, a strong German position at Nameless Farm held out. German artillery fired heavily across "no man's land" (the area between the two armies' trenches). This trapped British soldiers on the German side. German infantry slowly recaptured the lost trenches. Attempts to send more British troops were very costly and failed.
The 46th Division's attack on the north side of the salient had even less success. A smoke screen made it hard for them to see, and deep mud slowed them down. Some soldiers reached the German front line, and a few even got to the second line. But German machine guns and artillery fire trapped them. They were cut off from their support. The soldiers who made it across no man's land were surrounded and defeated. The 46th Division had the fewest casualties of the British divisions that attacked on 1 July. Their commander was removed from his post soon after. After some local truces, the wounded were collected. The Gommecourt area then became a quieter part of the front.
The Germans eventually left Gommecourt in February 1917. British troops occupied it without a fight on 27 February. In 1918, during the German Spring Offensive, the British quickly built new defenses around the village. German attacks were stopped nearby, and the threat to Gommecourt ended.
About Gommecourt
What is Gommecourt?
Gommecourt is a small village in France. It's located southeast of Foncquevillers and northeast of Hébuterne. From late 1914 to early 1917, the battle line on the Western Front curved around Gommecourt. This curve was known as the Gommecourt Salient.
The village sits on four low hills. The German front line was on one side of a shallow valley. The British front line was on the other. The Germans had a good view of the British positions.
Early Battles (1914–1915)
In October 1914, German forces captured Gommecourt. They held it against French counter-attacks. The front line stayed mostly the same until 1917. In June 1915, the French tried a diversionary attack nearby. They captured some German territory but suffered many casualties. The British army took over the area around Gommecourt in July 1915.
Planning the Attack
Why Attack Gommecourt?
The main plan for 1916 was for the British and French armies to attack together. This was decided at a meeting in December 1915. The goal was to put pressure on Germany from different sides. The main attack was planned for the Somme region.
The attack on Gommecourt was a smaller, supporting operation. It was meant to help the main attack by drawing away German soldiers and artillery. The British commander, General Sir Douglas Haig, agreed to the Gommecourt attack. He wanted to keep German artillery busy so it couldn't fire on the main Somme battle.
British Preparations
The British VII Corps was in charge of the Gommecourt attack. Two divisions, the 56th (1st London) Division and the 46th (North Midland) Division, moved into the area in May. They started preparing for the attack.
The British dug many long and deep communication trenches. This was to protect their troops from German observation. The British artillery was ready to fire on German trenches and villages. However, the British guns couldn't reach some of the strong German heavy artillery. These German guns were protected by concrete bunkers.
The British planned to fire a massive bombardment before the infantry attack. The 46th Division decided not to bombard the German front trench too much. They wanted to capture it and use it themselves.
British Attack Plan
The attack was set for 1 July. The 56th (1st London) Division would attack the south side of the salient. They aimed to capture several German trenches and set up strong points. They also planned to dig a new trench across no man's land for protection.
The 46th (North Midland) Division would attack the north side. They planned to create a "pocket" in the German defenses. They would then try to link up with the 56th Division.
British troops were to start from advanced trenches dug in no man's land. However, heavy rains had damaged these trenches. So, soldiers had to start from their main front line. The 37th Division, on the left flank, would pretend to prepare for an attack. This was to make the Germans expect an attack there too. The British made no secret of their preparations. By mid-June, the Germans knew the attack was coming.
German Preparations
In May, the German 2nd Guard Reserve Division moved to the Gommecourt Salient. This division was made up of experienced soldiers. The Germans had a good view of the British positions. No man's land was unusually wide here.
The Germans had built very strong defenses. They had multiple lines of barbed wire, some 30 yards wide. Their trenches were deep and had three lines. They had also dug very deep dugouts, some 20-30 feet deep. These dugouts were large enough for 25 men and were often connected underground. This made them very safe from bombardments.
On 24 June, the Germans captured a wounded British soldier. He gave them details about the upcoming attack. The Germans knew exactly where and when the British would strike. Despite heavy British shelling, most German dugouts remained intact. On 1 July, the German bombardment became very intense, confirming the attack was about to begin.
The Battle Begins (1 July)
56th (1st London) Division Attack
At 7:20 a.m., a smoke screen covered the British attack front. At 7:25 a.m., the leading British troops went over the top. They moved through a German artillery barrage. Most of the German wire was cut, thanks to special explosives used the night before.
The British quickly entered the German front trench. They captured most of the first German positions. However, a strong German point at Nameless Farm held out. Its cellars were fortified, and the Germans there fought hard.
British troops sent signals to planes and runners to headquarters, showing they had captured trenches. About 300 German prisoners were taken. But many were killed by German artillery fire in no man's land. The German bombardment grew stronger. It became impossible for British reinforcements to cross. The attacking troops were cut off. German soldiers began to counter-attack.
German Defense (South)
The German wire in front of their G5 sector was badly cut. But the German soldiers quickly emerged from their deep dugouts. They opened fire on the British crossing no man's land. They also sent up SOS flares for their artillery.
Some British troops captured parts of the German line. But the Germans in the third trench were ready. They were only pushed out by attacks along communication trenches. German pioneer companies (engineers) helped stop the British advance.
The Germans quickly launched counter-attacks. They used runners to report to their headquarters because telephone lines were cut. They managed to push the British back. The German artillery barraged no man's land, stopping British reinforcements.
46th (North Midland) Division Attack
The 137th Brigade's attack went wrong from the start. The smoke screen was so thick that men got lost. The advance was not organized. When the smoke cleared, the Germans were ready. Mud in no man's land slowed the British down.
The Germans came out of their shelters when the British were only halfway across. The German wire was either uncut or had been repaired. German machine guns fired heavily from a nearby spur called The Z. Few British troops from the rear waves made it across. Many stayed in their own trenches or found cover in no man's land.
Leading troops were caught by flanking fire. A few broke into the front trench but were forced out or destroyed. The first three waves of the 139th Brigade reached the German front line. Some even moved to the second trench. But they lost contact with their support. Telephones, flags, and pigeons all failed.
The Sherwood Foresters who were in the German front line were attacked from behind. Germans emerged from their dugouts, which should have been searched by British troops. The Germans prevented more British troops from crossing. They bombed the British hiding in shell-holes.
By 9:00 a.m., it was clear the attack was failing. A new attack was planned, but it was delayed many times. The trenches were crowded and muddy. Many units had suffered heavy losses. The 139th Brigade needed more smoke bombs, but there weren't enough. The attack was finally called off.
Only a few men tried to cross the parapet. Most were shot down by machine-gun fire. None of the Sherwood Foresters who got into the German defenses came back. A few survivors crawled back after dark. The battalions lost about 80 percent of their men.
German Defense (North)
Against the 46th (North Midland) Division, German units quickly emerged from their deep dugouts. They engaged the British as they crossed no man's land. German sentries had watched despite the shelling. They raised the alarm as soon as the bombardment lifted.
The Germans sent up red SOS flares for their artillery. Their guns fired at maximum rate. About 35 British soldiers got through the wire. But they were quickly counter-attacked and pushed back into shell-holes. Machine-gun fire swept no man's land, making it impossible for more British troops to cross.
The British "mopping up" parties, who should have searched the dugouts, never arrived. So, Germans who had been underground emerged behind the British troops. They joined the fight against the British in no man's land.
Some British troops got into the German line at X3. They tried to outflank X2, but German companies outnumbered and overran them. At X4, the British reached the second trench. But German counter-attacks pushed them back. By noon, the Germans had restored their positions.
Afternoon Fighting (56th Division)
The failure of the 46th Division's attack left the 56th Division isolated. German reinforcements began to move from all directions. About thirteen German infantry companies counter-attacked the 56th Division's positions. They used short, intense artillery barrages followed by infantry attacks.
A standing barrage across no man's land made it very hard to send supplies and reinforcements. Only a few platoons managed to cross early on. Later attempts were destroyed by machine-gun fire. Attempts to bring in wounded were tolerated by the Germans for a time. But a British gun broke the truce.
The British troops in the German trenches held out as long as they had bombs. But by noon, they signaled for more supplies. The Germans launched more counter-attacks. They pushed the British out of the German third line. The British infantry received little artillery support. British aircrew reports were too vague to guide the guns.
By 2:00 p.m., the 56th Division troops still held the second and first trenches. But news arrived that the main British attack at Serre had failed. By 4:00 p.m., the Germans had recovered the second trench. The 56th Division gathered clerks and servants for a last attempt to help.
The remaining 75 British troops in the German trenches were pushed into a small area. They evacuated the wounded. German counter-attacks drove them into shell-holes near the German wire. They held on until about 9:30 p.m. Then, out of ammunition, they retreated across no man's land, losing many men.
Afternoon Fighting (German)
German commanders started to coordinate their attacks around 10:00 a.m. Reinforcements were sent forward. Major Tauscher was ordered to expel the British from G5. The Germans planned a coordinated attack on the British positions.
The attacks were slow and costly for both sides. The British were forced back in hand-to-hand fighting. By 4:30 p.m., the Germans had recaptured part of N2, and N1 by 6:00 p.m.
In N3, the British still held three trenches near Bock Farm (Nameless Farm). Attempts to reinforce them failed. A German medical officer offered a truce to bring in the wounded. This worked for a while until a British gun opened fire.
After a brief, intense bombardment, the Germans attacked N2 and N3. They recaptured them by 6:00 p.m. On the north side, the counter-attack on G5 succeeded by 4:00 p.m. The last British troops were in the second trench. These were attacked at 7:00 p.m. and recaptured. Isolated British groups were pushed back to the front line. The last organized group of 75 men retreated at 9:30 p.m., losing many men.
Night and Morning (1/2 July)
After dark, the 138th Brigade took over the 46th Division front. They sent troops forward to find any men still holding out in the German front line. The British reached the German wire, but it was uncut. The trenches were full of alert German troops. The Germans fired flares and opened fire. The British were ordered back, suffering many losses.
Collecting the wounded was very difficult. But after midnight, the German 2nd Guard Reserve Division again helped. They raised a Red Cross flag. Both sides sent out parties to rescue the wounded. Nearly all the British survivors were brought in.
Air Operations
.jpg)
Planes from 8 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) watched the Gommecourt operations. On 30 June, they took good photos of German defenses. During the battle, one plane flew over each division. The British infantry carried red flares to show their positions, but none were lit. The plane crews had to fly very low to see the color of uniforms.
The planes flew through disturbed air from the bombardments. They were hit by bullets when they flew over German troops. Three planes were damaged, but none were shot down. One plane crashed into a balloon cable but the crew was not hurt.
Over the 46th Division, observers saw the first British waves overrun the German front line. But then Germans emerged from dugouts behind them. Following British waves were pinned down in no man's land by German fire. The Sherwood Foresters fought all day, but no reinforcements got through. The survivors eventually surrendered.
Over the 56th Division, observers saw the British advance under smoke. They fought through the German first, second, and third lines. But the German artillery barrage in no man's land grew stronger. German infantry rallied and counter-attacked. The British fliers watched as Germans regained the third line after noon. By late evening, the British were forced out of the German front line.
Aftermath
Casualties
The British suffered heavy losses in the Gommecourt attack. The 46th (North Midland) Division had about 2,445 casualties. The 56th (1st London) Division had around 4,314 casualties. This means about 6,769 British soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing. Over 1,300 British soldiers were killed or died from their wounds.
The German forces had fewer casualties. The German Reserve Infantry Regiments 55, 91, and Baden Infantry Regiment 170 had about 1,241 casualties in total. The Germans took 267 British prisoners.
Gommecourt Occupied (1917)
In early 1917, the Germans decided to pull back from the Somme area. Their troops were tired and in poor conditions. On 27 February, a British patrol found Gommecourt village empty. The Germans had left.
British troops then occupied the village without a fight. The Germans were retreating to a new, stronger defensive line called the Hindenburg Line. This retreat was slow and planned. They destroyed roads and buildings as they went.
Gommecourt in 1918
During the German Spring Offensive in 1918, Gommecourt became important again. The British quickly dug new defensive lines around the village. On 28 March, British divisions were ordered to defend these lines.
One British battalion mistakenly attacked Rossignol Wood from the wrong direction. They got stuck near Nameless Farm. As night fell, Australian and British troops attacked German positions southeast of Gommecourt. They bombed down some trenches. Although they didn't fully recapture the wood, they closed a gap in the lines. This ended the German threat to Gommecourt.
See Also
Images for kids
-
The Western Front 1915–1916
-
Men of the 10th (Service) Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, marching to the front line, 28 June 1916.
-
Modern map of Gommecourt and vicinity
-
A German front line trench before Gommecourt
.jpg)
