Newfoundland Park

MAGNIFICENCE OF TRAINED, DISCIPLINED VALOUR.




Yesterday, July 1st 1917, around twenty minutes past seven the last of the bombardment was fired, a huge mine was detonated with 40,000 lbs of explosives it blew up the earth into the sky. This was the first attack on Beaumont Hamel that day. This great display of power left a ten minute gap whilst men readied themselves for the battle that lay ahead of them. Men rose from the smoke in ordered lines, their bodies tall and proud in the hazy sun light even as they clambered from the safety of the trenches. This was the first wave of men, the 86th and 87th Brigades going in to attack the enemy front lines, however as they came into range of the guns the world was shattered.

It seemed that the sudden ten minute silence had tipped the Germans off, their positions had been taken up once again and as our men bravely walked from the protection of their lines they were thrown back like broken dolls. Many wounded tried again, rising to their feet and pushing onwards. Almost all of these heroes were killed within minutes of stepping out of the trenches. Shortly after eight o clock the entire 87th Brigade had faded into nothing. Men that were wounded may have waited for rescue all day in the baking sun but none returned, this was not the last tragedy of the day, but this time it was the Newfoundlanders that were to bear the brunt of the German guns.

Somehow reports were sent to the regiment that the first attack had been successful and therefore their own attack was to go ahead. At about quarter to nine they were sent forward with the orders to occupy the enemy trenches. Despite everything that the Commanding Officer tried to do he could receive no clear answers on what the situation was outside and when he asked if they were to go ahead even with out the vacant Essex Regiment, he was answered with the affirmative.
Both the 1st Essex and the Newfoundlanders had been settled in the reserve trenches but the communication trenches between the two regiments were clogged with the dead from earlier in the day and so when the brave lone battalion rose from the trenches they decided it would be best to save time and walk through the open ground intstead of trying to make their way through slow land. Exposed by this decision they were instantly in range of the german shells and machine gun fire. According to their orders they trudged across their gorounds at walking pace, correctly spaced, honour echoing in their every step. Tragically many of these brave men were shot down before they even reached their own wire, the vast majoirty however were ravaged by the guns when they arrived at this wirethat remained uncut despite what they had been promised. Very few men reached no mans land at all. However the survivors carried on inspite of their terrible losses, steadily advancing until they were close to the enemies, of the eight hundred that went out only 68 men returned unscated. Leaving over seven hundred dead.


Despite the terrible losses it was said by the 29th Divisions’ squadron, that the Newfoundlanders attack ‘was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valour, and it’s assault only failed of success becasue dead men can advance no further.’ The bravery of each of the dead will be remembered for years to come as the ones that followed their orders though to the end, without concern of their own lives and being prepared to sacrifice everything despite the mistakes of those that lead them.