NZHistory, New Zealand history online - battle of the somme

Shellfire during Battle of the Somme

Shellfire blighted everything it touched.

Credit:

H. Stewart, The New Zealand Division 1916–1919: a popular history based on official records, Whitcombe & Tombs, Auckland, 1921

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

ww1

western front

battle of the somme

Patients crossing English Channel on the Marama

Sprawling room only. During the frantic post-Somme shuttle (July-October 1916) the Maheno and Marama sometimes carried twice as many patients as they were meant to.

Credit:

Liverpool, Lord (compiler), The Voyages of His Majesty's New Zealand Hospital Ships 'Marama' and ‘Maheno’: Vols 2-4, Whitcombe & Tombs, Auckland, 1918-9

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

marama

hospital ships

battle of the somme

Somme battles 1916 map

See enlarged version of this map here. You can also download a hi-res copy as a pdf (1.6 mbs).

In late August 1916 the New Zealand Division was transferred from the ‘quiet’ Armentières sector to the Somme sector, where a bloody offensive had been launched in July. The map above shows the advance the Division made as part of the British Fourth Army’s XV Corps over the course of three battles in September and October: Flers-Courcelette, Morval and the Transloy Ridges. This was the Division’s first experience of large-scale action on the Western Front.

At 6.20 a.m. on 15 September 1916, the New Zealand Division set off from the front line (represented by the solid purple line on the map above) into no-man's-land behind a curtain of artillery fire. In the first push, the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, the New Zealanders captured the German-occupied Switch Trench after close-quarter fighting with grenades and bayonets, while the British 41st Division secured the town of Flers. The front line moved northwards to the line of purple dashes on the map, where the Corps consolidated its new positions and repelled German counter-attacks.

A second attack – which became known as the Battle of Morval – was launched on 25 September. More German trenches were taken in this sweep towards the north and west, before the Corps consolidated again along the line of purple dashes and dots. Within a few days a third attack was launched to the west against the fortified ruins of Eaucourt L’Abbaye as part of the Battle of Transloy Ridges, which extended the front line to the purple dotted line.

The New Zealand Division’s infantry was relieved on 4 October, while the artillery brigades stayed on to support British operations until 25-26 October. The division had been relatively successful in achieving its objectives, but at a cost of some 8000 casualties, including 2000 fatalities – not far off its total death toll on Gallipoli.

Credit:

Map produced by Geographx with research assistance from Damien Fenton and Caroline Lord.

It originally appeared in Damien Fenton, New Zealand and the First World War (Penguin, Auckland, 2013).

BY-NC

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

The Western Front 1916-1917 map

See enlarged version of this map here. You can also download a hi-res copy as a pdf (2 mbs).

This map shows the northern part of the Western Front in 1916 and 1917, as well as some of the major battles that took place there in these years.

After the initial German invasion and retreat of 1914, the two opposing forces had settled into a network of trenches and defensive systems that stretched from English Channel to the Swiss border. By the time the New Zealand Division was transferred to the Western Front in April 1916, the front line ran along the solid purple line on the map above. The shaded areas represent foreign territory occupied by Germany.

The battles on the Western Front in this period were some of the deadliest in modern history. Both attackers and defenders suffered huge casualties from quick-firing artillery, modern machine guns and rifles, and miles of barbed-wire defences. After gaining some experience in this environment on a ‘quiet’ sector around Armentières, the New Zealand Division took part in the nightmarish Battle of the Somme in September 1916.

Facing manpower shortages and pressure on the Eastern Front, the German army withdrew from the Noyon Salient in March-April 1917 to prepared positions along the strongly defended Hindenburg Line, part of which is indicated above by the broken purple line.

A detachment of New Zealand pioneers and the New Zealand Tunnelling Company took part in the operations at Arras in April-May 1917. After recovering from the Battle of the Somme, and bolstered by new recruits, the New Zealand Division was heavily involved in both the relatively successful Battle of Messines and the carnage of the Third Battle of Ypres.

Credit:

Map produced by Geographx with research assistance from Damien Fenton and Caroline Lord. It originally appeared in Damien Fenton, New Zealand and the First World War (Penguin, Auckland, 2013)

It originally appeared in Damien Fenton, New Zealand and the First World War (Penguin, 2013)

BY-NC

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

passchendaele offensive

ww1 maps

Hēnāre Kōhere

More than 2500 Māori and Pacific Islanders served overseas with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War. More than 700 were wounded and 336 killed. One of these casualties was Second Lieutenant Hēnare Mōkena Kōhere, a highly respected officer of the Ngāti Porou tribe, who died of wounds on 16 September 1916.

Born in 1880 in Te Araroa, near the North Island’s East Cape, Hēnare was the fourth child of Hōne Hiki Kōhere and Hēnarata Pereto (Bristow), and the grandson of a Ngāti Porou chief, Mōkena Kōhere. He was educated at Kawakawa Native School in Te Araroa, and, following family tradition, Te Aute College in Hawke’s Bay.

After leaving school, Henare worked as a farm cadet on a Nelson sheep station before returning to the family farm. In 1901, he received the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal for saving the life of a sailor whose boat had overturned. The following year Hēnare and a cousin travelled to London as Māori members of the New Zealand contingent that attended the coronation of King Edward VII. He trained and led the contingent in the haka.

On his return to New Zealand Hēnare went back to farming. In 1905, he married Ngārangi Tūrei, the daughter of the Ngāti Porou leader Mohi Tūrei. They had three children, Huinga Raupani, Ngārangi Putiputi, and Hōne Hiki.

In 1915, Hēnare followed his younger brother and enlisted for service in the New Zealand army. Before heading overseas, he wrote a letter to his children:

Ka nui te pai o nga rangi e noho atu nei. Ina tonu a Peta e noho nei kei te korero pukapuka, kei roto i taku ruma. Kia pai te noho, e hika ma, kia pai kia koutou ki to koutou tipuna hoki. Kei te pai te whanau e noho atu nei; hei te Ratapu rawa pea au nei tae ai ki te taone ki te karakia i roto i nga whare whakamiharo o te Pakeha. Kaore he korero ke atu, heoi ano ko te mahi tonu i nga mahi a te hoia. Kua tino mohio rawa te ahua o te tangata ki te mahi nei.

Hei kona ra e Hui – kia aroha ki o taina, kia pai ki a Ngarangi, a kia pai ki a Hiki. Hei Kona ra, e Hiki, tae rawa atu au kua pakeke rawa koe. Hei kona i o koutou taina, tuakana hoki; ka tata koutou te kite i a Papa. Ma te Atua tatou e tiaki e awhina, i nga wa katoa, a ka kite ano.

Heoi ano, Na to koutou papa aroha.

Papa XXXXX Ma Ngarangi e tuari nga kihi

[The weather has been good here. Peta is sitting in my room reading a book. Look after yourselves, be good to each other and be good to your Nanny. All of us are doing fine. On Sunday I’ll most probably go into town to church to one of the beautiful buildings of the Pākehā [Europeans]. There is nothing else to write about – just the usual routine of soldiers’ duties. We are getting used to this way of life.

Goodbye for now. Huinga – look after your young sister, Ngārangi, and be good to Hiki. Goodbye Hiki. When I come back you will be a big boy. Say goodbye to all your cousins and relations. It won’t be long before you see Papa again. Huinga, you and Ngārangi keep praying for Papa. The Lord support and guide us always.

Goodbye for now, from your loving Papa.

Papa XXXXX Ngārangi, you can share all the kisses to everyone.]

Hēnare reached France with the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion in April 1916. This unit worked primarily in a combat support role – clearing trees, digging trenches, building roads and other logistical tasks – and soon gained a reputation for bravery and determination. This was especially evident during the Battle of the Somme (July-November 1916) when the pioneers dug two important communication trenches – Turk Lane and Fish Alley – towards the front line under heavy shellfire.

On 14 September, Hēnare was badly wounded during a heavy artillery bombardment. Carried to his dugout, Hēnare was visited by the battalion’s second in command, Major Peter Buck. When Buck asked, ‘Kei te pehea koe, Kōhere?’ (How is it, Kōhere?), Hēnare replied, ‘Ka nui te kino’ (Things are very bad). He died of wounds two days later and was buried in Heilly Station Cemetery near the village of Mericourt-l′Abbe. At his request, the leadership of his platoon passed to another Ngāti Porou officer, Lieutenant Pekama Kaa.

Hēnare is commemorated by marae throughout Ngāti Porou’s rohe (territory). A popular waita tangi composed by Āpirana Ngata for Māori soldiers of the Pioneer Battalion refers to him by name, and images of Hēnare Kōhere and Pekama Kaa adorn the stained-glass windows of St Mary’s Anglican Church at Tikitiki.

Further information

Credit:

Image: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 31-K2804
Letter: Auckland Museum Cenotaph database

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

maori pioneer battalion

battle of the somme

peter buck

Section post on the Somme

New Zealand section post on the Somme, near Mailly-Maillet, France, 31 March, 1918.

Credit:

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/2-013080-G
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any reuse of this image

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

French artillery at the Somme

French gunners prepare to fire a heavy field gun, Ravin d'Hardecourt aux Bois on the Somme, 1916. The gun, a Canon de 145mm model 1910 St Chamond, had a maximum range of 17.6 kilometers. It was introduced into service in January 1916 as a stop-gap weapon to equip French heavy artillery batteries until more modern guns, specifically designed to meet the requirements of trench warfare, could be built. As well as the Somme, the Canon de 145mm model 1910 St Chamond was also used in the other major battle fought on the Western Front that year, the Battle of Verdun.

Credit:

Image courtesy Imperial War Museum
Catalogue number: Q 78049
Permission of the Imperial War Museum must be obtained before any reuse of this image.

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

Decorations and medals of Lieutenant-General Alexander Godley

These Victorian and First World War orders, decorations and medals, belonging to Lieutenant-General Alexander Godley, are on display at the National Army Museum in Waiouru.

The decorations include: British South Africa Medal 1890-97; Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps (Relief of Makeking, Transvaal, Orange Free State); 1914-15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal with Mention in Dispatches emblem; King Edward VII Coronation Medal 1902; King George V Jubilee Medal 1935; King George VI Coronation Medal 1937; French Legion of Honour with rosette; French Croix de Guerre with two palms; Belgian Croix de Guerre; Knight Grand Cross of the Bath sash badge and breast star; Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George breast star and neck badge; Serbian Order of the White Eagle second class with swords breast and neck star; French Grand Officer Legion of Honour breast star and neck star; Belgian Grand Officer of the Crown of Leopold; Spanish Order of Military merit breast star and neck badge; Moroccan Order of Ouissam Alaouite breast star and neck badge; and Spanish Order of Medhanai breast star and neck badge.

See also: biography of Alexander Godley at DNZB website

Credit:

Image courtesy National Army Museum Te Mata Toa
Accession Number: 1996.1169
Permission of the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

Soldier's identity disc returned after 92 years

Zoë Corselle with Richard Kemp's identity disc displayed on a map showing where she found it.

Richard Kemp's story

Richard Kemp's identity disc

More than 90 years after the Battle of the Somme it is still possible to find the physical traces of the hundreds of thousands of men who fought and died there in 1916. In 2007 a French family unearthed an identity disc belonging to New Zealand soldier Richard Kemp, and in 2008 the disc was returned home.

Richard Kemp (or Keepa Horo), of Te Aupouri iwi, came from the small Northland settlement of Te Kao. He was in his mid 20s when war broke out in 1914, working as a porter on the railways, based at Takapau in the Hawke’s Bay.

He probably signed up with a group of mates — nearly a dozen men from Takapau sailed off to Egypt with the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on 16 October 1914.

Richard served in the Wellington Infantry Battalion, and was one of the few Maori involved in the initial landings on Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. His battalion played a key role in the attack on Chunuk Bair in August 1915. He then joined the Engineers, and at some point was wounded and shipped to England for treatment. Back in Egypt at the end of 1915, Richard waited for the New Zealanders to return from Gallipoli.

Early the following year, he became a sergeant and transferred to the Maori (or Native) Contingent. In February 1916 this was reorganised into the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion for service on the Western Front.

Notice of Richard Kemp's injury in NZ Free Lance, 13 July 1917

On the Somme from mid 1916, the Battalion built communication trenches, and their digging, cooking, cleaning and other tasks maintained the forces. As a bombardier (an artillery rank, equivalent to corporal), Richard may have been involved in the difficult job of bringing ammunition up to the artillery. Day after day from mid September 1916, the New Zealand and German forces shelled each other. Perhaps it was in one of these attacks that Richard lost his identity disc; perhaps he just slipped in the rain and snow that swept the Somme during those months.

In early 1917, with the new rank of 2nd lieutenant, Richard and the battalion headed north into Belgium. Around Messines they built rail tracks and communication lines. It was here that Richard suffered a wound to the chest and back that saw him sent to hospital in England.

He remained there for the rest of the war, being declared permanently unfit for general service. He was made lieutenant later in 1917, shortly before his transfer to a discharge hospital at Torquay. He embarked for home on 14 March 1918 and was discharged in April 1919. He married an English nurse he had met while in hospital, and they had one son. Richard died in 1964 and is buried in his hometown of Te Kao.

The identity disc was formally returned to the Kemp family in December 2008.

Richard Kemp's military record can be found on the Cenotaph database.
See article and film relating to the identity tag find on TVNZ website

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags:

battle of the somme

maori pioneer battalion

te kao

Alex McColl's letter

Alex McColl

Alexander McColl was one of 222 Wellington College old boys killed during the First World War. A talented sportsman, he had been a member of the school’s First XV rugby team in 1909 and a champion rower.

Like many of his schoolmates, he was quick to enlist when the war broke out. He landed at Gallipoli with the Wellington Battalion in April 1915 and took part in much of the heavy fighting on the peninsula. He was wounded but returned to active service and was present at the evacuation in December 1915.

By 1916, McColl was in France with the 1st Battalion, The Wellington Regiment. On 1 July, he wrote to his mother, excited at the prospect of leading a raid on the German lines.

France
July 1, 1916

My Dearest Mother,

Just a small note in case I should be incapacitated for a few days or so. Today is a red letter day in my history as I am taking out a raiding party against the huns. I have been down here with my party for a few days and everything is working beautifully. If we don’t give the Boche the biggest hiding he has ever received it will not be our fault.

I suppose you think it rather strange that I as an adjutant should be selected for this job. I am really the luckiest of men to have got the chance. In the first place all subalterns were selected for the job, but through a most unfortunate bombing accident two of these were killed. Capt Nareby was next thought of but soon after he went back to England with appendicitis. As we are awfully short of officers at present there was no one left with the necessary experience and stamina to take the party.

I know that the Colonel did not like me going but his hands are tied and personally I consider myself the luckiest of men to have the opportunity of leading such a splendid body of men that I have under me.

They are all trained like fighting cocks. I have been at football etc for the last few weeks. I have most of the old football team here including some very well known reps, just the boys for this game.

Am feeling absolutely confident, so please, dear mother, do not worry about me. I am quite sure you would not have me do otherwise, especially if you saw how pleased the men were when they found I was coming down.

I have received several of your lovely letters lately, written as only you know how to write them. I am quite excited about the improvements to the house and would dearly like to see them. I would love to fit into my old place at home once more.

Best love to all the girls and many thanks for their letters. Tell Dad I am trying to keep his good name untarnished. Received a lovely birthday parcel a few days ago.

All my love and good wishes. Ever your loving son
Alex

This was McColl’s last letter. He was killed the following evening while helping wounded members of his raiding party back to the New Zealand trenches. In recognition of his ‘distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty’, McColl was mentioned in dispatches in November 1916. An extract of this award appeared in the London Gazette on 4 January 1917:

This Officer commanded the raiding party from this Battalion which raided the enemy’s trenches on the night of the 1st/2nd July. The raid was a complete success, the whole of the enemy there being killed or captured, and 10 prisoners were bought back to our trenches. This brilliant result was largely due to the capable leadership, coolness and courage of this Officer. After returning to our trenches he learnt that all the wounded had not been bought in, and he again went into “No Man’s Land” and while assisting to bring in 2 wounded men he himself was wounded by machine gun fire, from which he subsequently died.

Alex McColl was buried in Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentières.

Further information

Credit:

Wellington College

Reddit Twitter Facebook Google StumbleUpon

tags: