WALKING THE SOMME BATTLEFIELDS

 At the end of the village of Authuille, the Thiepval

monument can be seen on the right hand side. It was

here that I found some bone in the field behind the post

and respectfully placed it back where I found it.

AUTHUILLE MILITARY CEMETERY

Set in the beautiful landscape of the Ancre Valley the graves of Authuille Military Cemetery stand on a gentle slope down towards the Ancre River. I visited this lonely and tranquil spot around eight-thirty in the evening and stayed for almost an hour, watching the cows in the fields beyond and listening to the haunting screech of the peacocks, the drumming of the woodpecker and a lone, distant cuckoo. As it grew darker the bats began to swoop around me and I felt an immeasurable sadness for the fallen warriors in this peaceful glade as if drawn here – it remains my favourite cemetery and although one is quite alone amongst the stones there is a sense that one is not really alone. 

The cemetery was begun in August 1915 and used until December 1916 by field ambulances which brought the dead from the trenches at Thiepval. The cemetery contains 451 British graves, 14 Indian and 3 South African; many of the dead are from units in the 32^nd, 36^th (Ulster) and 49^th (West Riding) Divisions which were key units in the fighting around Thiepval in July 1916. 

Other graves are also from the 51^st (Highland) Division which held the trenches at Thiepval towards the end of 1915. The bell of the village church at Authuille struck the hour and half-hour intervals and as I was staying in the village near the church on rue d’Albert, the sound seemed somewhat comforting.

BLIGHTY VALLEY CEMETERY

Walking from Authuille following the River Ancre towards Crucifix Corner one finds Blighty Valley Cemetery on the left, which was a short distance from the front line and regularly shelled. A light railway was laid along its length by the Royal Engineers after the commencement of the Somme battle and many units bivouacked here on their way to the trenches. 

The cemetery was begun in the summer of 1916 and positioned a short distance from the Authuille – Aveluy road. There were originally 223 graves (now plot 1) which was extended after the war from surrounding battlefields and the majority of the men fell on 1^st July 1916. Today it holds 993 British, 2 Australian and 2 Canadian; there are 532 unknown graves and 24 special memorials.

Shell found near to Blighty Valley

Crucifix Corner

LONSDALE CEMETERY

Walking from Crucifix Corner and skirting Authuille Wood which although beautiful has an eerie sense about it, one soon gets a feel of the terrible fighting that occurred in these woods and lanes when one discovers the barbed wire piquet posts in hedgerows and out of the way places, still used by farmers today; continue on and one approaches Lonsdale Cemetery, originally known as Lonsdale Number 1 which contained 96 graves (now plot 1); it was enlarged after the war to contain 1,515 British and 4 Australians; over half are unknown with special memorials to 22 British soldiers. Many of the graves are from 1^st July 1916 from the fierce fighting around Leipzig Redoubt (not far from the cemetery if one continues to walk in the direction of Thiepval) and Nab Valley which one will also pass. Look out for the grave of Sgt James Yuill Turnbull of the 17^th Highland Light Infantry who won a posthumous Victoria Cross in the 1^st July attack on the Leipzig Redoubt.

THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Walking towards Thiepval with the monument in the distance I suddenly glanced into the field and saw a large piece of iron shrapnel, I held it in my hands knowing it had lain in the ground for over a century and that my hand was the first to touch it; it may even of been the instrument of some poor soldier’s death. (I carried the shrapnel with me for the rest of the battlefield explorations as a reminder for it held great ‘energy’ and later, while in the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Arras, the shrapnel fragment was given to an old French man who guides visitors around the church and whose father was in the Great War at the Battle of the Somme and survived; there were tears in his eyes as he accepted it!)

Built upon the ruins of a chateau which became part of the front line, the village of Thiepval was taken in September 1916 and very little remained of the it. The memorial designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and finished in 1932 commemorates the missing with no known grave (approximately half of the 150,000 British soldiers who died on the Somme in 1916). 

The memorial now commemorates more than 72,000 service men of the Army, Royal Naval Division and South African. At the rear of the monument is the Thiepval Anglo-French Cemetery containing 300 unknown British soldiers and 300 unknown French soldiers.

CONNAUGHT CEMETERY

A short walk from the Thiepval memorial is Connaught Cemetery which stands a little in front of the British front line of July 1916. Looking across to Mill Road Cemetery which lies opposite you can get a sense of how close the German front line was. Connaught Cemetery was begun in late autumn of 1916 as the fighting of the Ancre Heights moved towards Grandcourt. After the war there were 228 graves (now plot 1) which was extended to hold 1,278 British soldiers, 642 of which are unknown and there are 7 special memorials. Many of the graves include the heavy losses by the 36^th (Ulster) and 49^th (Wesr Riding) Divisions around Thiepval.

MILL ROAD CEMETERY

Almost opposite Connaught Cemetery is Mill Road Cemetery which was near to the German front line on 1^st July 1916. There are 1,304 graves with 6 special memorials, 815 of the total graves are unknown. The cemetery is unique that in the centre you will find a series of flat graves due to the many tunnels and dugouts from the German front line still in existence which causes subsidence. In the distance the Ulster Tower comes into view.

ULSTER TOWER

The Ulster Tower is a copy of Helen’s Tower at Clandeboyne near Belfast where during 1914 some units of the 36^th Division trained. The Tower was built after the war as a memorial to those men of the division who died on the Western Front, especially around Thiepval in 1^st July. The Tower stands on what was the front line German trench attacked by the 9^th Royal Irish Rifles. Walking towards the gift shop at the rear one notices the many shells stacked up, collected from the ‘Iron Harvest’ and a visit to the tea room should not be missed as I had the best cup of tea in all of France there! Also note that not far along a farm track as yo leave the Tower there are the remains of a German observation post which the Ulstermen referred to as the ‘Pope’s Nose’.

Some of the 'Iron Harvest' at the Ulster Tower

LOCHNAGAR CRATER

This massive mine crater was blown on 1^st July 1916 when 60,000 lb of explosive was detonated under the German position at Sausage Valley. Richard Dunning, a British man, bought the site in 1978 and today the crater is preserved. Walking from the crater towards Authuille (via Crucifix Corner) one can see the distinctive golden glow from the statue of the Virgin (sculpted by Albert Rose) atop the neo-byzantine Basilica Notre-Dame de Brebieres in Albert; during the conflict there was much destruction of the Basilica and the Virgin famously leaned to one side and was known as the Leaning Virgin (take the opportunity to visit if you are able). A short detour from the road takes one to Ovillers Military Cemetery.

OVILLERS MILITERY CEMETERY

On 1^st July 1916 the 8^th attacked Ovillers and the 34^th La Boisselle yet both villages remained in German hands. By 4^th July the 19^th (Western) Division had cleared La Boisselle and on the 7^th July, the 12^th (Eastern) and 25^th Divisions gained part of Ovillers and the village was cleared by the 48^th (South Midland) Division on 17^th July. Unfortunately both villages were lost to the German advance in March 1918 but were re-taken on the following 24^th August by 38^th (Welsh) Division. The cemetery was begun behind a dressing station before the capture of Ovillers and used until March 1917. The cemetery contained 143 graves which was increased after the war to 3,440 Commonwealth Servicemen, 2,480 of which are unidentified. There are also 120 French war graves. I sheltered here from the heavy rain that suddenly burst upon me and as the sun poured forth just as quickly I walked solemnly between the wet graves that have seen many a summer and winter come and go.

ANCRE BRITISH CEMETERY

The original cemetery (now plot 1) was started by V Corps in the spring of 1917 and was known as the Ancre River Number 1 British Cemetery. It contained 517 graves which were mostly from the 36^th (Ulster) and 63^rd (Royal Naval) Divisions. The cemetery was expanded after the war to include 1,965 graves from the Ancre Valley battlefield and today there are 2,446 British burials, 32 Newfoundland, 2 New Zealand and 1 South African. Around half of the total graves are unknown and there are 49 special memorials. Standing at the back of the cemetery one is looking out towards no-man’s land where the German trenches were situated on the high ground to the right. Later returning from Beaucourt there appeared after a downpour a beautiful rainbow above the cemetery.

Shell found on the way to Beaumont-Hamel

FRANKFURT TRENCH BRITISH CEMETERY

Frankfurt Trench with New Munich Trench in the distance

This cemetery is situated near the village of Beaumont-Hamel which was attacked by 29^th Division on 1^st July 1916 but not held; it was attacked again and taken on 13^th November 1916 by 51^st (Highland) and 63^rd (Royal Naval) Divisions. The cemetery stands upon the German trench system which they occupied until their retreat in early 1917. The cemetery was made by V Corps after that retreat when V Corp units cleared the Ancre battlefield. This cemetery was also known as V Corps Cemetery Number 11. There are over 150 graves located here from the war, many of which are unidentified. Standing here on a lovely sunny day with the gentle breeze in your face and skylarks singing overhead, it is hard to believe that just over a century ago it was the scene of such carnage!

NEW MUNICH TRENCH BRITISH CEMETERY

In view of Frankfurt Trench Cemetery is the New Munich Trench Cemetery, a short walk away.  The Munich Trench was occupied by 51^st (Highland) Division on 15^th November 1916 and the New Munich Trench was dug the day before on 14^th November by the 2/2^nd Highland Field Company and the Company of 8^th Royal Scots and lengthened by the 8^th Devons in December. The cemetery was made by V Corps in spring 1917 and was also known as V Corps British Cemetery Number 25. It held almost 150 graves during the war with almost 20 unidentified, soldiers which fell between November 1916 or January 1917, the majority of which belonging to the 10/11^th , 16^th or 17^th Highland Light Infantry. From the New Munich Trench Cemetery I descended into the village of Beaucourt where a German Pill Box can still be seen and a memorial to the Royal Naval Division. Further on along the road to Authuille can be seen the old, disused and now derelict Beaumont-Hamel Railway Station which played its part during the war carrying supplies and troops to the front.

Shell seen on the way to Newfoundland-Beaumont Hamel memorial

Trench Mortar shell found on way to Newfoundland-Beaumont

Hamel Memorial

NEWFOUNDLAND-BEAUMONT HAMEL MEMORIAL

Trenches at Newfoundland-Beaumont Hamel Memorial

Walking towards Newfoundland-Beaumont Hamel Memorial from Authille there is a track across farmland which has some stunning views and some wonderful glimpses of wildlife – hares, dears and many different birds but all this competes with the startling juxtaposition of war when suddenly shells appear at the side of the track, turned up like turnips ploughed by the farmers, pieces of iron and I even found a bullet lying on top of the soil!

The Caribou

On 1^st July 1916, the 1^st Battalion of the Newfoundland Regiment suffered 684 casualties here and after the war the regimental chaplain, Tom Nangle purchased the site to erect a memorial to the fallen. 

It is the largest extent of battlefield preserved on the Somme and has trench systems still intact, including the German front line trenches. In the centre of the Newfoundland Park is the statue of the caribou, the symbol of the Regiment and the work of the British sculptor Basil Gotto.

Y RAVINE CEMETERY

Located in Newfoundland-Beaumont Hamel Memorial Park is the cemetery of Y Ravine, one of the three military cemeteries in the park. Walking through what was no man’s land towards the German trenches, the cemetery comes into view after passing the Danger Tree, a petrified tree close to the Wellington Trench. 

The Danger Tree

Behind the Y Ravine Cemetery, about one-hundred metres was the German front line so the cemetery actually lies in no man’s land and holds many of the men killed on 1^st July 1916. There are 328 British graves, 38 Newfoundland and 61 special memorials. Continuing the walk uphill towards the German front line one passes the monument to the 51^st (Highland) Division and Hunter’s Cemetery at the upper end of Y Ravine. The cemetery is a large shell hole containing 46 soldiers of the 51^st Division who fell during the capture of Beaumont-Hamel on 13^th November 1916 and buried after the battle. Further along the path is Hawthorn Ridge Number 2 Cemetery.

HAWTHORN RIDGE NUMBER 2 CEMETERY

Created by V Corps after the clearance of the Ancre Valley battlefield in the spring of 1917; most of the 214 graves are those of soldiers who died on 1^st July 1916. 23 are British and the rest are Newfoundland.