EDWARD GARSIDE WHITEHEAD
Guardsman 21718,
4th BATTALION GRENADIER GUARDS:
Service No. 385
GUARDS MACHINE-GUN CORPS
No. 2 Company
Killed in Action 31st July 1917
3rd Battle of Ypres
(Passchendaele)

With many page transcriptions from 'The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918' by Sir Frederick Ponsonby, to recount the actual organisation & battles in which the Grenadiers, in particular the 4th Battalion, took part.
Pub. 1920 in 3 Volumes, .
from Volume 2

Part 7 ... Narrative Parts Index
transcripts :

Chapter
XIX
1916

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p.27

CHAPTER XIX
THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME

A New stage, and a very distinct and important stage, in the Allied operations in the West was marked by the battle of the Somme.

It was at last understood, in the summer of 1916, that spasmodic attacks on the German trenches did little to gain any real and comprehensive success, and that, in order to prevent the enemy moving his reserves from one front to
another, a simultaneous assault by all the Allies was necessary.

In accord with this view the Allies at the beginning of the year accepted the principle of an offensive campaign, and as the objective for the British and French advance Sir Douglas Haig and General Joffre selected the Somme area. All idea of "breaking through" had by now been abandoned. Such a thing was no longer regarded as possible in the West, and the plan adopted was one more suited to modern conditions of war and more economical of human life. The objects of the offensive were to relieve Verdun, to prevent the transfer of German troops elsewhere, and to wear down the resistance of the enemy on the Western front.

1916

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p.28
Conditions had changed, too, in other ways.

The British Army had been slowly gaining strength, and the old Army had given place to the new. There were now fifty divisions in the field. At the same time, the supply of ammunition had been steadily increasing, and, thanks to the patriotism of the trade unions and the splendid performances of the workers, immense quantities of guns and shells were pouring into France. Consequently there was no reason why a general attack should not be made on the Western front, although, as Sir Douglas Haig pointed out in his despatch, he considered it advisable to postpone it as long as possible.

During the gigantic battle, which began on July 1 and lasted till November 18, the fighting was continuous. The German positions were amazingly strong. First came a network of trenches, well provided with bomb-proof shelters and protected in front by wire entanglements, many of which were in two belts forty yards broad and built of iron stakes, interlaced with barbed wire, often as thick as a man's finger. Behind these lines the enemy's strongholds had been reinforced with every device of military ingenuity - woods and villages turned into fortresses, cellars filled with machine-guns and trench mortars, dug-outs connected by elaborate passages. The enormous power of modern weapons of defence had been used to the utmost. In fact, the whole line was as nearly impregnable as Nature, art, and the unstinted labour of close on two years could make it. And undoubtedly the Germans believed it impregnable.

1916

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p. 29
The first phase of the battle took place at the beginning of July, and although the attacks in the northern sector were unsuccessful, the armour was pierced; while in the south our troops secured Mametz, Montauban, Frieourt, Contalmaison, and Trones Wood. On July 14 and the three following days, the capture of the enemy's second line on a front of three miles gave us possession of the main plateau between Delville Wood and Bazentin-le-Petit.

The long and severe struggle, which was the second phase, began on July 18 and culminated on September 15 with the fall of Ginchy, after Pozieres, Delville Wood, Guillemont, Falfemont Farm, and Leuze Wood had been taken in succession. But although the main ridge from Delville Wood to the road above Mouquet Farm was secured, Morval on the right and Thiepval on the left remained in German hands.

In the third phase Flers, High Wood, Martinpuich, Courcelette, and the Quadrilateral came into our hands one after another, and on September 25 Morval, Lesboeufs, and Gueudecourt were secured by the British Army, while the French took Combles. During October Thiepval was taken, and also Eaucourt l'Abbaye and Le Sars, while in November, as the outcome of an advance on both sides of the Ancre, we captured St. Pierre Divion, Beaueourt, and Beaumont-Hamel.

Thus all our principal objects were achieved, in spite of the fact that the Germans were able to mass more than half their army upon this part of their front. The British Army took 38,000 prisoners, including over 800 oflicers; also 29 heavy guns, 96 field-guns and field-howitzers, 136 trench mortars, and 514 machine-guns.

1916

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p. 30-31
The battle was marked by the sudden appearance of the Tanks. So well had their secret been kept that until they came upon the battlefield the Germans had no idea of their existence. "The Machine-gun Corps, Heavy Section" was the official title of these heavy armoured cars which could move anywhere, over trenches and through wire entanglements, pushing down walls and even houses; they contained a garrison of six men with machine-guns and 6-pdr. guns. So many legends had grown up of their supernatural powers that their actual debut caused a certain disappointment. But although in some parts of the battlefield they failed us, some of them did wonders, and many of the strongholds in the German line could never have been taken without their help.

The net result of the battle was a brilliant victory for the British Army, for not only was a large tract of ground captured from the enemy, but the three objects which we had set out to gain were fully attained. Verdun was relieved of pressure, the main portion of the German Army was detained on the Western front, and a crippling blow was struck at the enemy forces. It was clearly shown that, on anything like equal terms, the British could drive back the German Army, sheltered even by the strongest entrenchments.

As the area and duration of modern battles are immense, a long time naturally elapses before their effects are felt by the losing side. Formerly battles lasted only a few days, a their results were seen immediately in the retirement of the beaten army. After the battle of the Somme, however, nothing happened at first, and it was not until six months later that the Germans found that their positions had become untenable, and a general retirement was advisable.

Sept
1916

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p. 31-32

THE GUARDS DIVISION AT THE SOMME

Nothing has ever been done by battalions of the Guards finer than the part they took in the battle of the Somme. It was not until the. beginning of September that the Guards Division arrived in the Somme area, so it was not present at the first two phases of the battle. But in the attacks of September 15 and 25 the men covered themselves with glory; their discipline and coolness under fire were magnificent, and they captured lines which had up to then been considered impregnable. The final assault of Lesboeufs was one of the most successful operations of the war.

Not only were the staff arrangements admirable, but the co-operation between infantry and artillery proved in every way perfect. Against the unflinching attack of the Division nothing could stand; the mass of shells poured over by the German artillery, the hail of bullets from their machine-guns, and the rifle-fire of their infantry in the trenches, were all powerless to check it. The men were splendid: it made not a scrap of difference whether they had officers or not, whether they were with their own units or mixed up with other regiments. Nothing could stop them. When the 3rd Brigade went up, the battle had already been raging for over two months; and the Germans were then busily but vainly carrying out counter-attacks, in the hope of re-taking some of the ground that had been wrested from them. Consequently the two battalions sent forward came in for some very stiff fighting, especially the Welsh Guards, who went through some anxious moments owing to the advanced position they were occupying. They were fiercely attacked by large bodies of the enemy, but, with the help of one company of the 1st Battalion Grenadiers, managed to hold their own. Meanwhile the 4th Battalion Grenadiers - the other battalion sent up from the 3rd Brigade - held an uncomfortable position near the Quadrilateral, to the right and in rear of the Welsh Guards.

Parts of the line had also to be straightened, and "pockets" of Germans to be cleared away before the general attack of the 15th; and for this task were detailed those battalions from the 1st and 2nd Brigades which would not be in the front line on the 15th. There were some closely-contested bombing fights, supported by artillery, in the parts of the line that needed straightening, and these operations were all successfully carried out. Click on image for larger maps (2)

Sept
1916

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p. 32-33
On the 12th Major-General G. Feilding issued the following orders :

THE GUARDS DIVISION ORDER, No. 76

1. The Fourth Army will attack the enemy's defences between Combles Ravine and Martinpuich on Z day with the object of seizing Morval, Lesboeufs, Gueude-ecourt, and Flers, and to break through the enemy's system of defence.
The French are undertaking an offensive simultaneously on the South and the Reserve Army on the North.
2. The attack will be pushed with the utmost vigour all along the line until the most distant objectives are reached. The failure of one unit on the flank is not to prevent other units pushing on to their final objective, as it is by such means that those units who have failed will be assisted to advance.
3. Preliminary Bombardment -
a) Commencing on the 12th September a bombardment and wire-cutting on the hostile defensive system will take place from 6am. to 6.30 daily.
(b) The preliminary bombardment on the day of the attack will be similar to that of previous days, there being no further increase of fire previous to zero.
(c) At 6.30 each evening from the 12th September inclusive night firing will commence, and continue till 6 am., lethal shells being used.
4. (a) The Sixth Division is to attack on the right and the Fourteenth Division on the left.
(b) The 2nd Guards Brigade will attack on the right of the Division, the 1st Guards Brigade on the left.
The 3rd Guards Brigade will be in Divisional Reserve.
5. Forming-up Areas -
Forming-up areas are shown on attached maps. The 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades will allot a forming-up area for the 75th and 76th Field Companies R.E. respectively in their forming-up areas.
Instructions as to movements of troops to their forming-up areas will be issued separately.
6. The objectives allotted to the Guards Division and neighbouring divisions are shown on attached map.
First objective is marked Green.
Second objective is marked Brown.
Third objective is marked Blue.
Fourth objective is marked Red.

Sept
1916

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p. 34-35
7. (a) 50 per cent Field Artillery covering the Division will be used for creeping barrage, and 50 per cent for stationary barrage.
(b) Details of the stationary barrages will be issued later. In all cases the stationary barrage will lift back when the creeping barrage reaches it.
(c) At zero the creeping barrage will open 100 yards in front of our front trenches, and will advance at the rate of 50 yards per minute until it is 200 yards beyond the first objective, when it will become stationary. At zero + 1 hour the creeping barrage will become intense on the line 200 yards in front of first objective, and will creep forward at the rate of 50 yards per minute in front of that portion of the 1st Guards Brigade which is to advance to the second objective.
(d) At zero + 1 hour and 10 minutes the creeping barrage will become intense on a line 200 yards in front of the first objective as far north as T.86.4.6, thence on a line 200 yards in front of the second objective, and will advance at the rate of 30 yards per minute until it has passed 200 yards beyond th third objective, when it will become stationary.
This barrage is to cover the advance of the tanks. There will be no creeping barrage in front of infantry during their advance to third objective, which commences at zero + 2 hours.
(e) At zero + 3 hours and 30 minutes the creeping barrage will become intense on a line 200 yards in front of third objective, and will advance at the rate of 30 yards per minute until it has passed 200 yards beyond fourth objective, when it will become stationary. This barrage is to cover the advance of the tanks. There will be no creeping barrage in front of the infantry during the advance on the fourth objective, which commences at zero + 4 hours and 30 minutes.
(f) In the attack on the first and second objectives gaps of 100 yards wide will be left in the creeping barrage for the routes of the tanks.
8. The flow of troops to the 2nd Guards Brigade and 1st Guards Brigade must be maintained so as to ensure a strong attack being pressed against each successive objective. Sufficient men will be left in each line captured to clear it of the enemy. No troops of the 2nd and 1st Guards Brigades will be detailed to remain behind in objectives after they have been passed for purposes of consolidation.
The task of the two leading Brigades is to press the attack through to their ultimate objectives with every means at their disposal.
9. The 3rd Guards Brigade will advance at zero + 1 hour and 30 minutes until its leading troops reach the south-western outskirts of Ginchy, when the Brigade will halt and await orders.
Special instructions as to action of Reserve Brigade will be issued.
10. Tanks will be employed to operate with the attack; instructions as to their movements are attached.
(Remainder of orders related to R,E., R.A., Aircraft and Transport.)
C. Heywood, Lieut.-Col.,
General Staff, Guards Division.

Sept. 12
1916

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p. 35-36
So great was the danger of battalions being practically annihilated in an attack that orders had been issued for a certain nucleus of ofiicers and N.C.O.'s to be left with the Transport, whenever a battalion went into action, so as to make sure of a sufficient number surviving to carry on the work. Accordingly on this occasion the Second in Command, the junior Captains of
companies, the Battalion and Company Sergeant-Majors and Quartermaster Sergeants in each battalion were left behind.
At 6.20 on the morning of the 15th the artillery bombardment ceased, and the Guards Division advanced, preceded by a creeping barrage, with Pereira's Brigade on the left and Ponsonby's Brigade on the right, while Corkran's Brigade remained in reserve. In the front line were the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions of the Coldstream and the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers. The advanceof the three Coldstream battalions was a wonderful sight, and they carried everything before them, but in their eagerness to reach the enemy lost direction and went too far to the left. Meanwhile the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers on the right kept straight on, so there was a considerable gap between it and the three battalions of Coldstream. Coming up through the German barrage, the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers, which was in support of the 2nd Coldstream, completely lost sight of the Coldstream battalions. In accordance with its orders it advanced with its right on the Ginchy - Lesboeufs road, but on reaching the first objective it found it occupied by the enemy instead of by the Coldstream, as it expected, and suffered heavy loss. Under the impression that it was following in the wake of the 2nd Battalion Coldstream, it was advancing in artillery formation, and had to form line when within a few yards of the enemy's trench, which was untouched, as the Coldstream battalions had passed farther to the left.
When the first objective was secured, the order from right to left was as follows : the 3rd Battalion Grenadiers, the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalion Coldstream. Between the first two objectives there were several intermediate lines of trenches, all of which were most confusing for the battalions in front.

Sept. 12
1916

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p. 37-38
The Coldstream battalions mistook these intermediate lines for objectives, and thought that they had reached the third objective when they were really between the first and second objectives. Their real position, however, was correctly reported by the air scouts.

Sept. 12
1916

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p. 38-39-40

GUARDS DIVISION ORDER, No. 82

1. (a) The Fourth Army will renew the attack on Z day in combination with attacks by the French to the South and the Reserve Army to the North.
(b) The objectives of the Fourteenth Corps include Morval and Lesboeufs, and those of the Fifteenth Corps Gueudecourt.
(c) The attack of the Fourteenth Corps will be carried out by the Fifth Division on the right, the Sixth Division in the centre, and the Guards Division on the left. The Fifty-eighth Division will form a defensive flank to the south of the Fifth Division. The Twenty-first Division will be attacking on our left.
2. The 1st Guards Brigade will attack on the right and the 3rd Guards Brigade on the left.
The 2nd Guards Brigade (less one Battalion} will be in Divisional Reserve.
1st Battalion 2nd Guards Brigade will be in Corps Reserve; 2nd Guards Brigade will notify Divisional Headquarters the name of the Battalion detailed.
3.Preliminary Bombardment.:
A steady bombardment of hostile positions will be commenced at 7 am. on Z day, and will be continued to 6.30 RM.; it will recommence at 6.30 A.M. on Z day.
The ground in front and rear of the German trenches which are being bombarded will be searched occasionally with 18-pdr. shrapnel and H.E. shell.
There will be no intensive fire previous to the hour of zero. Night firing will be carried out nightly between the hours of 6.30pm and 6.30am.
4. Forming·up areas are shown on the attached map.
The 1st and 3rd Guards Brigades will allot forming-up areas to the 75th and 55th Field Companies R.E. respectively, within their areas.
Instructions for movements to forming-up areas will be issued separately.
5. Objectives allotted to the Guards Brigades and neighbouring Divisions, also the dividing lines, are shown on attached map.
First objective is marked Green.
Second is marked Brown.
Third is marked Blue.
6. The infantry will advance to the attack on the Green line at zero; to the attack on the Brown line at zero + 1 hour, and to the attack on the Blue line at zero + 2 hours.
7. Barrages -
(a) 50 per cent of the Field Artillery covering the Division will be used for the creeping barrage and 50 per cent for stationary barrage.
(b) In all cases the stationary barrage will lift when the creeping barrage meets it.
8. (a) At zero the creeping barrage will commence 100 yards in front of our front trenches. It will advance at the rate of 50 yards per minute until it is 200 yards beyond the Green line, when it will become stationary.
(b) At zero + 1 hour the creeping barrage will commence 200 yards in front of the Green line and will advance at the rate of 50 yards per minute until it has passed 200 yards beyond the Brown line, when it will become stationary.
(c) At zero + 2 hours the creeping barrage will commence 200 yards in front of the Brown line, and will advance at the rate of 50 yards per minute until it has passed 200 yards beyond the Blue line, when it will become stationary.
9. (a) The task of the two leading Guards Brigades is to press the attack through to the Blue line. A sufficient {low of troops must be maintained by the 1st and 2nd Guards Brigades from zero onwards to ensure that the attack made from the Brown line is strong and well supported.
(b) Special arrangements must be made to deal with resistance in Lesboeufs and thus prevent any possibility of the enemy getting round our troops who have gained the Blue line.
(c) The lst and 3rd Guards Brigades will garrison and consolidate the Brown line with a portion of their reserves when the attack goes forward to the Blue line.
(d) On gaining the Blue line, Battalions will be sent forward to any ground from which observation can be gained; such points will be consolidated and eventually joined up with our line.

Sept. 12
1916

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p. 40-41-42
On the 24th the Battalions that were to lead the attack took their place in the line ready for the next day. The order of attack was for the Fifty-sixth Division to form the right flank guarding Combles, the Fifth Division to capture Morval, the Sixth Division to occupy the southern end of Lesboeufs, and the Guards Division to take Lesboeufs.

In Pereira's Brigade, which attacked on the right, the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers and lst Battalion Irish Guards were in the front line, and were supported by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions Coldstream. In Corkran's Brigade on the left the 4th Battalion Grenadiers and 2nd Battalion Scots Guards led, supported by the 1st Battalion ·Grenadiers and 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. The orders of the two brigades differed. In the 1st Guards Brigade the leading battalions were to take all the objectives, and when they passed on the battalions in support were to consolidate each line. In the 3rd Brigade the two leading battalions were to take the first two objectives and then throw out a defensive flank; the battalions in support were then to advance through them and secure the third objective, one of these again throwing out a defensive flank.

At 12.35pm on the 25th the attack started, and in spite of the wire, in some places intact, the first objective was secured. At 1.30 the advance to the second objective began. The battalions in front suffered heavily, especially in officers, but by 1.45 the second objective was in our hands, All this time the Twenty-first Division on the left had been held up, and the left flank of the Guards Division was consequently in the air. The 4th Grenadiers had therefore to throw out a defensive flank to the left, which eventually became so long that not only that battalion but also the Welsh Guards were employed to guard it. Major-General Feilding regarded this defensive flank as of the utmost importance, since it was from this quarter that a counter-attack was expected. In some parts of the line the wire was uncut, and the advance was retarded, but this did not prevent the objectives being secured by the times specified in the orders.

As soon as we had gained the second objective, the 1st Battalion Grenadiers and lst Battalion Welsh Guards passed through the leading battalions of Corkran's Brigade and attacked Les-boeufs, while the 2nd Battalion Grenadiers and 1st Battalion Irish Guards continued their advance.

Thus with the 4th Battalion Grenadiers on the defensive flank there were three Grenadier battalions engaged in the attack on the third objective. The capture of Lesboeufs itself fell to the lot of the 1st Battalion, and news was at once sent back that all the objectives had been secured. The battalions in front appear to have been so elated by their success that they asked for the cavalry to be allowed to go through. But Lord Cavan, the Corps Commander, realised that it would be madness to employ cavalry on such a limited front, and gave orders that the leading battalions were to consolidate their position.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Next part

Edward Garside Whitehead
* Edward & family

This Part
* Edward enlists in Jan.1915;
Transcripts:
* formation of the 4th Battn.
* Guards Division in 1915.

Part 2
Transcripts:
* Battle of Loos, Sept.1915 -
overview;
* the Guards Division
at Loos.

Part 3
Transcripts:
* Battle of Loos, Sept.1915
* The 4th Battn at Loos.

Part 4
Edward lands in France Oct.
Transcripts:
* Diary of the War-
Oct., Nov., Dec., 1915;
* 4th Battn. Oct - Dec

Part 5
Edward transfers to
Machine-Gun Guards
Transcripts:
* Diary of the War -
Jan - Sept. 1916;
* 4th Battn. Jan - Apr. 1916

Part 6
Transcripts:
* 4th Battn. Apr - Jul.1916

This Part
Transcripts:
* The Guards Divison
at the Somme;
* Division Orders

Part 8
Transcripts:
* The 4th Battn. at
The Battle of the Somme

Part 9
Transcripts:
* Diary of the War -
Oct to Dec 1916:
* 4th Battn - Oct - Nov 1916;
* Diary of the War -
Jan - Mar 1917;
* 4th Battn. Jan - Mar 1917

Part 10
Transcripts:
* Diary of the War -
April - July 1917;
* 4th Battn. Apr - July 1917

Part 11
Transcripts:
* The Guards Division. -
Battle of Boesinghe
31 July 1917

Part 12
Transcripts:
* Edward Killed in action in
Battle of Boesinghe
31 July 1917
*3rd Battalion - Boesinghe
1st battalion - Boesinghe
4th battalion - Boesinghe

* Gallery
of pictures & Maps

War Diaries - Extracts
*4th Battalion M-G Guards
1917

'The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918' by Sir Frederick Ponsonby
Pub. 1920 in 3 Volumes, is freely downloadable as .pdf files or can be read on-line.

Vol 1 HERE

Vol 2 HERE

Vol 3 HERE

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