by Ian Uys
“My real buddy, Les Mandy, was with me. All the way from Armentieres we stuck together. Early in the afternoon, after the ammunition stint, six or eight of us were gathered in a helluva big shell-hole, just waiting for instructions. As we moved down to this area there was a burst of machine-gun fire. I suppose they saw us coming. Les fell, shot through the chest. We took him into the shell-hole.
“Meantime a Vickers gun had come along and went into action just alongside us. The men were about to fire when there was a rifle shot. Some of us were looking at the gun waiting to see what would happen and this gunner went flying backwards. We thought he had been shot in the head, but a bullet had absolutely cut a score right past his skull and stunned him. So we weren’t looking for keeping our heads up. You can understand that. In the meantime poor old Les was expiring in the shell-hole from internal bleeding.
“We were told to just disperse around headquarters and dig ourselves in — just to get ourselves below ground. A chap named Henry Oldfield and I did so. We only had trenching tools — no spades. We chopped out and put the stuff over. A shell hit a tree above us and exploded and we got some of the down-draft from it. He got a piece past his head and in the shoulder muscle. It stuck in the back of his shoulder blade. He was moaning about this thing, but we decided the only thing to do was to keep digging and get ourselves properly down.
“I said to him, ‘You know this trench is muddy. It’s getting water. How can this be?’ Anyhow it proved to be that my hand was bleeding. No bones were broken but the flesh was torn open. So in the light of a match he got hold of a dressing and dressed my hand up.”
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Captain Claude Heenan had displayed a fearless example in Bernafay Wood where he had held an exposed position of the line and, although wounded, remained at his post. His company was practically destroyed in the north of the wood where he was again wounded.
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Two young officers of the 2nd SAI, Errol and Russell Tatham, were second cousins and were both originally from Ladysmith, Natal. Their respective grandfathers were Edmund and Robert Tatham, who had come to Natal separately as Byrne settlers in 1850. Edmund was the surveyor, engineer and secretary of the company which built the first railroad from the Point to Durban and the “protector of Indians” when they arrived in 1860.
Russell Pears Tatham, 24, grandson of Edmund Tatham, had been employed in the Dept of Education as a master at the Troyeville Central School in Johannesburg.
On the outbreak of the war he joined up and served in SWA with his brothers and cousins. He re-enlisted in the 2nd SAI as a private and was soon promoted to sergeant. As a reward for his gallantry and devotion to duty in Egypt, Tatham was given a commission.
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Robert Bristow Tatham was a rolling stone. He fought in the Frontier Wars where he was promoted to and demoted from sergeant five times. He fell in love with Susan Noon at a Durban ball. Her sister was married to Dick King and she lived with them at Isipingo. Robert arrived there with a lady’s saddle and a special licence and she rode away with him. They later went to the diamond fields where they had many children. Their second son, Frederic, was employed as a diamond sorter and water-seller at the age of seven years.
Errol Victor Tatham, 25, grandson of Robert Tatham, was the second son of Lieut-Col Frederic Spence Tatham, KC, who had fought in the Basuto War of 1881 and served on Gen George White’s staff during the siege of Ladysmith. Errol Tatham was educated at Merchiston and then Michaelhouse. Between 1904 and 1908 he attended Marlborough College, England, then returned to South Africa to study law.
In 1912 Tatham completed his final law examination, then at the age of 21 entered his father’s firm of Tatham, Wilkes & Co of Pietermaritzburg. Two years later he joined up as a private to serve in SWA. His elder brother, Capt Arthur Tatham, distinguished himself in charge of an artillery battery.
Tatham was commissioned in the 2nd SAI and at Bordon Camp was assistant adjutant to the battalion. His father volunteered for service at the front and was on the headquarters staff of the 2nd Anzacs in France, whilst his younger brother, William, 19, was an acting sub-lieutenant in a submarine.
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Both of the company’s captains, Ernest Barlow and Harold Creed, became casualties. Harold Elvey Frederick Creed was born in England but came to South Africa as a youngster and attended St Andrews College in Grahamstown.
During the South African War Creed was a trooper in Rimington’s Guides and was present at the siege of Kimberley. He was to represent the Guides at King Edward’s Coronation in 1902. After the war he joined the Transvaal Public Works department, then went to Bloemfontein to become the OFS Chief Inspector of Roads.
Creed served in the Rebellion and as a lieutenant in Botha’s Natal Horse in SWA. While he was in Egypt with the 2nd SAI, a younger brother was a flight commander in the RFC in East Africa.
During the attack Capt Creed was killed and Capt Barlow wounded. Lance-Corporal Arthur Jacobs, 21, of Durban, then assisted Barlow. Jacobs was born near Harrismith, attended Durban High School and then returned to join the Bank of Africa at Harrismith, later being transferred to Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
Jacobs was with Capt Barlow’s party making their way through the wood when Barlow was wounded. Jacobs assisted the stretcher-bearers in bandaging and evacuating the officer. While assisting Barlow to safety Jacobs was shot and killed outright by a sniper.
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Private Nicholas Vlok, 49, had served as a Boer officer under Gen Louis Botha during the South African War. He thereafter farmed near Boshoff in the Orange Free State, was married in 1903 and had four sons and two daughters. During the advance into Delville Wood he was shot in his leg.
“I reported I was wounded, but said I could fight on. This was on 15 July. Captain Creed and Capt Barlow were killed and wounded respectively after this. Later in the day I was wounded again through the shoulder.
“Lieutenant Tatham saw me drop my rifle. I was about two yards from him. He said: ‘Are you badly hit?’ I said: ‘I am done, Sir.’ He said: ‘Wait! I will see you right.’ Then hard fighting at close-quarters followed, and our men drove the Germans back.
“At this time I think the only officers left were Lieut Hill and Lieut Tatham. Lieut Tatham was with the men, fighting hard and encouraging the men. I did not see Lieut Hill. He was on the other flank.
“After driving the Germans away, Lieut Tatham came back to me and told a man to take me away as he thought I was bleeding to death. He used his own handkerchief and tried to bind me up. He had already used his own field-dressing to bind up another man. This man took me away a short distance, but the shelling was so heavy that he left me. I did not see Lieut Tatham again this day.”
After Capt Bamford of the 2nd SAI was wounded Lieut Tatham took his place as adjutant.
Captain Harry Bamford, the battalion adjutant, had assisted Tanner greatly with communications at Bernafay Wood. At Delville Wood he continued keeping in touch with outlying companies at great personal risk until himself wounded.
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On the other flank Lieut Walter Hill and his platoon led the advance along Strand Street toward the northern edge of the wood. Hill was a fine officer and much loved by his men, among whom were Privates Duggie Brice-Bruce and Henry Pauls.
Duggie Brice-Bruce had as great a respect for the enemy as he had for his allies.
“At dawn we entered the wood to take over from the Highlanders We saw these brave Highlanders lying dead everywhere, some still caught up in the wire entanglements. These Highlanders were very fine brave men. We came in contact with the enemy, the Bavarians. To give them credit, they were very fine fighters and well-disciplined soldiers.
“We attacked on the eastern and northern flanks, contacting at very close quarters, using machine-guns in support. Hand grenades, rifle fire and bayonets were mostly used; it was a gruelling affair. I saw a lot of brave deeds done on both sides. Our stretcher-bearers were wonderful. You could hear the wounded groaning and screaming
, there were many casualties on both sides.
“Captain Gray of C Coy was killed, he was very much loved by his men, a great loss. Capt Bamford our adjutant had a miraculous escape, he was shot through the cheeks, through one side and out of the other; he must have been giving an order with his mouth open. Lieut Bru-de-Wold fell quite close to us, he was shot through the head. We managed to chase the Germans out of the wood, with a considerable number of casualties on both sides.
“What was left of us were assembled, a tired and hungry lot. Lieut Hill, our platoon officer picked out the following seven men — Sgt Turner, Cpl E Brickhill, L/Cpl J Servant, L/Cpl D Davey, Pte P Richards, Pte Garland and Pte H Bruce (myself). I was the youngest, 20 years of age, and proud to be included with this bunch. We found a deep shell-hole about 30 yards from the edge of the wood, and settled down for the night.
“There was no time for sleeping as we could hear a heavy bombardment going on behind us and on our left flank. At dawn, Lieut Hill told me to go out and reconnoitre. It was hard going, what with broken trees and branches it was difficult to get a good view of anything.
“I crawled along tensed for the slightest movements. About 15 yards from the edge of the wood, I came across a broken tree and lifting myself up to get over I came face to face with a German sniper who was lying on his tummy. I don’t know who was the most frightened, he or I. Fortunately my reflexes worked and I shot him in the face. It was horrible, something which has haunted me all my life.
“I now had to go back and report. Arriving at the shell-hole I found them still there and thinking at the time, why had they not spread out.
“There was no time to report as the Germans opened up on us from behind and on our left flank, with grenades and rifle fire. We fought back. By now we were completely isolated and surrounded. It appeared that our chaps had withdrawn to new positions under cover of darkness. The enemy had infiltrated during the night and got behind us.
“We were not the only ones caught up, as most of the pockets on the edge of the wood were cut off. Lieut Hill had a hard decision to make, either to take a chance and sacrifice his men, or surrender He surrendered. Sgt Turner was badly wounded. Pte Richards slightly and I had a splinter in the right shin. It did not worry me for a few days, but it started festering and pieces of bone came out, it took some time to heal.”
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Henry Pauls later related what happened to the platoon.
“Lieutenant Hill and about 20 of us were ordered to advance through a portion of the wood still in the enemy’s hands and we found ourselves surrounded by about 150 Germans.
“We fought to the very last, every bomb being used, and then Lieut Hill surrendered, as to fight on and be killed would not have helped the general operations.
“The enemy conducted 12 of us, half of whom were wounded, through their lines and put us in different shell-holes. Lieutenant Hill and four of us were put in one hole, disarmed, and a strong-looking armed German with fixed bayonet put over us as guard.
“Lieutenant Hill gave us quiet word that he intended to escape and after being prisoners for an hour or more Lieut Hill sprang on the sentry and stunned or killed him and shouted to us, ‘Come on boys! Come along sergeant.’
“We had to go through the German lines and they were firing at us continuously. Lieut Hill carried the rifle belonging to the guard whom he had overpowered. On three sides of us there were Germans at distances from 20 to 50 yards. There was only one side free of the enemy which was the side towards our own lines and which we took when we escaped. The Germans who were in this horseshoe fired on us while we ran to our own lines … Lieut Hill and myself being untouched, the other three killed or wounded.”
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That night the bombardment lit up the wood. The northern perimeter was mercilessly shelled and Germans threw themselves at the thin line holding the edge of the wood. They overran sections of the line, cutting groups off and forcing most of the survivors to fall back to new positions.
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Lance-Corporal Clifford Osborn Connock, 23, came from East London. He served in the Natal Carbineers in SWA, then joined the brigade and was wounded at Mersa Matruh. He recalled that at Delville Wood they had passed through a barrage of tear-gas into “this beautiful wood” with lots of undergrowth and lovely trees.
“Near the centre of the wood I was detailed with a number of others, to establish lines of communication for battalion headquarters, which entailed digging cables and manholes.
“All went well at first, and for the first half-hour it was very quiet, and then we were in the middle of rifle and machine-gun fire, and casualties.
“After the task was completed my company was ordered to move and clear the enemy from the north-west corner of the wood. But it became increasingly difficult, and the company had to fight every inch of the way, using hand-grenades, machine-guns and rifles.
“Throughout the day and night we fought. Then I was severely wounded (shot in the chest). I lay for some time till nightfall before realising help was unlikely. I crawled back to the edge of the wood and sheltered under wrecked railway trucks.”
His brother, Sec-Lieut Joseph Connock, 30, had farmed near Cala in the Cape. He served in the South African War with Brabant’s Horse for eleven months and as a sergeant with the Natal Carbineers in SWA for ten months. His tanned complexion, blue eyes and dark hair combined to make him stand out among the junior officers in Delville Wood.
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Corporal Hermann Bloom, 29, had served with the Eastern Rifles (First City Regiment) of Grahamstown in SWA. He had black hair, stood 5 ft 9 ins tall and came from Durban. He recalled that the objective was to take Delville Wood and then dig in and retain the position at all costs. They camped for the night on the outskirts of the village and set out at dawn.
“We did not meet with much opposition. After a little scrapping we cleared our part of the wood and took about 150 prisoners, and then set to entrench ourselves. It was no ‘tea-party’; we had only started when we were deluged with gas and tear-shells, whizzbangs, Jack Johnsons, and all the diabolical stuff that Krupps ever invented. At this period our losses were severe, too heavy for our liking.
“We got orders to advance. It absolutely rained lead, but we still went on until we came to close-quarters, and then, crash! It was terrible; there was no quarter given. We steadily pushed them back, took their trenches, and their part of the wood. How I stood up I don’t know.
“On taking a roll I found I was the senior NCO and had about 17 men left out of the whole platoon. I have since heard that I and five more are the sole survivors. We lost our officer, sergeants and about 45 men. Our company suffered, and the brigade losses must have been heavy. I have no idea to what extent.
“At this period we had been cut off from the rest of the company. When we went into the wood the growth was so dense you could hardly see ten yards in front of you, but before long there was neither a bough nor a leaf left; the bare trees stood out riddled with lead, and the wood a mass of dead and wounded — it was awful!
“I rallied our chaps together, posted them, and left them in charge of a corporal, and went out on my own to try and get in touch with the rest of the company. I had only gone a few yards when I was thrown into the air and buried up to my waist — no bones broken and no shrapnel. I was buried on account of the ground being soft.
“I crawled out, very much dazed and bruised. I got up and went a few more yards, when a bullet passed between my legs, and one over my head. I lay down for a while, and then continued very slowly.
“I looked up and found I was covered by a sniper. It was too late to cover him, and he knew I had seen him. I dodged quickly, and then I got one in the leg, which I believe came from a machine-gun.
“I dropped and lay down, as though dead. They must have thought I was finished, because I heard no more from them. I managed to crawl to a barn. There was no roof on, and the shells were falling like rain. I thought every minute was my last.”
B
loom was to lie in the ruined barn from midnight Saturday night until 11 pm on Sunday.
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Second-Lieutenant Alfred Hanks, 40, was a crack-shot who had served for 15 years in the 15th Hussars. He had won a gold medal for shooting in India. After obtaining his discharge from the regular army he came to South Africa to join the railways.
Hanks was about to marry when the war began and he joined up. He was offered a commission but declined it as he preferred to “earn” it. This he did by great bravery and excellent service. He had not worn the star a week when he was mortally wounded at Delville Wood.
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Acting-Sergeant John Webb Adams, 39, from Mayfair, Johannesburg, had black hair and blue eyes. He had served in the ILH during the South African War and in the Dukes and SA Engineers in SWA. By trade he was a plumber. When he joined the brigade he left behind his wife, Magdalena, and three children.
Adams was promoted to acting-sergeant before serving in Egypt. He recalled later that at Delville Wood they had moved forward on the evening of the 14th and taken up their positions at dawn.
“We could see the Germans moving about just on the outskirts of the wood. The (3rd) Regiment entered the wood first through the village of Longueval, which was in an awful state, not a house left standing. The streets were full of dead Germans; they were piled up on the side of the street.
“As soon as the Germans saw us they opened fire, and we replied immediately, and here our losses were heavy, chiefly because our chaps were too eager, and through not keeping their heads down. When the Germans found they could not shift us with rifle fire and machine-guns, they tried their artillery and trench mortars on us.