31 replies to this topic

[flintwich]

I shall be visiting Pte Thomas Turnbull at Flatiron Copse cemetery in a couple of weeks and will gladly take any photos requested.

Unfortunately, time and my 3 young children restrict my visit to only this cemetery.

Al

[Siege Gunner]

If the track beyond Flatiron Copse is dry, Al, I'm sure your kids would love the Welsh Dragon memorial, which is just a few hundred yards further on.

[Aurel Sercu]

Mick,

How can you be so cruel !  

Sorry, Al, but he is right : don't miss it.
(And last time I was there, 5 weeks ago, it was dry.)

Aurel
(Sorry for going off Topic)

[flintwich]

Siege Gunner and Aurel, I do intend to walk to the Welsh memorial but in the back of my mind, another thread describes this as the creepiest walk on the Somme.......lol

Will also visit High Wood to see where Thomas died, Thistle Alley trench and Thiepval.

[1st east yorks]

If i remember rightly, it was known at the time as 'death valley'. It was the main supply route to the front,which the Germans knew,and constantly shelled it causing many casualties - hence its name.Ive walked along it a couple of times.Have a good trip.
Anthony

[Ice tiger]

flintwich, on 09 August 2012 - 03:49 PM, said:

..... intend to walk to the Welsh memorial but in the back of my mind, another thread describes this as the creepiest walk on the Somme......

Try walking it just before first light in the morning!

I love walking the Somme at first or last light; brings a whole new atmosphere that you just don't get during true daylight hours.

I have to say I walked it in reverse from the Dragon to Flatiron Copse and the drive to the Dragon through the trees in the dark was far more creepy than the walk was

Andy

[Siege Gunner]

Ice tiger, on 09 August 2012 - 04:09 PM, said:

... the drive to the Dragon through the trees in the dark was far more creepy than the walk was.

Do you mean driving the long way round out of Mametz village, Andy?

[ianjonescl]

[flintwich]

I did visit in June 2003. Bright sunshine all the way to the Somme then rain at the cemetery and sunshine all the way to Paris.
We were the first family to visit the grave.
On the way back, again bright sunshine all the way and thunder and lightning over the Somme, so we by-passed into bright sunshine again.

Al

[dycer]

Al,
  You probably already have this but from the 8th Royal Scots History.
Battle of The Somme
"It(Battalion)reached Mametz Wood on the early morning of the 21st(July 1916),and there bivouaced.On the 22nd (a Company) went forward in the afternoon to dig a trench from "High Wood," but the enemy barrage was so deadly it prevented any work that night.
The Battalion "stood to" on the night of the 22/23rd for consolidation but was not required.The wood in which the Battalion was bivouaced was shelled continually,and the shelling all over the front was heavy.
(Between 24 and 26th July)Companies cut and wired new trenches in particular "Thistle Alley").Work continued at high pressure until the 5th August.
The enemy had massed a tremendous amount of artillery on the "High Wood" sector.The billets of the Battalion were continually shelled,and the only approach to the line was up "Happy Valley."The enemy took special delight in shelling this valley,and in addition,had his barrage lines across it.
Never before,and probably not afterwards,had the Battalion been called upon to endure such a nerve-racking time and trying time as that to which it was subjected during its fifteen days engagement in the first Battle of the Somme."
George

[Jim Smithson]

Enjoyed the sunshine there today (and the shade in the cemetery as I was walking and it was a tad warm).  Even walked down the steps at the dragon just to spite the health & safety bods - naughty me.

Jim

[Graeme Clarke]

Morning Al,

As per Post #1 would be grateful for heastone photos of the below

John FOX  North Staffordshire Regiment  Grave I.C.38

John Henry WAKEMAN Machine Gun Corps Grave IX.B.4

Frederick MOORE Royal Welsh Fusiliers Grave V. K. 10

Many thanks for the offer

Regards,

Graeme

[flintwich]

Graeme Clarke, on 10 August 2012 - 05:59 AM, said:

Morning Al,

As per Post #1 would be grateful for heastone photos of the below

John FOX  North Staffordshire Regiment  Grave I.C.38

John Henry WAKEMAN Machine Gun Corps Grave IX.B.4

Frederick MOORE Royal Welsh Fusiliers Grave V. K. 10

Many thanks for the offer

Regards,

Graeme

Will do my best, Graeme, hopefully it will be good weather.

Al

[Graeme Clarke]

Hi Al

Cheers, no probs, have a great time!!

Graeme

[flintwich]

dycer, on 09 August 2012 - 06:16 PM, said:

Al,
  You probably already have this but from the 8th Royal Scots History.
Battle of The Somme
"It(Battalion)reached Mametz Wood on the early morning of the 21st(July 1916),and there bivouaced.On the 22nd (a Company) went forward in the afternoon to dig a trench from "High Wood," but the enemy barrage was so deadly it prevented any work that night.
The Battalion "stood to" on the night of the 22/23rd for consolidation but was not required.The wood in which the Battalion was bivouaced was shelled continually,and the shelling all over the front was heavy.
(Between 24 and 26th July)Companies cut and wired new trenches in particular "Thistle Alley").Work continued at high pressure until the 5th August.
The enemy had massed a tremendous amount of artillery on the "High Wood" sector.The billets of the Battalion were continually shelled,and the only approach to the line was up "Happy Valley."The enemy took special delight in shelling this valley,and in addition,had his barrage lines across it.
Never before,and probably not afterwards,had the Battalion been called upon to endure such a nerve-racking time and trying time as that to which it was subjected during its fifteen days engagement in the first Battle of the Somme."
George

George,
I have the history that was printed in the Haddington Courier.
Although not certain, I am assuming Thomas was killed in either Thistle Alley or High Alley. Didn't consider him being killed in the billets although I do now.
Don't know where the billets were.
I really need to visit the museum to see if the war diary is available as my Gt Grandfather, Thomas' brother, Harry, went out with 1/8th at the start.


I read Sir John French's 1914 recently and he stated that 1/8th Royal Scots and one other battalion were the only battalions that went to the front line without the need for further training in France. That says a lot for the training and standard of the men.

Al

[flintwich]

http://www.flickr.co...otos/flintwich/

A small amount of images from my brief stop on the Somme, yesterday.

Al

[WilliamRev]

Thanks for posting the photos Al, and I loved the one of your kids with the grave of their great great great uncle - so important that they know about him and what he did.

Flatiron Copse Cemetery is the Somme cemetery which means most to me - there are the graves of five officers from 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers who died 14th-18th July 1916 in that cemetery: my grandfather (then 2nd Lieut. S. Revels) was badly wounded in that action, and had he died his grave would have been there too I expect.

Al - very poignantly, 41 year-old Lieut. R. Stewart Smylie is buried in Flatiron Copse Cemetery (Killed 14th July 1916 whilst commanding B company 1st RSF), and he is most famous for writing the poem to his three children: "My Three Kids" - search the forum and you'll find my transcription of it and a photo of his grave,

William

[John Duncan]

Nice to see the kids at Thomas Turnbull's grave, and on my birthday as well. From my research it looks like Thomas was fatally wounded whilst keeping Thistle Alley open.

John

[flintwich]

Thanks for your kind comments, William and John.
My youngest, Tom age 7, was doing somersaults on the grass in the cemetery.
I told him that it was not the right thing to do but that the soldiers would be laughing at his antics.

Al

[dycer]

Al,
  Relevant War Diary entries..
2nd August 1916-A&C Coys working on High Alley and Thistle Alley-improving communications.B&C Coys relieved A&C who returned to Echelon B Transport Lines.
3rd&4th&5th August 1916-Continuation of above work.
Casualties during month of August.
OR.Killed 4-Wounded 20(1 died)
      Wounded at duty 7-Sick 39.
George

[flintwich]

I have your images, Graeme.
PM me your email address and I will forward them to you.
Al

[Graeme Clarke]

Al

Have PMd my e-maıl address.

Sorry ın delay ın replyıng but am on holıday ın Turkey (unfortunately NOT Gallıpolı) and have only just found an ınternet cafe.

Many thanks for your tıme and trouble.

Regards,

Graeme

[ianw]

Corporal Dwyer VC is at Flatiron. He cut a record after winning his VC (in 1915 I think). He had one of the worst singing voices ever.

[MChris]

Graeme Clarke, on 10 August 2012 - 05:59 AM, said:

Morning Al,

As per Post #1 would be grateful for heastone photos of the below

John FOX  North Staffordshire Regiment  Grave I.C.38

John Henry WAKEMAN Machine Gun Corps Grave IX.B.4

Frederick MOORE Royal Welsh Fusiliers Grave V. K. 10

Many thanks for the offer

Regards,

Graeme

Good evening Graeme, Frederick Moore is one of my ancestors, so I am very interested to see you are also interested. Do you have any information you could share?  Thank you. Mark

[flintwich]

If you don't have it, I can email the image of Frederick Moore's grave, Mark.

Al