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Tommies of the 58th Division, north bank of the Somme, Second Battle of Amiens, August 1918
The largest photo above was taken on Chipilly Spur, on 9 August 1918, after the 58th Division had been initially repulsed by stiff German opposition an 8 August. The badly depleted 58th were able to secure the spur and the adjoining Gressaire Wood with support of tanks from the 10th Battalion, Tank Corps and the three battalions of the 131st Regiment, AEF. The specific British infantry units involved were said to be a "mish mash" from all three Brigades of the weakened 58th Division, along with the 12th Division's 37th Brigade to their left.
The other two images at right were taken on 8 August, during the 58th Division's liberation of Sailly-Laurette. In one publication the Tommy seen in these photos is said to be from the 12th London Battalion (the Rangers). This Battalion was, however, also said to be in reserve on 8 August and indeed the official British history credits the 2/10th London Battalion with liberating the village. It's possible some of the Rangers were used for mopping up, though. Both the 2/10th and 12th battalions were part of the 175th Brigade, along with the 9th London Battalion. This soldier may have the remains of a 58th Div. insignia on the back of his helmet, but it's hard to be sure as the image quality in the old rotogravure is obviously not great.
Historical background:
The 58th Division had been previously known as the 2/1st London Division, established from the British Army's Territorial Force. As part of the British Army's III Corps in the Second Battle of Amiens, the 58th had been assigned the important task of securing the higher northern bank of the Somme River, while the British 12th and 18th Divisions advanced in support on its left in stages along the slope either side of Morlancourt. Meanwhile the Australians, Canadians and French attacked along a broad front south of the river, with British artillery, tank and cavalry support. While the 58th Division had quickly liberated the devastated village of Sailly-Laurette beside the Somme, by the second phase of the offensive the entire III Corps the 58th was attached to was struggling to keep pace with the Australians across the river and was unable to capture the next village of Chipilly on August 8th.
Based on both British and Australian accounts, this setback appears to have been due to an interplay of several factors. One of the foremost of these had been a raid on their newly assigned trenches along its higher left flank, two days previously - an attack executed by Württemberger Stosstruppen of the first rate 27. Infanterie-Division. This raid had effectively upset the III Corps' planning, prevented them from properly reconnoitring the German positions before the big offensive, leaving the 58th Div. in particular to face a determined enemy in unfamiliar and markedly variable terrain. This in turn resulted in serious observation and communication difficulties over the true extent of their own advance, as well as the location of German resistance, particularly the 27. Württemberger's skilled artillery.
The hold up and miscommunications were to prove a costly situation on both sides of the river. Here ensconced Württemberg artillery were able to fire in enfilade with virtual impunity from a protected ravine in the northern bank into the exposed left flank of the advancing Australian infantry, artillery and British tanks. As a result, the highest proportion of Australian losses in the 8th of August offensive occurred in this sector straddling the Somme.
From 9 August the 58th Londoners also had the support of the US Army's 131st Infantry Regiment - a unit of the 33d Div AEF which had, in part, first seen action at the Battle of Hamel the month before. After hard fighting and much loss of life, this regiment along the mixed brigades of the 58th secured Gressaire Wood and Chipilly Spur, while the 58th's 174th Brigade took the village and peninsula below (NB this spur is referred to as "Chipilly Ridge" in US accounts).
The British and Americans in the IIII Corps sector were up against several German units, including elements of the elite Württembergers of 27. Infanterie-Division, 108. Infanterie-Division and 43. Reserve-Infanterie-Division (a unit which had also been in action at Hamel). Elements of 54. Res, 233. and 243. Infanterie-Divisions had also been especially brought in as a counterattack force north of the Somme, initially launched around Morlancourt against the British 12th and 18th Divs, then were involved in holding the line as the Germans retreated along the Bray-Corbie road ridge along with the newly arrived first rate 26. R.I.D.
As a division, the 58th's very first deployment on the Western Front was during the pursuit of the Germans as they withdrew to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917. By 1918 however the division had incorporated older veterans, such as the Rangers of the 1/12th London Battalion who had first seen action in 1916 during the Battle of the Somme (the Rangers had transferred from the 62nd Div. to the 58th Div. on 31January 1918). The 58th Div's next action was at the Second Battle of Bullecourt in early May 1917.
The 58th Division is also noteworthy for its involvement in both of the crucial defensive battles of Villers-Bretonneux, in March-April 1918. In the first action, two of its battalions (6th & 7th) were assigned to support the 18th Div. In the second battle its' sector was around Cachy, just to the south of Villers-Bretonneux, where famously the first tank vs tank action occurred. The 58th Londoners suffered 3530 casualties in the second battle of Villers-Bretonneux, with the result its ranks were subsequently replenished with numerous inexperienced conscripts of the 1917 18 and 40 year old drafts. The division was still considered to be in a badly weakened state at the time of the August 8 offensive. By the end of the fighting on 10 August, the III Corps north of the Somme River suffered the loss of 6500 men, 500 of which were from the American's 131st Regiment.
References:
www.awm.gov.au/histories/first_world_war/volume.asp?level...
www.awm.gov.au/histories/first_world_war/
Edmonds, J. E., History of the Great War, Military Operations France and Belgium
1918, Vol IV.
Conan Doyle, Arthur, The Great War The British Campaign in France and Flanders, Vol. VI
McWilliams, James, Steel, R. James, Amiens: Dawn of Victory
McCluskey, Alistair, Amiens 1918 The Black day of the German Army, Osprey
Publishing
Fuller, John, Tanks in the Great War 1914-1918
Outline of 58th Division's history:
www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/londonrgt1...
Audio account by a veteran of The Rangers (12th Battalion) covering this period:
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80032051
(from 21:00min)
US 33d Division history:
archive.org/stream/historyof33rddiv02huid/historyof33rddi...
Tommies of the 58th Division, north bank of the Somme, Second Battle of Amiens, August 1918
The largest photo above was taken on Chipilly Spur, on 9 August 1918, after the 58th Division had been initially repulsed by stiff German opposition an 8 August. The badly depleted 58th were able to secure the spur and the adjoining Gressaire Wood with support of tanks from the 10th Battalion, Tank Corps and the three battalions of the 131st Regiment, AEF. The specific British infantry units involved were said to be a "mish mash" from all three Brigades of the weakened 58th Division, along with the 12th Division's 37th Brigade to their left.
The other two images at right were taken on 8 August, during the 58th Division's liberation of Sailly-Laurette. In one publication the Tommy seen in these photos is said to be from the 12th London Battalion (the Rangers). This Battalion was, however, also said to be in reserve on 8 August and indeed the official British history credits the 2/10th London Battalion with liberating the village. It's possible some of the Rangers were used for mopping up, though. Both the 2/10th and 12th battalions were part of the 175th Brigade, along with the 9th London Battalion. This soldier may have the remains of a 58th Div. insignia on the back of his helmet, but it's hard to be sure as the image quality in the old rotogravure is obviously not great.
Historical background:
The 58th Division had been previously known as the 2/1st London Division, established from the British Army's Territorial Force. As part of the British Army's III Corps in the Second Battle of Amiens, the 58th had been assigned the important task of securing the higher northern bank of the Somme River, while the British 12th and 18th Divisions advanced in support on its left in stages along the slope either side of Morlancourt. Meanwhile the Australians, Canadians and French attacked along a broad front south of the river, with British artillery, tank and cavalry support. While the 58th Division had quickly liberated the devastated village of Sailly-Laurette beside the Somme, by the second phase of the offensive the entire III Corps the 58th was attached to was struggling to keep pace with the Australians across the river and was unable to capture the next village of Chipilly on August 8th.
Based on both British and Australian accounts, this setback appears to have been due to an interplay of several factors. One of the foremost of these had been a raid on their newly assigned trenches along its higher left flank, two days previously - an attack executed by Württemberger Stosstruppen of the first rate 27. Infanterie-Division. This raid had effectively upset the III Corps' planning, prevented them from properly reconnoitring the German positions before the big offensive, leaving the 58th Div. in particular to face a determined enemy in unfamiliar and markedly variable terrain. This in turn resulted in serious observation and communication difficulties over the true extent of their own advance, as well as the location of German resistance, particularly the 27. Württemberger's skilled artillery.
The hold up and miscommunications were to prove a costly situation on both sides of the river. Here ensconced Württemberg artillery were able to fire in enfilade with virtual impunity from a protected ravine in the northern bank into the exposed left flank of the advancing Australian infantry, artillery and British tanks. As a result, the highest proportion of Australian losses in the 8th of August offensive occurred in this sector straddling the Somme.
From 9 August the 58th Londoners also had the support of the US Army's 131st Infantry Regiment - a unit of the 33d Div AEF which had, in part, first seen action at the Battle of Hamel the month before. After hard fighting and much loss of life, this regiment along the mixed brigades of the 58th secured Gressaire Wood and Chipilly Spur, while the 58th's 174th Brigade took the village and peninsula below (NB this spur is referred to as "Chipilly Ridge" in US accounts).
The British and Americans in the IIII Corps sector were up against several German units, including elements of the elite Württembergers of 27. Infanterie-Division, 108. Infanterie-Division and 43. Reserve-Infanterie-Division (a unit which had also been in action at Hamel). Elements of 54. Res, 233. and 243. Infanterie-Divisions had also been especially brought in as a counterattack force north of the Somme, initially launched around Morlancourt against the British 12th and 18th Divs, then were involved in holding the line as the Germans retreated along the Bray-Corbie road ridge along with the newly arrived first rate 26. R.I.D.
As a division, the 58th's very first deployment on the Western Front was during the pursuit of the Germans as they withdrew to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917. By 1918 however the division had incorporated older veterans, such as the Rangers of the 1/12th London Battalion who had first seen action in 1916 during the Battle of the Somme (the Rangers had transferred from the 62nd Div. to the 58th Div. on 31January 1918). The 58th Div's next action was at the Second Battle of Bullecourt in early May 1917.
The 58th Division is also noteworthy for its involvement in both of the crucial defensive battles of Villers-Bretonneux, in March-April 1918. In the first action, two of its battalions (6th & 7th) were assigned to support the 18th Div. In the second battle its' sector was around Cachy, just to the south of Villers-Bretonneux, where famously the first tank vs tank action occurred. The 58th Londoners suffered 3530 casualties in the second battle of Villers-Bretonneux, with the result its ranks were subsequently replenished with numerous inexperienced conscripts of the 1917 18 and 40 year old drafts. The division was still considered to be in a badly weakened state at the time of the August 8 offensive. By the end of the fighting on 10 August, the III Corps north of the Somme River suffered the loss of 6500 men, 500 of which were from the American's 131st Regiment.
References:
www.awm.gov.au/histories/first_world_war/volume.asp?level...
www.awm.gov.au/histories/first_world_war/
Edmonds, J. E., History of the Great War, Military Operations France and Belgium
1918, Vol IV.
Conan Doyle, Arthur, The Great War The British Campaign in France and Flanders, Vol. VI
McWilliams, James, Steel, R. James, Amiens: Dawn of Victory
McCluskey, Alistair, Amiens 1918 The Black day of the German Army, Osprey
Publishing
Fuller, John, Tanks in the Great War 1914-1918
Outline of 58th Division's history:
www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/londonrgt1...
Audio account by a veteran of The Rangers (12th Battalion) covering this period:
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80032051
(from 21:00min)
US 33d Division history:
archive.org/stream/historyof33rddiv02huid/historyof33rddi...