HAPPY VALLEY AND MAMETZ WOOD
This photograph taken at the edge of Mametz Wood gives some idea of the density of the timber and undergrowth through which the 38th (Welsh) Division would have had to attack. "Happy Valley" can be seen on the right of the picture. One of the men is an official of the Western Front Association from South Wales and the man wearing the hat is the Count de Thezy who owns the wood. They were in conversation regarding the inauguration of the "WELSH DRAGON MEMORIAL" located nearby and which now commemorates the attacks on the wood by the Welsh battalions in the period 7th to 12th July 1916
SIEGFRIED SASSOON MEETS ROBERT GRAVES AGAIN
Shortly after the death of Lt. David Thomas, the battalion was issued with a new type of gas mask. Sassoon’s friend Robert Graves was quite an accomplished boxer. His prowess in the ring, however, had not left his nose undamaged, and it was found that the new gas mask made it difficult for him to breathe. The Army, therefore, decided that he must leave the 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers in the Bois Francais trenches and return to England for surgery. By the 25th June 1916 he was back in France with his Regiment but this time in the 2nd battalion.
The 1st and 2nd battalions of the Royal Welch Fusiliers were "regulars". That is, in peacetime, the officers and other ranks were full-time professional soldiers. The pattern of service for regular battalions prior to 1914 was that one of the two battalions would garrison posts abroad whilst the other would serve in the Regimental depot at home. This meant that the opportunity for the two battalions to meet was seldom present. There were very occasional instances where this had taken place in the past, but usually only when the battalions met in transit to and from the foreign garrison posts. There was therefore, some excitement when it was learned that Sassoon’s 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers returning from action near Bazentin would be in bivouacs at Meaulte and near to their sister battalion-the 2nd- to which Graves had so recently reported.
Thus on the 14th July Sassoon and Graves met briefly whilst Graves’ battalion was moving up to "Happy Valley" near Mametz Wood ready to take their turn in attacking High Wood further up the valley. "Happy Valley" was far from a happy place. It was within range of the German guns beyond High Wood and casualties from gas and other types of shells were frequent.
But it was presently the turn of units other than the Royal Welch to go into action against High Wood. With cheers ringing in their ears cavalrymen of the 7th Dragoon Guards and 20th Deccan Horse (An Indian Cavalry formation) trotted past admiring infantry and through "Happy Valley" ready to form up for their historic charge. Meanwhile, Robert Graves’ battalion was detailed to go into Mametz Wood and "bury friends". These were the dead of the 38th (Welsh) Division in whose ranks had been many volunteers from North Wales who fell with the Royal Welch Fusilier battalions (including the 14th battalion who had taken over from Sassoon’s battalion in Bottom Wood just over a week previously), in their attack on Mametz Wood on 10th-12th July.
Although it was July, Graves found the nights to be cold and he went into Mametz Wood in search of German greatcoats. He found the wood to be full of dead Prussian Guards – big men and dead men from South Wales Borderers and Royal Welch Fusiliers-little men. One dead German soldier was propped up against a tree. He had a green face, wore spectacles, close shaven hair and black blood was dripping down his beard. An unpleasant place to be.
Graves’ battalion then moved up Happy Valley and beyond to take up positions in front of High Wood ready for the forthcoming attack on 20th July. This would be a day that Graves would remember for the rest of his life.
On 22nd July 1916 Major-General Ingouville-Williams (known to the troops as "Inky Bill") was killed near Queen’s Nullah at Mametz Wood while reconnoitring. (It is fashionable to say that British Generals stayed far behind the lines ignoring the rank and file. This is not true. No less than 232 Generals became casualties during the war, a figure which includes 8 generals who were wounded on two occasions).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Copyright © www.1914-18.co.uk, 1999. All rights reserved.