Machine Gun Corps at Montauban

90TH COMPANY MACHINE GUN CORPS AT MONTAUBAN CLEARING UP AN ANOMALY AND SAVING MY GRANDAD’S LIFE WITH A RAT-TA-TA-TAT-TAT

© IWM (Q 1419) Men of the Machine Gun Corps in action with a Vickers machine gun (left) and a captured German MG 08 machine gun on sledge mount, Mouquet Farm, September 1916.

This record in the Battlefield Sleuth series concerns reports of events on the first day of the Somme, from the perspective of the 90th Company, Machine Gun Corps. As part of 90th Brigade, the men of Machine Gun Corps took part in the capture and subsequent defence of the village of Montauban.

The Second Edition of the research includes a contribution from Neil York, who has researched Machine Gun Corps casualties at Montauban.

The War Diary provides a summary of the action (WD), extended by the report from Captain Leslie Grundy (in italics LG); who wrote a letter detailing his experiences of the day. Further notes [in square brackets] are added to assist with context. The highlights of new information are highlighted in bold.

The later sections of the paper (indented) recount my grandfather’s withdrawal from Triangle Point.

The heavy machine gun fire from 90th Company covered this withdrawal and ultimately aided the survival of the group; who has been bombed out from their advanced position. Captain Grundy was not aware that his Company’s actions had saved the lives of some of the men in this group. Three members of the 17th Manchesters managed to return to British lines, of whom two were wounded – including Grandad.

We are grateful to the staff and former pupils for publishing Captain Leslie Cundy’s letter to Charles Lynam, his former Head Teacher at Oxford Preparatory School https://skipperswar.wordpress.com/2016/07/27/july-27th-1916/comment-page-1/

BATTLEFIELD SLEUTH SERIES

TIM BELL AND NEIL YORK

MAY 2020

ETINHEIM 30TH JUNE 1916 [The 90th Brigade comprised infantry from the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers with the 16th, 17th and 18th Battalions Manchester Regiment. They were supported by the 90th Company Machine Gun Corps, with men from the Royal Engineers.]

We had done all the practising for the last fortnight and were now waiting in the assembly trenches.

For us, these consisted of a few small trenches cut in a hollow between two woods about 700 yards behind our front line. We had arrived in these trenches late the night before, and had passed a very cold night indeed. Consequently we were all awake when dawn broke (LC).

No.2 Section leaving @ 4.30pm. No.4 4.40. No.3 4.50 No. [5] pm. The first party arriving in assembly trenches behind CAMBRIDGE COPSE [near Maricourt] where we stayed all night. Everything was quiet during the night. [This must only refer to German artillery](WD) The guns had been keeping up a pretty heavy bombardment throughout the night, increasing in intensity every minute. The fringe of the wood behind us (curiously enough called ‘Oxford Copse’) was lined with 18-pounders, who were firing over our heads. As they were only 150 yards away, the noise was deafening.(LC)

90th Brigade assembly positions near Maricourt. Approximately 3,000 yards from their objectives in Montauban. The field artillery guns were positioned in front of Oxford Copse. Crown Copyright

MONTAUBAN ATTACK ON 1ST JULY 1916 – THE FIRST DAY IN THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME Although we had not been given the time for ‘Zero,’ we judged it was near enough for us to issue the rum, so an issue of two jars among 150 men was made at 5 o’clock. We got word from Brigade Headquarters that Zero was to be at 7.30.(LC) About this time a heavy ground mist appeared and for some time it looked as if the attack would have to be postponed. As it was near to 7.30 the Company Commander and I went over to a small piece of rising ground that was in front of us [assembly trenches were protected by a shallow valley] to watch the first wave go over the top [21st Brigade, including 19th Manchesters]. Over it went at 7.30 exactly, and as far as we could see there was only one casualty and it did not sound as if there was very much hostile rifle fire…(LC) At 6am we were told that zero [hour] was at 7.30am. The first part of the Brigade going over the top [one hour after] at this time [8.30am]. Nos 2 & 4 Sections of the Coy went behind the last waves of the 2nd Battn R[oyal] S[cots] Fusiliers [in support of the 16th & 17th Manchesters], Nos 1 and 3 Sections behind the Brigade Reserve [18th Manchesters]. (WD) At 8.30 I went forward with my servant, and the two other sections followed 50 yards behind, interval 100 yards, but owing to the weight of our loads we fell behind our appointed place and found ourselves mixed up with some engineers [201st Field Company RE]. This ground was made up later on, while waiting for our artillery to lift.(LC) All the men of the Brigade went towards the enemy’s lines at a walking pace. (WD)

War Illustrated July 1916

When about 100 yards off our original front line, we saw that the enemy was putting up a barrage in No-man’s-land and a lot of our infantry were knocked out going through. When we got right up to this barrage we made a dash and, as far as I could make out, lost very few men. One of the section officers, however, was wounded rather badly in the back.(LC) We found the Boche wire, when we got up to it, had been blown to pieces by our artillery fire and the trenches themselves had suffered so terribly that it was difficult to tell in what direction they ran.

[Described as nothing more than a shallow ditch in other sources] I had my first rest here; it was a hot day, and the packs were beginning to tell on us.(LC) As it looked as if the Boches were shortening their range, we thought it best not to make too long a stay at this spot and therefore pushed on as far as the [former German strongpoint behind the 2nd line] Glatz Redoubt [held by the 19th Manchesters]. In a few minutes No. 2 section came up [Capt Grundy must have been with 4 Section]; so far they had only lost three men. (LC) We lost about 25 men including the attached on the way. (WD) At this point a party of about 30 Boche prisoners were marched past; all of them apparently in great fear of their lives! They had all, seemingly, been very much shaken by our bombardment, and in the trench we were occupying there were many of them lying badly wounded. After a few minutes we mounted our guns and opened fire on the Boches to the left of Montauban [Breslau Point], as the [55th] Brigade there did not seem to have attained its objective.(LC) All this time our heavy artillery had been keeping up an intense bombardment on Montauban, and we could see our infantry waiting in the open in a long line [in Railway Valley], ready to go in when the artillery fire lifted. Later there seemed to be some slackening of the fire and our troops immediately went forward. The whole thing was done as if on parade. They went over at a steady walk, keeping their dressing all the time. As far as we could see, there was no hostile rifle fire from Montauban at all and, as yet, no shell fire was falling on them. [Sustained machine fire from the approaches to the village caused significant casualties to the Manchester Battalions](LC) I then decided that this would be the time to get our machine-guns into Montauban, so we went forward‌(LC)

War Illustrated July 1916

Montauban defensive positions. Crown copyright

On arrival at MONTAUBAN, our guns were placed in the following positions. 4 guns in or near F Keep [behind 16th Manchesters in Montauban Alley]. 4 guns in or near C Keep [behind 17th Manchesters].

2 guns at B Keep [the crossroads to Guillemont/Longueval], [?] another 2 guns were placed in position about C Keep, making 6 in all, 4 guns in reserve by A Keep [near Church]. (WD) The whole place was literally blown to pieces, and it was with great difficulty we discovered where the roads had been. However, somehow or other, we managed to get both sections to A. Keep [west of the church], where we found some men already busily consolidating. We had only been there a few minutes when a Boche machine-gun started traversing the village‌(LC) At about 3.30 the enemy started advancing from the direction of LONGUEVAL between BERNAFAY WOOD & MARLBORO WOOD but we easily dispersed them with our Machine Guns. The enemy then heavily shelled MONTAUBAN we lost several of our men. MONTAUBAN was continually shelled all the remainder of the day. About 10p.m., we had news from the front line that the enemy were attacking. All the guns then put a ribbon fire round the village. The attack was stopped [in conjunction with the men of the 16th & 17th Manchesters]. With the exception of shelling everything was quiet until day break. (WD) Just before dusk there seemed to be a small attack, but it was easily dispersed by rifle and machine-gun fire. [Captain Grundy must have remained in A Keep during the German’s evening counter attack.] (LC) Among the ruins of Montauban

2ND JULY 1916 At day break there was a mist & the enemy managed to creep up & take the front line unawares.

[The 16th & 17th Manchesters were fully aware of the German advance] (WD) All that night we fired at all small parties of Boches who could be plainly seen, and as it grew light we heard the sound of bombs exploding and found the Boches were bombing Montauban Alley from the other end. (LC) There seemed to be about two Battalions attacking. The enemy managed to get [to] our front line but were completely stopped by 17th Bttn Manchester Regiment War Diary. Crown Copyright the M.G. fire & riflemen from th advancing further. [Confirmed by the 17 Manchesters War Diary].(WD) About 7 o’clock the bursting bombs seemed to be very close to one another and… about 30 of our men jumped out of the trench and started to retire towards us in Montauban. (LC) [This was the advance detachment of A Company, from 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment, retiring from Triangle Point, when they had used up all their grenades. “That was when jumping out of our own trench, sealed behind us at Triangle Point, after throwing all our bombs across the traverse to stop the enemy advancing along the trench. We were making for the main trench behind us… The N.C.O. in charge at this point, a young newly promoted Corporal, after bayonetting one of the invaders, had given the order to return to the main trench at our rear…”(Private A A Bell a bomber with 17th Manchesters) Lieutenant Nash of the 16th Manchesters suggested the Triangle Point detachment had withdrawn at the beginning of this German counter-attack at 3.30am. The timing of the withdrawal at 7am is more consistent with the 17th Battalion War Diary and Private Bell’s memoirs] Immediately on seeing this, the Boches jumped out of their trenches and started firing on them. We turned two machine-guns on the Boches and wiped the party completely out, but not before they had accounted for [almost] all our men.(LC) [The heavy machine gun fire from the 90th Company Machine Corps was strong enough for a small group to safely withdraw from Triangle Point to a shell hole towards the village. “There were eight of us in that [shell] hole, but there was plenty of room for more; we stayed there until nightfall – perhaps twelve hours later.” (A A Bell)] The wounded in our trench were coming into the dug-out at an alarming rate and soon it became evident that the only people holding the keep were the machine gunners, and we had only two men per gun. As the bombing attack seemed to be developing, the Company Commander sent a message

back for an artillery barrage. In a short space of time our shells started to come over, bursting in the valley in front of Montauban… [Lieutenant Nash recounted four waves of enemy infantry assaults before the British artillery bombardment began.](LC) During the day snipers were busy accounting for several casualties. Their sniper posts were located and these were wiped out by the Machine Guns. (WD)

After this, the attack seemed to fizzle out. Several Boche snipers however, had managed to get into position in the diagonal trench leading from Montauban Alley to Montauban. They managed to cover all the exits from C Keep and they got a number of our walking wounded, who were trying to get back. [This trench was slightly in advance of the 17th Manchesters positions, to the east of the 16th Battalion.](LC) The shelling was fairly heavy throughout the day, but there were no more infantry attacks…”(LC) At 10am the 2nd Battn Wiltshire Regt came in to reinforce and at night the whole [90th] Brigade were relieved by the 27th Brigade. The relief of the Coy being completed by 3am, 3rd Inst [July].(WD) [Private A A Bell was probably helped again by the 90th Machine Gun Company -“In the shellhole when it became dark on the night of the 2nd we were not absolutely sure whether the portion of main trench nearest to us was occupied by our troops or not, so it was arranged that one of us, a volunteer, should go along and, if all was well, to ask the machine gunner to give the signal “Rat-ta-ta-tat-tat – tat tat”. A volunteer was found and we trooped across to find our battalion had been relieved and we were eventually conducted some miles to our own positions.”]

CASUALTIES 1ST - 3RD JULY 1916

An examination of Commonwealth War Graves th Commission records show that ten men of the 90 Company died during the assault, with eight of those rd recorded by the Commission as having died on the 3 July. This date does not fit with the unit war diary and the account of the unit’s action written by Captain Leslie Grundy.

Captain Grundy states that a few hours prior to the attack 150 men were given a rum ration, so it is safe to say that th this is the approximate number of 90 Company men who went in to action. nd

th

On the night of 2 July 1916 the whole of the 90 th Brigade was relieved by the 27 Brigade, with relief of th rd the 90 Company MGC being completed by 3am on 3 July. Eight hours later the unit was resting at Happy Valley near Bray in the rear area.

Captain Charles Lesile Ord Grundy. Courtesy Emma eyonge

Now it was away from the front line the unit had time to take stock of casualties, and the war diary entry for the

rd

3 July reflects this by recording, “During the whole action we lost two officers & 29 other ranks, also ten men who were attached to us for belt filling purposes.” These figures probably comprise killed, rd wounded and missing. Those recorded as died on the 3 July were in all likelihood given the date for when the roll-call was taken. th

The absence of a nominal roll for the 90 Company MGC makes it very difficult to ascertain an exact number of dead relating to the unit’s action during the opening few days of the Somme offensive. th

A number of men who died on the dates in question were without doubt on attachment to the 90 th Company MGC from infantry battalions of the 90 Brigade. However, close examination of individual th CWGC records relating to the dead of the four infantry battalions that made up the 90 Brigade sees no mention of attachment to the 90th company. th

A notable example of this is Private Albert Ingham of the 18 Manchester Regiment who was shot at th dawn in November 1916 for desertion. His CWGC record does not show attachment to the 90 Company MGC but his Field General Court Martial paperwork does.

Interestingly, the CWGC record for Percy John ELDRIDGE shows 2.7.16 whereas every other record relating to him shows 3.7.16.

Also, Alvin Harker MOHUN, the only man with a known grave, has a burial return entry of 1.7.16.

However, the CWGC register and other records show 2.7.16.

ROLL OF H ONOUR th

st

nd

Below is a list of ten men belonging to the 90 Company MGC who probably died on 1 or 2 July rd 1916 rather than the 3 July. Notes are included for each man sourced from various records.

22264 Pte. Frank Gordon BEDFORD CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial th Formerly 8435, 17 Manchester Regiment IX Pln of C Coy. Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Trio Medal index card, Star & BWM/Victory roll: KIA 3.7.16 st rd Soldier’s effects: KIA 1 /3 July 1916 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16 Born 1891. Son of William and Sophia H. Bedford, of 2, Polefield Villas, Prestwich, Manchester.

Employed in Head Office of Lancashire & Yorkshire Bank.

7269 Pte. Ernest BURGESS CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly 11731 East Surrey Regiment Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal index card and roll: KIA 3.7.16 Soldier’s effects: KIA 3.7.16 Pension record: 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16 7273 Pte. Ernest George COOPER CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly 1672 Middlesex Regiment Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal index card and roll: KIA 3.7.16 Soldier’s effects: KIA 3.7.16 Pension record: 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16

8593 Cpl. William Arthur Frederick CUTHBERT CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly 8889 Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal roll: KIA 3.7.16 Soldier’s effects: KIA 3.7.16 Pension record: 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16 7277 L/Cpl. Percy John ELDRIDGE CWGC: 2.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly 8622 Royal Fusiliers Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal index card and roll: KIA 3.7.16 Soldier’s effects: KIA 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16.

7288 Pte. Joseph GEORGE CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly 1430 Middlesex Regiment Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal index card and roll: KIA 3.7.16 st rd Soldier’s effects: KIA 1 /3 July 1916 Pension record: 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16

Corporal William Cuthbert’s service medals

7297 Pte. Albert Edward KIRBY CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly G/8435 East Kent Regiment Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal index card and roll: KIA 3.7.16 st rd Soldier’s effects: KIA 1 /3 July 1916 Pension record: 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16 13227 Pte. Alvin Harker MOHUN CWGC: 2.7.16. Dantzig Alley Cemetery. Burial return states 1.7.16. Alvin’s remains had been exhumed from a battlefield grave and re-interred at Dantzig Alley.

Formerly 11926 Royal Highlanders Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal roll: KIA 2.7.16 Soldier’s effects: KIA 2.7.16 Pension record: 2.7.16 SDGW: KIA 2.7.16 11211 Pte. William NAYLOR CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly 23885 Essex Regiment Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal roll: KIA 3.7.16 Soldier’s effects: KIA 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16 14463 Pte. Robert SLAVEN CWGC: 3.7.16. Thiepval Memorial Formerly 27466 Royal Scots Medal entitlement: BWM/Victory pair Medal roll: KIA 3.7.16 Soldier’s effects: 3.7.16 Pension record: 3.7.16 SDGW: KIA 3.7.16

CAPTAIN GRUNDY “Jim” George Leslie Ord Grundy originally served in Gallipoli in 1915, commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Yorkshire & Lancashire Regiment. Following attachment to the Machine Gun Corps he was promoted to Captain on 3rd December 1915. He finished his Service as a Major. Captain Grundy was Mentioned in Despatches with the Machine Gun Corps.

He retired in 1922 and married Jeanne Upham Franklin in 1923. They had a son, George Michael Franklin Grundy two years later. In 1936 Jim was appointed a member of the Tanganyika Legislature.

MORE FROM THE BATTLEFIELD SLEUTH SERIES 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment on the Somme A website about my grandad’s service in the Battle of the Somme with the 2nd Manchester Pals. https://17thmanchesters.wordpress.com/ The Steel Helmet Film - Montauban 1st July 1916 A film with contemporary drone footage, archive photos and original interviews recounting the Manchester Pals on First Day of the Battle of the Somme. https://vimeo.com/140211157

Lt G L O Grundy in the uniform of the Yorks & Lancs Regiment. © James Keeley

Manchester Co-op's Battle of the Somme Recruitment and Losses in the Battle of the Somme, using the Case Study of Co-Operative Wholesale Society Head Office in Manchester. https://issuu.com/battlefieldsleuth/docs/cws_manchester_and_1914_recruitment Machine Gun Corps at Montauban supporting 17th Manchesters issuu.com/battlefieldsleuth/docs/machine_gun_corps_at_montauban Two Men in the 2nd Battle of Ypres. King's Own Lancasters and Hampshire Regiment A search for lost relatives commemorated on the Menin Gate. https://issuu.com/battlefieldsleuth/docs/two_men_at_the_2nd_battl e_of_ypres Military Biography of Captain R Mansergh MC - 2nd Manchester Pals issuu.com/battlefieldsleuth/docs/captain_robert_forbes_mansergh_ mc Military Biography of Captain John Edward Brown Served in Victorian Rifle Volunteers, East Yorkshire Regiment and Army Cyclist Corps. https://issuu.com/battlefieldsleuth/docs/john_edward_brown

Military Biography of the Marillier-Miller Family Three brothers who served in the Great War with the Manchester Regiment, Seaforth Highlanders, Machine Gun Corps and Royal Welsh Fusiliers. https://issuu.com/battlefieldsleuth/docs/marillier_miller Lieutenant Joseph Cotterill. New commemoration of Army officer who died in 1914. https://issuu.com/battlefieldsleuth/docs/lieutenant_joseph_cotterill Private Walter Keevil – Devonshire Regiment. A record and search for relatives. https://issuu.com/home/published/private_walter_keevil

GUEST BOOK | 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment on the Somme Comments, corrections or further thoughts are welcome via the Blog. https://17thmanchesters.wordpress.com/guest-book/

Thanks to Alice for more patient editing 1st Edition September 1916 and Neil York for his additions for the Second.