Battle of the Somme and Munster Alley

Bècourt Wood

The brigade rested for a few days at Picquigny. At the start of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. The 20th Division relieved the 34th Division but the 68th Brigade was held in reserve. On the 3rd July they occupied trenches along the railway embankment south of Albert.

In pouring rain the brigade move forward to Bècourt crowded with support troops for the 69th Brigade.

The 12th bivaced in the wood and the rest of the Brigade returned back the embankment. The 68th Brigade relieved the 69th on July 6th, with the 13th held in reserve.

The following day the 13th advance to the line and arrived waist deep in mud! By the 8th July the 13th occupied the trenches from Birch Tree Avenue, nr Peak Wood to the captured strong hold.

Bailiff Wood

The 13th assaulted the enemy with patrols and bombing parties. Continual assaults were made on Bailiff Wood.

By the 9th the 13th was dug in for 500 yards south of the cross road.

The next day the brigade advanced through the 13th front and captured Contalmaison. Two platoons of A Company were sent to fill the gap in the line beyond Bailiff Wood. The 13th left the line on the 11th July.

After a few days rest the 13th returned to the line and relieved the 6th Bedfords on 16th July nr Contalmaison. Then taking over the 12th trenches astride the Contalmaison-Pozieres road.

After constant shelling the 13th left the line under a gas barrage on the 19th July.

The Brigade spend the next week in Franzvillers to receive drafts and for rest.

Munster Alley

On 26th July the 13th occupied support trenches in Contalmaison. The next day the 13th took over the front line in the captured German trenches O.G.1 and O.G.2 which ran south east from behind Pozieres beyond which ran Munster Alley. No British troops had proceeded further than this (point 41) until the 13th arrived.

By the morning of the 28th, 'A' Company with the help of the 12th had dug Butterworth Trench.

Munster Alley was attacked and a barricade was established 70 yards up the alley. Heavy fighing occurred. But the barricade was retained. The 13th left the line on the 29th July.

The 13th spent the next few days in Albert.

On the 1st August the 13th moved to Peake Wood and on the 2nd they were back in the line at Munster Alley. They dug the Sap toward the Switch Line and strengthened the barricade. That night they went back to trenches near Contalmaison.

On the afternoon of the 4th August, the 13th prepared to assault Munster Alley.

The attack started at 9.16am after a pointless artillery barrage. The first wave of 'C' Coy was killed. Attacks up the trench and a second wave gained 60 yards before stopping at a German block.

A new barricade was established and held against repeated counter attacks. Harry was awarded his Distinguished Conduct Medal during this action.

After midnight, 'A' Coy moved through the Loop to support the attack and defend the new barricade.

The 13th was relieved by the Fusiliers the following morning and later that day returned to Albert.

The 13th Entrained for Armentières on the 11th August arriving a week later.

The 13th relieved the 23rd Middlesex in the trenches on the 17th August and had a quiet time though 'D' Company lost a patrol.

Military Medal

After a few weeks rest, the 13th was called upon to support the 140th and 141st brigades (47th Div) with carrying and working parties at High Wood.

Harry and another sergent managed to gather the remaining party together and deliver the bombs. Even though they did not know the way.

Harry and Sergent Fittes were both awarded the Military Cross.

'B' Company assisted the 140th Brigade and fought to gain the junction of the Flers line and a communication trench called Drop Alley.

The 13th retired to Bècourt on 20th September.

Two days later the 13th moved up to support position nr Martinpuich and was in the line by the 26th, but was relieved that night by the 70th Brigade, withdrawing to Bècourt once more.

In pouring rain and thick mud the 13th relieved the 8th DLI on October 3rd in the reserve and support postions of Le Sars.

Le Sars

Le Sars was attacked on the 7th. The 13th was down to two platoons per company. Their objective was to clear the ruins and establish a line beyond Sars, while the 12th cleared the Tangle and the sunken road. With heavy fighting and under massive enemy barrages they took the village and retired to Bècourt.