Delville Wood order of battle

Battle of Delville Wood
Part of the Battle of the Somme in the First World War
Date14 July – 15 September 1916
Location
Delville Wood, Longueval, the Somme, France
50°01′40″N 2°48′36″E / 50.0278°N 2.8099°E / 50.0278; 2.8099
Result British victory
Belligerents

 British Empire

 German Empire
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Douglas Haig
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Henry Rawlinson		 German Empire General–Major Fritz von Below
German Empire Max von Gallwitz
Strength
9 divisions, 1 brigade
Only brigades and battalions that participated in the actions associated with the Battle of Delville Wood are shown. For details on the full organisation, see the Order of Battle for the Somme.

The Battle of Delville Wood was fought from 14 July to 3 September 1916, one of the twelve battles of the Somme in 1916. It was fought by the British and French against the army of the German Empire in the Somme River valley in northern France. The battle was the début of the 1st South African Brigade (part of the 9th (Scottish) Division) on the Western Front, which captured Delville Wood and held it from 15 to 19 July. The casualties of the brigade were similar to those of many British brigades on First day on the Somme (1 July 1916).[1]

Delville Wood is well preserved with the remains of trenches, a museum and monument to the 1st South African Brigade. After the relief of the South Africans the battle for the wood continued until the end of August, when the last German footholds were captured by the 43rd Brigade of the 14th (Light) Division on 27 August. A large German counter-attack on 31 August regained part of the north edge of the wood until British attacks from 4 to 8 September, which secured the wood until the battles of 1918.[2]

Orders of Battle

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British and Dominion forces

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Map of the Longueval and Delville Wood area (commune FR insee code 80378)
Order of battle for actions associated with the capture of Trônes Wood: 14–15 July 1916.
United Kingdom 14th (Light) Division 14–15 July 1916[3]
Commander: Major-General V. A. Couper
Infantry: 41st Brigade 7th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
8th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
8th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
42nd Brigade 5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
5th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry
9th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
43rd Brigade 6th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry Regiment
6th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
6th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 11th Battalion, King's Regiment (Pioneers)
United Kingdom 18th (Eastern) Division 14–15 July 1916[4]
Commander: Major General I. Maxse
Infantry: 53rd Brigade 8th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment
8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
10th Battalion, Essex Regiment
6th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment
54th Brigade 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
12th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
55th Brigade 7th Battalion, Queen's Regiment
7th Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)
8th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
7th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 8th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
Order of battle for actions associated with the capture of Longueval: 14–17 July 1916.
United Kingdom 3rd Division [5]
Commander: Major-General J. A. Haldane then Major-General C. J. Deverell
Infantry: 8th Brigade 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots
8th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
7th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry
1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers
9th Brigade 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
13th Battalion, King’s Regiment
12th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
76th Brigade 8th Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Regiment
1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
Engineers
and Support:		 20th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
9th (Scottish) Division[6]
Commander: Major-General W. T. Furse
Infantry: United Kingdom 26th Brigade 8th Battalion, Black Watch
7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
5th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
10th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
United Kingdom 27th Brigade 11th Battalion, Royal Scots
12th Battalion, Royal Scots
6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers
9th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
South Africa South African Brigade
Major-General Sir Henry Lukin KCB CMG DSO		 1st South African Battalion (Cape)
4th South African Battalion (Scottish)
Engineers
and Support:		 9th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Pioneers)
Order of battle for actions associated with the first capture of Delville Wood: 14 July – 3 September 1916
United Kingdom 2nd Division 27 July – 4 August 1916[7]
Commander: Major General C. Monro
Infantry: 99th Brigade 22nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
23rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment
1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
Engineers
and Support:		 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (Pioneers)
United Kingdom 3rd Division 17–22 July 1916[5]
Commander: Major-General J. A. Haldane then Major-General C. J. Deverell
Infantry: 76th Brigade 8th Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Regiment
1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
Engineers
and Support:		 20th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
9th (Scottish) Division 14–22 July 1916[6]
Commander: Major-General W. T. Furse
Infantry: United Kingdom 26th Brigade 8th Battalion, Black Watch
7th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
5th Battalion, Queens Own Cameron Highlanders
10th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
United Kingdom 27th Brigade 11th Battalion, Royal Scots
12th Battalion, Royal Scots
6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers
9th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
South Africa South African Brigade
Major-General Sir Henry Timson Lukin KCB CMG DSO		 1st South African Battalion (Cape)
2nd South African Battalion (Natal & OFS)
3rd South African Battalion (Transvaal & Rhodesia)
4th South African Battalion (Scottish)
Engineers
and Support:		 9th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (Pioneers)
United Kingdom 17th (Northern) Division 4–11 August 1916[8]
Commander: Major-General P. R. Robertson
Infantry: 50th Brigade 10th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
7th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
7th Battalion, Green Howards Regiment
6th Battalion, Dorset Regiment
51st Brigade 7th Battalion, Royal Lincolnshire Regiment
7th Battalion, Border Regiment
8th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
10th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters Regiment
52nd Brigade 9th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
10th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
9th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
12th Battalion, Manchester Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 7th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
United Kingdom 20th (Light) Division 11 August – 3 September 1916[9]
Commander: Major-General W. Douglas Smith
Infantry: 61st Brigade 7th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry Regiment
7th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regiment
7th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
12th Battalion, King's Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 11th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry Regiment
United Kingdom 24th Division 30 August – 3 September 1916[10]
Commander: Major-General J. E. Capper
Infantry: 72nd Brigade 8th Battalion, Queen's Regiment
9th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
8th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment
1st Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment
73rd Brigade 9th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
7th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment
13th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
2nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters Regiment
Order of battle for actions associated with holding Delville Wood: 4 September 1916 – April 1917
United Kingdom 14th (Light) Division[3]
Commander: Major-General V. A. Couper
Infantry: 41st Brigade 7th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
8th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
8th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
42nd Brigade 5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
5th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry
9th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
43rd Brigade 6th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry Regiment
6th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
6th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 11th Battalion, King's Regiment (Pioneers)
Order of battle for actions associated with the second capture of Delville Wood: 1 – 28 August 1918
United Kingdom 38th (Welsh) Division[11]
Commander: Major-General I. Phillips then Major-General C. G. Blackader
Infantry: 113th Brigade 13th Bn, (1st North Wales), Royal Welsh Fusiliers
14th Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
15th Bn, (1st London Welsh), Royal Welsh Fusiliers
16th Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
114th Brigade 10th Battalion (1st Rhondda), Royal Welsh Regiment
13th Battalion (2nd Rhondda), Royal Welsh Regiment
15th Battalion (Carmarthenshire), Royal Welsh Regiment
14th Battalion (Swansea), Royal Welsh Regiment
115th Brigade 17th Bn, (2nd North Wales), Royal Welsh Fusiliers
10th Bn, (1st Gwent), South Wales Borderers
11th Bn, (2nd Gwent), South Wales Borderers
16th Bn, (Cardiff City), Royal Welsh Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 19th Battalion (Glamorgan Pioneers), Royal Welsh Regiment

South African casualties

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1st South African Brigade: Casualties during the Battle of Delville Wood 14–20 July 1916[12]
Brigade / Unit Unit strength
14 July		 Killed Wounded Missing / POW Died of wounds
to October		 Total Casualties Effective unit
strength after
20 July
Off* Other
Ranks		 Total Off* Other
Ranks		 Total Off* Other
Ranks		 Total Off* Other
Ranks		 Total Off* Other
Ranks		 Total Off* Other
Ranks		 Total Off* Other
Ranks		 Total
1st Battalion 31 748 779 7 108 115 17 346 363 2 73 75 1 29 30 27 556 583 4 192 196
2nd Battalion 28 669 697 11 95 106 12 373 385 0 92 92 3 25 28 26 585 611 2 84 86
3rd Battalion 29 847 876 8 120 128 15 403 418 6 225 231 0 30 30 29 778 807 0 69 69
4th Battalion 27 672 699 4 104 108 15 293 308 1 84 85 0 32 32 20 513 533 7 159 166
Other 8 96 104 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 6 96 102
Total 123 3,032 3,155 30 427 457 61 1,415 1,476 9 474 483 4 116 120 104 2,432 2,536 19 600 619

Note: * = Officers

German Forces

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Order of battle for forces of the German Empire for actions in Trônes Wood, Longueval and Delville Wood: 14 July – 3 September 1916
German Empire 3rd Guard Division [13]
Commander: Generalmajor von Lindequist
Infantry: Garde–Infanterie–Brigade Nr. 6 Garde–Füsilier–Regiment
Lehr Infantry Regiment
Colbergsches-Grenadier-Regiment Graf Gneisenau Nr. 9
Cavalry: Garde Reserve Ulanen Regiment
Artillery: Garde–Artillerie–Brigade Nr. 63 Garde–Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr. 5
II.Bataillon/Reserve–Fußartillerie–Regiment Nr. 6
Engineers
and Support:		 1. Kompanie/Pionier–Bataillon Nr. 28 Pionier–Kompanie Nr. 274
Garde–Minenwerfer–Kompanie Nr. 3 3rd Guards Telephone Detachment
German Empire 5th Division [13]
Commander: Generalleutnant Wichura
Infantry: Infanterie–Brigade (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 10 Grenadier–Regiment Nr. 8
Infanterie–Regiment von Alvensleben (6. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 52
Grenadier–Regiment Prinz Karl von Preußen (2. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 12
Field Machine Gun Company
Cavalry: 1/2" Husaren–Regiment von Zieten (Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3
Artillery: 5.Feldartillerie–Brigade (Brandenburgisches) Feldartillerie–Regiment General–Feldzeugmeister (2. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 18
Neumärkisches Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr. 54
Engineers
and Support:		 1./Pionier–Bataillon von Rauch (1. Brandenb.) Nr. 3 3./Pionier–Bataillon von Rauch (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 3
Minenwerfer–Kompanie (Brandenburg) Nr. 5 5th Brandenburg Telephone Detachment
German Empire 5th Bavarian Division [14]
Commander: Generalleutnant Endres
Infantry: 9. bayerische Infanterie–Brigade Kgl. Bayerisches 14. Infanterie–Regiment Hartmann
Kgl. Bayerisches 21. Infanterie–Regiment Großherzog von Mecklenburg–Schwerin
10. bayerische Infanterie–Brigade Kgl. Bayerisches 7. Infanterie–Regiment Prinz Leopold ment
Kgl. Bayerisches 19. Infanterie–Regiment König Viktor Emanuel III. von Italien
Cavalry: Kgl. Bayerisches 2. Chevaulegers–Regiment (2 Sqn's)
Artillery: 5. bayerische Feldartillerie–Brigade Kgl. Bayerisches 6. Feldartillerie–Regiment Prinz Ferdinand von Bourbon, Herzog von Calab
Kgl. Bayerisches 10. Feldartillerie–Regiment
Flugabwehrkanone–Abteilung (Anti–Aircraft section)
Engineers
and Support:		 Minenwerfer–Kompanie (Bayerisches) Nr. 5 1 & 4.Kompanie/Kgl. Bayerisches 3. Pionier–Bataillon
5th Bavarian Pont. Engineers 5th Bavarian Telephone Detachment
84th Labour Battalion 1st Bavarian Balloon Squadron
German Empire 7th Division [13]
Commander: Generalleutnant Riedel
Infantry: 13. Infanterie–Brigade Infanterie–Regiment Fürst Leopold von Anhalt–Dessau (1. Magdeburgisches) Nr.26
Cavalry: 2.Eskadron/Magdeburgisches Husaren–Regiment Nr. 10
Artillery: Artillerie–Kommandeur 7 Feldartillerie–Regiment Prinz–Regent Luitpold von Bayern (Magdeburgisches) Nr. 4
Altmärkisches Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr. 40
Engineers
and Support:		 1./Magdeburgisches Pionier–Bataillon Nr. 4. 7 Pont Engineers
7th Telephone Detachment
German Empire 8th Division [13]
Commander: General der Infanterie Ernst II. Herzog von Sachsen–Altenburg
Infantry: 15. Infanterie–Brigade Altenburger Regiment 8.
Thüringisches Infanterie–Regiment Nr. 93
16. Infanterie–Brigade Thüringische Infanterie–Regiment Nr.72
Thüringisches Infanterie–Regiment Nr. 153
Cavalry: "1/2" Magdeburgisches Husaren–Regiment Nr. 10
Artillery: 8. Feldartillerie–Brigade Torgauer Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr.74
Mansfelder Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr.75
Engineers
and Support:		 Minenwerfer–Kompanie Nr. 8 2./Magdeburgisches Pionier–Bataillon Nr. 4
3./Magdeburgisches Pionier–Bataillon Nr. 4 8th Telephone Detachment
German Empire 10th Bavarian Division [14]
Commander: Generalmajor Burkhardt
Infantry: 20. bayerische Infanterie–Brigade Königlich Bayerische 16. Infanterie–Regiment Grossherzog Ferdinand von Toskana
Bayerische 6. Reserve–Infanterie–Regiment
Bayerische 8. Reserve–Infanterie–Regiment
Cavalry: Bayerische 5. Kavallerie–Regiment
Artillery: 10. bayerische Feldartillerie–Brigade Bayerisches 19. Feldartillerie–Regiment
Bayerisches 20. Feldartillerie–Regiment
Engineers
and Support:		 Minenwerfer–Kompanie (Bayerisches) Nr. 10 20 Kompanie Nr. 4 (Bayerisches) Pionier–Bataillon
10th Pont. Engineers 10th Telephone Detachment
German Empire 12th Reserve Division [14]
Commander: Generalmajor von Kehler
Infantry: 22. Reserve–Infanterie–Brigade Remains of the Infanterie–Regiment von Winterfeldt (2. Oberschlesisches) Nr.23
Fusilier–Regiment Feldmarschall Graf Moltke (1.Schlesisches) Nr.38 (Ehrenstein–Riebel Bn)
Cavalry: Reserve–Ulanen–Regiment Nr. 4
Artillery: Reserve–Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr. 12 7. & 32. Flugabwehrkanone–Abteilung (Anti–Aircraft sections)
Engineers
and Support:		 Reserve Minenwerfer–Kompanie Nr. 212 1.Reserve–Kompanie/Pionier–Bataillon Nr. 6
2.Reserve–Kompanie/Pionier–Bataillon Nr. 6 12th Reserve Telephone Detachment
8. bayerische Arbeit–Bataillon
German Empire 17th Reserve Division [14]
Commander: Generalmajor von Zieten
Infantry: 33rd Reserve Brigade Reserve Infanterie Regiment Nr.75
Schleswig–Holsteinisches Infanterie Regiment Nr. 163
Cavalry: Reserve Hussar Regiment Nr. 4
Artillery: 17th Reserve Feldartillerie–Regiment (10 Bty's)
Engineers
and Support:		 4 Field Co 2.Pion Bn Nr. 9
Pionier Kompanie Nr. 340 Minenwerfer–Kompanie Nr.217
17 Res Pont Engineers
German Empire 24th Saxon Reserve Division [14]
Commander: Generalmajor Morgenstern–Doring
Infantry: Königlich Sächsische Reserve Infanterie Regiment Nr. 104 Königlich Sächsische Reserve Infanterie Regiment Nr. 107
Königlich Sächsische Reserve Infanterie Regiment Nr. 133
Cavalry: Kgl. Sächs. Reserve-Ulanen-Regiment (3x Sqn)
Artillery: 24th Reserve Feldartillerie–Regiment (6 Bty's) 40th Reserve Feldartillerie–Regiment (6 Bty's)
Engineers
and Support:		 3 Res Co 12.Pion Bn Reserve Pionier Kompanie Nr.4 Pionier Battalion Nr. 12
Minenwerfer–Kompanie Nr.224 24 Res Pont Engineers
24 Res Tele Detach
German Empire 26th Division [13]
Commander: Generalleutenant Herzog Wilhelm von Urach
Infantry: Grenadier–Regiment Königin Olga (1. Württembergisches) Nr.119 Infanterie Regiment Kaiser Friedrich, König von Preußen (7. Württembergisches) Nr.125
Infanterie Regiment Alt–Württemberg (3. Württembergisches) Nr.121
Cavalry: Uhlan Regiment Nr.20 (3 x Sqn)
Artillery: Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr.29 Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr.65
Engineers
and Support:		 Feldt–Pionier Kompanie Nr.1 and 5 Feldt–PionierBattalion Nr. 13 Minenwerfer–Kompanie Nr.26
26 Pont Engineers 26 Tele Detach
German Empire 56th Division [13]
Commander: Generalmajor von Wichmann
Infantry: Fusilier–Regiment Prinz Heinrich von Preußen (1. Brandenburgisches) Nr.35 2. Nassauisches Infanterie–Regiment Nr.88
Infanterie Regiment Prinz Carl (4.Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 118
Cavalry: Uhlan Regiment Nr.17 (1 x Sqn)
Artillery: 56. Feldartillerie–Brigade Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr.111
Feldartillerie–Regiment Nr.112
Engineers
and Support:		 Feldt–Pionier Kompanie Nr.111 Feldt–Pionier Kompanie Nr.112
Feldt–Pionier Kompanie Nr.6 PionsierBattalion Nr. 26 Minenwerfer–Kompanie Nr.56

Footnotes

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German trench Delville Wood, September 1916
  1. ^ GPSO 2010, pp. 99–111.
  2. ^ Miles 1992, pp. 90–100, 102–112, 136–141, 149–156, 178–185, 190–196, 262–270.
  3. ^ a b Miles 1994, p. 109.
  4. ^ Liddle 2001, p. 186.
  5. ^ a b Miles 1994, p. 107.
  6. ^ a b Ewing 2009, pp. 397–399.
  7. ^ Wyrall 1921, p. 246.
  8. ^ Liddle 2001, p. 187.
  9. ^ Moorhouse 2003, p. 267.
  10. ^ Miles 1994, p. 111.
  11. ^ Miles 1994, p. 113.
  12. ^ Uys 1991, pp. 194–198.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Miles 1994, p. 118.
  14. ^ a b c d e Miles 1994, p. 119.

References

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Memorial, South African Brigade Headquarters, Delville Wood.
  • Ewing, J. (2009) [1921]. The History of the Ninth (Scottish) Division 1914–1919 (Naval & Military Press ed.). London: John Murray. ISBN 978-1-84342-190-0.
  • Liddle, P. (2001) [1992]. The 1916 Battle of the Somme. London: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-84022-240-1.
  • Miles, W. (1992) [1938]. Military Operations in France and Belgium 1916: 2 July to the End of the Battles of the Somme. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. II (Imperial War Museum & Battery Press ed.). London: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-89839-169-5.
  • Miles, W. (1994) [1938]. Military Operations, France and Belgium 1916: Maps and Appendices. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Vol. II (Imperial War Museum & Battery Press ed.). London: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-89839-207-4.
  • Moorhouse, B. (2003). Forged by Fire: The Battle Tactics and Soldiers of a World War One Battalion, The 7th Somerset Light Infantry (1st ed.). Staplehurst: Spellmount. ISBN 978-0-89839-207-4.
  • The Union of South Africa and the Great War 1914–1918: Official History (Imperial War Museum and Naval & Military Press ed.). Pretoria: Government Print and Stationery Office. 1924. ISBN 978-0-89839-207-4. OCLC 16795056.
  • Uys, I. (1991). Rollcall: The Delville Wood Story. Germiston: Uys Publishers. ISBN 978-0-9583173-1-3.
  • Wyrall, E. (1921). The History of the Second Division, 1914–1918. Vol. II. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons. OCLC 869415401.

Further reading

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Books

Journals

  • Uys, I. (December 1986). "South Africans at Delville Wood". South African Military History Journal. 7 (2). South African Military History Society/Die Suid-Afrikaanse Krygshistoriese Vereniging. ISSN 0026-4016. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
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