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Gueudecourt (Newfoundland) Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Gueudecourt Memorial is a Dominion of Newfoundland
war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the Battle of Le Transloy
of World War I
. Located about one kilometre northeast of Gueudecourt village, the memorial marks the spot where in October 1916, the Newfoundlanders played a decisive role in the capture and holding of a German strong-point. The site also marks the furthest point of advance of British units during the Battle of the Somme.
the 88th Brigade, the brigade in which the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was serving, was temporarily attached to the British 12th Division, which was holding Gueudecourt
. By nightfall on October 10, the regiment was manning a 450-metre section of the trench on the northern outskirts of the village.
The attack began at 2:05 pm on 12 October 1916. The regiment advanced in line with the 1st Essex Battalion
on their left. The men kept so close to the supporting artillery barrage that several became casualties from the shrapnel of their own supporting guns. Likewise, the Germans were compelled by the shelling to remain under cover and as a result were quickly engaged in hand-to-hand fighting. By 2:30 p.m. both assaulting battalions of the 88th Brigade had secured their initial objective, Hilt Trench in the German front line.
As the Newfoundlanders advanced to their final objective, Grease Trench some 750 metres from their starting line, heavy machine-gun fire coming from the front and the right flank forced the regiment back to Hilt Trench. On their left flank, a German counter-attack drove the 1st Essex Battalion back to the outskirts of Gueudecourt, leaving the Newfoundlanders with an open flank. Newfoundland bombing parties cleared and secured the vacated portion of Hilt Trench and as a result doubled the length of the regiment's front line. All ranks began digging in the hard chalk to construct a new firing step and parapet and reverse the former German position.
In the late afternoon the expected German counter-attack developed, but Newfoundland suppressive rifle and Lewis machine gun fire managed to drive off the German attack. The position was held against further assaults and during the night of 12 October, the arrival of a relieving battalion of the 8th Brigade enabled the Royal Newfoundland Regiment to hand over their responsibilities and go into reserve. During the 55 hours that had elapsed since they had entered the trenches on October 10, the Newfoundland Regiment had suffered 239 casualties, of whom 120 had been killed or would die of wounds. The Regiment had however been one of the few units on the whole of the British Fourth Army front to capture and retain its objective.
, Canada
. The memorial is a bronze caribou, the emblem of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, standing atop a cairn of Newfoundland granite. The mounds are also surrounded by native Newfoundland plants.
The Gueudecourt Memorial is situated on the D574 road, about one kilometre northeast of the village on a site that was the British front line of 17 November 1916, the final day of the British offensive at the Somme. Clearly visible behind the caribou as seen from the memorial's entrance is a preserved trench line. The area in which the memorial stands was seized by Newfoundland troops from the Germans on 12 October 1916 and marks the farthest point of advance of British units during the Battle of the Somme.
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
war memorial that commemorates the actions of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during the Battle of Le Transloy
Battle of Le Transloy
The Battle of Le Transloy was the final offensive mounted by the British Fourth Army during the 1916 Battle of the Somme.-Prelude:With the successful conclusion of the preceding Battle of Morval at the end of September, the Fourth Army of Lieutenant General Henry Rawlinson had finally captured the...
of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Located about one kilometre northeast of Gueudecourt village, the memorial marks the spot where in October 1916, the Newfoundlanders played a decisive role in the capture and holding of a German strong-point. The site also marks the furthest point of advance of British units during the Battle of the Somme.
The battle
After having spent 10 weeks in the Ypres SalientYpres Salient
The Ypres Salient is the area around Ypres in Belgium which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I.In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops...
the 88th Brigade, the brigade in which the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was serving, was temporarily attached to the British 12th Division, which was holding Gueudecourt
Gueudecourt
Gueudecourt is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-History:During the Battle of the Somme, the town of Gueudecourt had comprised one of the most distant objectives for the British drive that opened on 15 September 1916, a drive that has come to be known as the Battle...
. By nightfall on October 10, the regiment was manning a 450-metre section of the trench on the northern outskirts of the village.
The attack began at 2:05 pm on 12 October 1916. The regiment advanced in line with the 1st Essex Battalion
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
on their left. The men kept so close to the supporting artillery barrage that several became casualties from the shrapnel of their own supporting guns. Likewise, the Germans were compelled by the shelling to remain under cover and as a result were quickly engaged in hand-to-hand fighting. By 2:30 p.m. both assaulting battalions of the 88th Brigade had secured their initial objective, Hilt Trench in the German front line.
As the Newfoundlanders advanced to their final objective, Grease Trench some 750 metres from their starting line, heavy machine-gun fire coming from the front and the right flank forced the regiment back to Hilt Trench. On their left flank, a German counter-attack drove the 1st Essex Battalion back to the outskirts of Gueudecourt, leaving the Newfoundlanders with an open flank. Newfoundland bombing parties cleared and secured the vacated portion of Hilt Trench and as a result doubled the length of the regiment's front line. All ranks began digging in the hard chalk to construct a new firing step and parapet and reverse the former German position.
In the late afternoon the expected German counter-attack developed, but Newfoundland suppressive rifle and Lewis machine gun fire managed to drive off the German attack. The position was held against further assaults and during the night of 12 October, the arrival of a relieving battalion of the 8th Brigade enabled the Royal Newfoundland Regiment to hand over their responsibilities and go into reserve. During the 55 hours that had elapsed since they had entered the trenches on October 10, the Newfoundland Regiment had suffered 239 casualties, of whom 120 had been killed or would die of wounds. The Regiment had however been one of the few units on the whole of the British Fourth Army front to capture and retain its objective.
Memorial
The memorial is one of six memorials erected by the Newfoundland government following the First World War. Five were erected in France and Belgium and the sixth at Bowring Park in St. John's, NewfoundlandSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The memorial is a bronze caribou, the emblem of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, standing atop a cairn of Newfoundland granite. The mounds are also surrounded by native Newfoundland plants.
The Gueudecourt Memorial is situated on the D574 road, about one kilometre northeast of the village on a site that was the British front line of 17 November 1916, the final day of the British offensive at the Somme. Clearly visible behind the caribou as seen from the memorial's entrance is a preserved trench line. The area in which the memorial stands was seized by Newfoundland troops from the Germans on 12 October 1916 and marks the farthest point of advance of British units during the Battle of the Somme.