Richebourg-l'Avoué
Encyclopedia
Richebourg-l'Avoué is a village and former commune
in the Pas-de-Calais region of France. It was merged with Richebourg-Saint-Vaast to form the commune of Richebourg
on 21 February 1971.
, (as part of the 116th Southdowns Brigade of the 39th Division in Kitchener's New Army
). After a bombardment of the German trenches the 12th and 13th Battalions went over the top (most for the first time) and, under heavy fire, attacked the enemy trenches, bombing and bayoneting their way in. The 11th Battalion supplied carrying parties. They succeeded in taking the German front line trench, holding it for some four hours, and even briefly took the second line trench for about half an hour, beating off repeated counter attacks, and only withdrew from the shortage of ammunition and mounting casualties. Over a period of less than five hours the three Southdowns Battalions of The Royal Sussex lost 17 officers and 349 men killed, including 12 sets of brothers, three from one family.CSM Nelson Victor Carter
,won the Victoria Cross
for his actions in the battle, it was awarded posthumously. A further 1000 men were wounded or taken prisoner. In the regimental history this is known as The Day Sussex Died. The following day the Battle of the Somme began and 20,000 died on the first day.
cemetery and memorial is sited here. It was begun in November 1914 by the Indian Corps (in particular by the 2nd Leicesters), remaining in continual use until the end of the war (barring a time in German hands in April-August 1918). The Le Touret Memorial
is part of the cemetery. The Rue-des-Berceaux CWGC Cemetery is also sited here, and includes the burial site of Tony Wilding
.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Pas-de-Calais region of France. It was merged with Richebourg-Saint-Vaast to form the commune of Richebourg
Richebourg, Pas-de-Calais
Richebourg is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It was formed on 21 February 1971 by merging Richebourg-Saint-Vaast and Richebourg-l'Avoué...
on 21 February 1971.
World War One
On 30 June 1916 it was the site of the Battle of the Boar's Head, a diversion for the Battle of the Somme (which began the following day). This was fought by the 11th, 12th and 13th (Southdowns) Battalions of the Royal Sussex RegimentRoyal Sussex Regiment
The Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
, (as part of the 116th Southdowns Brigade of the 39th Division in Kitchener's New Army
Kitchener's Army
The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, Kitchener's Mob, was an all-volunteer army formed in the United Kingdom following the outbreak of hostilities in the First World War...
). After a bombardment of the German trenches the 12th and 13th Battalions went over the top (most for the first time) and, under heavy fire, attacked the enemy trenches, bombing and bayoneting their way in. The 11th Battalion supplied carrying parties. They succeeded in taking the German front line trench, holding it for some four hours, and even briefly took the second line trench for about half an hour, beating off repeated counter attacks, and only withdrew from the shortage of ammunition and mounting casualties. Over a period of less than five hours the three Southdowns Battalions of The Royal Sussex lost 17 officers and 349 men killed, including 12 sets of brothers, three from one family.CSM Nelson Victor Carter
Nelson Victor Carter
Nelson Victor Carter VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
,won the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his actions in the battle, it was awarded posthumously. A further 1000 men were wounded or taken prisoner. In the regimental history this is known as The Day Sussex Died. The following day the Battle of the Somme began and 20,000 died on the first day.
CWGC cemeteries
The Le Touret Commonwealth War Graves CommissionCommonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
cemetery and memorial is sited here. It was begun in November 1914 by the Indian Corps (in particular by the 2nd Leicesters), remaining in continual use until the end of the war (barring a time in German hands in April-August 1918). The Le Touret Memorial
Le Touret Memorial
The Le Touret Memorial is a World War I memorial, located near the former commune of Richebourg-l'Avoué, in the Pas-de-Calais region of France. The memorial lists 13,389 names of British and Commonwealth soldiers with no known grave who were killed in the area prior to the start of the Battle of...
is part of the cemetery. The Rue-des-Berceaux CWGC Cemetery is also sited here, and includes the burial site of Tony Wilding
Tony Wilding
Anthony "Tony" Frederick Wilding was a champion tennis player from Christchurch, New Zealand and a soldier killed in action during World War I near Neuve-Chapelle, Pas-de-Calais, France....
.