Moths remember Delville Wood
According to a German account, "The wood was a wasteland of shattered trees, charred and burning stumps, craters thick with mud and blood, and corpses everywhere."
As the world gets ready to mark the centenary next month of the Great War, the local Moths on Friday held their annual parade to mark the epic battle of Delville Wood which took place near the village of Longueval, on the Somme, between July 15 and 20, 1916.
Pat Rundgren, Endumeni Isandlwana Moth Shellhole Sergeant Major and military historian, recalled the facts that made this battle so significant.
Dundee links to Delville Wood
The South African Brigade was given the order to hold the Wood at all costs. Some 3 155 men entered the wood on July 15, 1916. By the time they were relieved on July 20, only 18 officers and 702 men of other ranks were left. The Wood had been reduced to matchsticks. To give some idea of the conditions under which they fought, on July 17 it was estimated that some 400 enemy shells per minute fell on the wood, only a few acres in extent.
According to a German account, “The wood was a wasteland of shattered trees, charred and burning stumps, craters thick with mud and blood, and corpses everywhere.
“In places they were piled four deep. Worst of all was the moaning of the wounded.”
Fred Jones, son of Norman Frederick and Hannah Jones of Dundee, survived Delville Wood. In a letter to his sister, Mrs JH Harris, he wrote:
“I am one of 93 of our Regiment to return from Delville Wood unhurt. It is impossible to describe what we have been through. No sleep for five days and nights, and hundreds of thousands of shells being poured on us. Men all around me have been killed and wounded. I often cry like a child when I think of it. I have lost practically all my chums – the casualties in our Regiment totalled 780. Only the Colonel is left of our Regiment, and I the only one of his staff.”
The following Dundee boys were wounded in action: T Barrett, G Garnett-Green, E Griffiths, A Heath and M Lasker. The following Dundee men were killed in action, or died of their wounds: AR Harris, T Hudson, R Humphrey, C Jenkinson, JD McKinnon, C Pollock (aged 17), J Ryder, JM Slattery (aged 50), RP Tatham and R Williams.
Talana WWI exhibit
Talana Museum opens their new World War I exhibit on August 4, where the local Moths will also be on parade.
