D Company, 18th Durham Light Infantry, Battle of Serre, 1 July 1916
The fate of D Company, 18th Durham Light Infantry, Battle of Serre, 1 July 1916
In Lt-Colonel W.D.Lowe’s book ‘War History of the 18th (S) Battalion Durham Light Infantry‘ published in 1920 he makes two extraordinary claimsregarding the battalions involvement in the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Firstly, that one of it’s companies (D) was virtually wiped out when ‘only 10 men had survived‘and secondly that some of D company made it as far as it’s objective before they ‘were never seen again‘. On a day in history where horrific casualties in the British Army were the norm such words as ‘annihilated‘, ‘destroyed‘, ‘wiped-out‘ and ‘devastated‘ seem to be overused. But in this instance can such words accurately describe what actually happened to D Company? Did some of their number reach their objective only to disappear?
This then begs the question: Was Lt-Colonel Lowe correct in his statement and did a single company of the 18th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (18/DLI) suffer such high casualties in the course of just a few hours on that July morning one hundred years ago? What really happened? With my curiosity piqued I had to investigate further. My search began, naturally enough, at the beginning…..
Lt-Col WD Lowe, who wrote the regimental history of 18/DLIMap of Serre, June 1916. The British front-line is in blue to the left of the image. D Company, 18/DLI starting position was approx. 35A (top left box) opposite point 87. Note location of Pendant Copse and the obstacles to be traversed to reach it. Source: IWM Collection.
Dispositions 93rd Brigade, 1 July 1916. Source: TNA 93rd Brigade War Diary, July 1916, WO95/2359-1.
Objectives of 93rd Brigade on 1 July, 1916. Pendent Copse is at the bottom of the 3rd objective line. Source: TNA
German aerial photograph of the area D Company attacked across (indicated). Pendant Copse is off the map to the right. Undated but likely 1916. Source: Generallandesarchiv Karlsruhe CollectionGerman aerial photograph looking towards British front-line in front (right side of image) of Serre. Undated but believed to be 1916. Note the area attacked by D Company, 18/DLI is at top left. Source: Generallandesarchiv Karlsruhe Collection
Tracing of British trench system along front-line facing Serre. Dated June 1916. D Company formed up along Monk Trench prior to the attack. Source: Lowe Collection, Durham University Library.
British trench system in front of Serre, June 1916. Note coloured routes in and out, bridges over trenches, dumps and RAP. Source: Lowe Collection, Durham University Library.
Map of German defences around Serre, July 1916, from IR169 war diary. Pendant Copse (Serre Weldchen) is at bottom right. Source: Generallandesarchiv Karlsruhe Collection
Extract from Hartlpool notebook. Source: Hartlepool Borough Museums
Extract from Hartlpool notebook. Source: Hartlepool Borough Museums
Extract from Hartlpool notebook. Source: Hartlepool Borough Museums
Extract from Hartlpool notebook. Source: Hartlepool Borough Museums
Extract from Hartlpool notebook. Source: Hartlepool Borough MuseumsExtract from Hartlpool notebook. Source: Hartlepool Borough Museums
