Page 215 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

“So, soon they topped the hill, and raced together
Over an open stretch of herb and heather
Exposed. And instantly the whole sky burned
With fury against them; and soft sudden cups
Opened in their thousands for their blood; and the green slopes Chasmed and steepened sheer to in nite space,
Some say God caught them even before they fell.”
DLI Association visit to the Somme
18th–23rd September 2016
On Sunday 18th September members of the Associ- ation left Gilesgate on the dot of 1.00pm and headed to Hull and an overnight crossing to Zebrugge where the pedestrian gangway had failed. Boarding and disembarking therefore provided an early challenge but the group got away and headed swiftly south to the rst event of the day: the unveiling of a memorial seat close the entrance of the Thiepval memorial. Here senior of cers of Durham County Council, own over specially for this event, accompanied by the Council Chairman, Cllr Eddie Ball, and James Ramsbottom, Chairman of the North East Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the DLI Trustees, unveiled an attractively designed metal seat in memory of the Durham Pals. The Northern Echo covered the whole event..
Thereafter the tour began under the guidance of the excellent Clive Bowery, ably supported by the knowledgeable Harold Moses. It was a treat of infor- mation from start to nish. In the afternoon we were taken along the front line of July 1st 1916 Montauban to Mametz, Fricourt, Shelter Wood (where the 15th Bn DLI went into action on the very rst day), then on to Lochnagar and the massive bomb crater which startled the Germans but was of modest gain. We then traced the front line round past Ovilliers and Authville Wood before reaching Arras and our accommodation in the local Holiday Inn.
There is a thing about French Hotels that all travellers should understand. They may have booked a room but getting into it is another matter. The swipe cards tend to be surly and treat residents with a Gallic shrug. And so it was that our two veterans, tour leader Lt Col John Heron and Major Paul Wharton, found themselves locked out. French swipe cards have to be nessed and nessing was clearly not their forte. The saga ran all week and daily reports were published (in duplicate).
Throughout the week we were blessed with beautiful late summer sunshine. On the Tuesday morning we made our way via Serre (which saw action by the 18th Bn DLI) to Shef eld Memorial Park recalling here the tragedy of the Pals battalions, with a particularly evocative visit to the trench that launched the Accrington Pals over at, rising land towards the German lines. Wilfred Owen vividly describes their fate in his remarkable and moving poem “Spring Offensive”:
On to Serre No 1 Cemetery and another tragedy on July 1st 1916: the death of Horace Iles, just 16 years of age and the heart rending letter from his sister Florrie begging him to tell them his age and simply come home. It was too late: he was already dead. Then on to Thiepval and the RBL Service of Remem- brance, followed by a leisurely lunch break at Avril Williams’ place, a well known watering hole in this part of France. Afterwards we covered the advance of the 6th, 8th and 9th Bns DLI which included the menacing and deadly Butte de Warlencourt. Finally we made our way to Hermies British Cemetery to visit the grave of Roland Boys Bradford VC, MC, which, being found to be rather neglected and grubby, was scrubbed clean by Major Chris Lawton.
On Wednesday we set off to Vimy Ridge and the imposing Canadian war memorial looking out over the Douai plain with its shadowy trio of abandoned spoil heaps. We then changed course for a while and followed the route in 1940 of the 8th Bn DLI in the Arras Counterattack, which temporarily halted the German advance. The 8th Bn column was halted at Warlus, an action commemorated by a wreath laying at the village war memorial. After lunch we continued our investigation into the movements of 6th Bn DLI in the same phase of the con ict. In the end it came to nought as they were rolled back to Dunkirk. Before returning to Arras we visited Wancourt where the DLI saw action during Easter 1917. In a year so little had been gained and so many lives lost.
The following day, after dislodging two asylum seekers from under our coach, we headed back towards Zeebrugge stopping rst at the remarkable Wellington Underground tunnels which were cut into old quarries at Arras close to the German front lines, with a diabolical outcome for both sides. Then we moved on to Notre Dame de Lorette and the French memorial to their fallen. Finally we made a quick visit to Loos and viewed the at, featureless plains that saw deadly action in the early autumn of 1915.
Arriving at Zebrugge there was all round relief that Messrs Wharton and Heron were able to open their cabin door. Our tour thus ended on a happy note. Grenville Holland
JULY 1ST 1916: THE DEATH OF HORACE ILES, JUST 16 YEARS
OF AGE AND THE HEART RENDING LETTER FROM HIS SISTER FLORRIE BEGGING
HIM TO TELL THEM HIS AGE AND SIMPLY COME HOME
Twin seat is unveiled in Durham to mark the location from where 18DLI left to go to War in 1915