*VIRTUAL TOUR - The Somme Offensive Continued* Beaumont Hamel

BEAUMONT HAMEL

51st Highland Division Memorial

In Beaumont Hamel, at the bottom of the Rue de la Montagne stands the white painted base of a flagpole. This flagpole commemorates the capture of the village by the 51st Highland Division on the 13th of November 1916. Until recently, however, only the base of the flagpole remained with a small conifer hedge behind it. An appeal was launched by the Scottish Branch of the Western Front Association (WFA) to reinstate the flagpole; generous donations were made by WFA members. The replacement flagpole was unveiled at Beaumont Hamel on the 90th Anniversary of the Battle, the 13th of November 2006. A new plaque by the flagpole with the insignia of the Highland Division gives information about the attack on the 13th of November, along with a verse written by Lieutenant E. A. Mackintosh of the Division who died in 1917.

As you arrive in Beaumont Hamel, you will notice several sites of interest along the road; this road leads across the 1916 Battlefield, crossing the German lines first, and then the British lines. Near the village was the Hawthorn Redoubt, a strong position in the German line, and this was where 1 of the mines was exploded on the 1st of July 1916. This mine was the only one North of the river Ancre, and was blown earlier than the others that day. Lieutenant-General Hunter-Weston, who commanded VIII Corps, originally wanted to blow the mine four hours before the Infantry attack. This was vetoed by GHQ, due to experience being that the Germans were better at occupying mine craters than the British. In the end, the mine was blown ten minutes before Zero Hour, at 07:20hrs, whilst the other mines were blown at 07:28hrs, two minutes before the infantry attacked at 07:30hrs. In addition, the VIII Corps Heavy Artillery bombardment lifted from the German Front-Line trenches and support trenches to the reserve trenches at 07:20 and 07:25hrs, again earlier than in other sectors. This meant that the Germans had good warning of the attack, and they were able to put down a barrage and machine-gun fire over the area, catching the attacking Troops as they formed up.

Hawthorn Ridge Mine

The Germans were able to man the Front-Line trenches, often standing in front and firing at the attackers. The 86th Brigade was to capture Beaumont Hamel, and Men from the 2nd Royal Fusiliers went forward to try and take the Hawthorn Crater, just ahead of the main attack. They did reach the crater, but the Germans were on the opposite side, and the Royal Fusiliers also came under fire from German trenches running to either side. Except for about 120 Men of the 2nd Royal Fusiliers, none of the other 86th Brigade Troops reached the German held positions here, and the attack failed.

The crater blown at the Hawthorn Redoubt can still be seen today; there is a sign in French by the side of the road, and a narrow steep track on the left leads to the crater. The original crater was later the site of a second mine, this time on the 13th of November, the day a successful attack took the village. The first mine, 1st of July 1916, used just over 40,000lbs of ammonal explosive; the second 30,000lbs. This was approximately ten times more than was used at High Wood, but less, on each occasion, than the single mines blown at Lochnagar, down the road. Consequently, this is actually a double crater, although it is very difficult to see much at all, as the crater is lined with trees and the undergrowth is thick. However, there are good views showing the advantage of the German positions. Located a little further South of the mine crater is Hawthorn Ridge No. 1 Cemetery. The track leading to it is muddy and rutted, but there are superb views down into the valley, looking along the British lines, and the Memorial to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and also Beaumont Hamel Cemetery can be seen below. Just where the small path leads off the track to reach the Cemetery is where the British Front-Line was located; the Cemetery itself is located in what was No-Man’s-Land in 1916. It is very small, with just two rows of graves and was one of the Cemeteries made in spring 1917 by V Corps, and was originally designated V Corps Cemetery No. 9. There are just over 150 Men buried there, only 82 of whom are identified. One of the identified Officers buried here is Second Lieutenant Eric Rupert Heaton, who like many others is one of two names shown on a headstone. Eric Heaton, the youngest son of Reverend and Mrs Heaton of Hove, was just 20 when he died on the 1st of July 1916, and a small plaque was later placed by his grave which is still there today. Also named on the same headstone is Lance Corporal John Schofield Heape from Bedford, who was the same age and died on the same day. In fact, the majority of the graves here are of Men who died on the 1st of July 1916; although, there are also a few from late June 1916, and also from the 13th of November when the village of Beaumont Hamel was finally taken.

The Edge Of The Crater

North of the Cemetery and the crater, and a little further along the road after the sign for the mine crater, is a sign on the right to the Monument Escossais. This is the Memorial to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who attacked at Beaumont Hamel on the 13th of November 1916, it is in the form of a massive Celtic Cross. In 1921, the site for the memorial to the 8th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was chosen. The owner of the site, which was located only yards from where the Battalion HQ was in 1916, near Hunter Trench, gave the land on nominal terms, and on Sunday the 4th March 1923, the imposing memorial was unveiled by the Duke of Argyll. The memorial is constructed of French limestone, and was sculpted by G. Paulin of Glasgow; it stands 27 feet high, with eight panels around the base, four larger ones on each cardinal face plus a smaller one at each corner. A grass track directly opposite the Memorial leads to Beaumont Hamel British Cemetery. Standing at the gate of the Cemetery, and looking back towards the road you can see directly opposite on the ridge behind the road the tree lined crater of the Hawthorn Ridge mine. Beaumont Hamel British Cemetery has brick entrance pillars by the gateway, but otherwise a low hedge surrounds the Cemetery. The Cemetery, standing in the old No-Man’s-Land, was started after the village was taken on the 13th of November 1916, and was used until February 1917; as with many other Cemeteries, more graves were moved here after the Armistice. It now contains 97 identified and 82 unidentified burials from the Great War, in two long rows of graves. Many of the burials are 1st of July casualties. There are two special memorials to Men known to be buried here, these are located directly behind the Cross of Sacrifice at the back of the Cemetery.