Bullecourt Battles - April & May 1917

[1954gladiator]

Have just completed my own Battlefield tour of Ypes & The Somme where my grandfather fought in the Manchester Regiment 20th & 22nd Bn's.  

When I arrived at Bullecourt which is 'off the main Somme Battlefield route' imagine my surprise to find no evidence of the Manchester Regiments involvement here!    Michael Stedmans book the Manchester Pals gives detailed account on pages 166 to 171 of significant involvement of the 20th, 21st & 22nd Bn's!!

What I did find was the 'Digger Memorial' to the Australian Imperial Force - see image & descriptions of their action.

I also found a museum at 1 Rue d'Arras - 62128 Bullecourt run by an 82 year old Jean Letaille-Boulogne AM - see image of both. It is full of memorabilia but only Australian.    There were shells, bottles, boxes that held provisions, Aussie soldiers pics, medals, stories etc. tank parts, maps, rifles, barbed wire etc. etc.  Jean wanted my 1st edition Manchester Pals book & copies of my grandfathers memorabilia for the museum which I happily donated as I have replacements.  In return he presented me with a British 18lb & a German 77mm shell.  Both are complete with full brass & steel casing, with a brass fuse cap for the 18lb & steel armour piercing cap for the 77mm - I hasten to add these shells are not 'live'.

Anyway you may be interested to read that the Australian government have awarded Jean their gold 'Australian Medal of Honour' for his work which he showed me & they have had him over as their guest on several occassions to celebrate military commemorations.  Guess what?  They have just bought Jeans pemises & he showed me plans for a new 'Aussie' museum at Bullecourt that they will build.  Let's hope they mention the Manchesters?!  

      

[timberman]

Hi
Looks like you had a great time.

I don't know if you know there is a memorial to the 20th, 21st, 22nd and the 24th Battalions of the Manchester Regiment in the Village of Mametz.

Mametz, France
A bronze memorial plaque to the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th Battalions (Manchester Pals) was unveiled by Captain Robert Bonner on 1st July 1994. It had been funded by the Lancashire & Cheshire Branch of the Western Front Association. It is mounted on a brick plinth in the centre of the village of Mametz. The text is in English and French:

This plaque commemorates the everlasting memory of the 20th, 21st, 22nd & 24th Battalions of the Manchester Regiment who, as part of the British 7th Division successfully freed this village on the morning of 1st July 1916.

Timberman

[1954gladiator]

Hi Timberman

Didn't know about the Mametz memorial & didn't go there as my grandfather only became a Manchester later in 1916. Thanks for posting the image of the plaque that Robert unveiled for me to see though.

I had a great time - not only following my Manchester grandfather but also my wifes Essex grandfather.  Believe it or not he fought at Beaumont Hamel in 1916 & was wounded there.  From War Diary extracts his Bn. (Ist Essex) were in action in the first assault before the Canadians.  Guess what?!   Beaumont Hamel is a huge memorial & museum to the Newfoundlanders & there is no mention of the Essex anywhere!!  

My Battlefield Tour also took me to Belgium following my grandfather in the 2Oth Manchesters & my great uncle in the Anson Bn. RNVR.  My great uncle was KIA near Paschendaele in 1917.  I visited the Museum in the town & copies of my Memorabilia about both my ancestors are now with their Archivisit. Rest assured the Manchesters will have a prescence in the Paschendaele Museum now!  

[Fritz Bayer]

 Believe it or not he fought at Beaumont Hamel in 1916 & was wounded there.  From War Diary extracts his Bn. (Ist Essex) were in action in the first assault before the Canadians.  Guess what?!   Beaumont Hamel is a huge memorial & museum to the Newfoundlanders & there is no mention of the Essex anywhere!!  

To be fair, the 1/Essex attacked to the immediate south of the Newfoundlanders (they were a seperate entitly from Canada until 1949... no Canadian units 'went over' on the Somme front 1st July) and moved forwards at exactly the same time. The waves in front of the 1/Newfoundland Regt (like the Essex, they were also 3rd wave) attacking (or attempting to attack!) over the same ground were the 2/SWB and 1/Border Regiment...neither of whom are commemorated on the ground other than in the all-encompassing 29th Div memorial.

dave

[Fritz Bayer]

When I arrived at Bullecourt which is 'off the main Somme Battlefield route' imagine my surprise to find no evidence of the Manchester Regiments involvement here!    Michael Stedmans book the Manchester Pals gives detailed account on pages 166 to 171 of significant involvement of the 20th, 21st & 22nd Bn's!!

What I did find was the 'Digger Memorial' to the Australian Imperial Force -      

Australians have deeper pockets!

The thing is, if all units involved in the area were to be commemorated, the place would be littered with monuments. For example, the 62nd (W. Riding) Division (which the 7th Div was in reserve for (initially) in the assault on Bullecourt) also has no memorial in the area, however 'Bullecourt' is mentioned on its memorial at Havrincourt. A 7th Div memorial can be found at Zonnebeke (mainly commemorating its actions in the Ypres salient , but is 'in remembrance...1914-18'), etc etc...    If all battalions were to be individually commemorated on the sites of only a fraction of their exploits, then I'd think that the whole Western front would resemble a somewhat cluttered Victorian graveyard!

dave

[1954gladiator]

Dave

Thanks for your posts, clarifications & observations about memorials 'littering' all over the place leaving the whole Western front a 'cluttered Victorian graveyard'.  You are absolutely right of course.

I was just a little disappointed to find absolutely no mention of the Manchesters anywhere at Bullecourt & the Essex at Beaumont Hamel (particularly in the 'old & ramshakle' Bullecourt Museum & 'new & modern' Beaumont Hamel one) as 2 family grandfathers fought & survived here ......thankfully. 

Maybe the Australians will put up a panel with an accurate account of 'ALL' that went on at Bullecourt when they build & set out their new museum!  Perhaps someone like Robert will look into this on behalf of the Manchesters? 

Clive

[harribobs]

if you ever get hold of a copy of 'The Great War' by Les Carlyon, you'll realise that the Australians won the war 

*ducks*

[cypresslodge]

You mean they didnt?

Crosses that book of the to read list

Cheers
Sharon

[1954gladiator]

Readers of this topic might be interested in what Jean Letaille (the current museum owner/curator) has just sent me......an artists impression of what will be the new Australian Museum 1914/1918 at Bullecourt .....scheduled for completion & opening in November 2012.  

Hope that they will make some mention of the British Regiments (including the Manchesters) whose troops bravely fought alongside their troops at Bullecourt as well.  

[1954gladiator]

Better image ....perhaps?