A GREATLY DESIRABLE "1st Day, Battle of The Somme"
(HEIDENKOPF REDOUBT) "Quadrilateral"
1st July 1916 Casualty 1914-15 Trio
To:
305796. Pte A. Thompson 1/8th ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE Rgt
KILLED IN ACTION 1st JULY 1916

[BIOGRAPHY]
Albert Thompson was born in Aston, Birmingham in 1896 the son of Albert J. Thompson & Minnie S. Thompson of 48, Auckland Road, Sparkbrook, late of 26, Gower Street, Lozells, Birmingham.

[TO FRANCE]
Albert Thompson arrived in France with 1/8th Royal Warwickshire Regt on 22nd March 1915. He was killed in action on 1st July 1916

[1st DAY OF THE SOMME, Saturday 1st July 1916]
At 07:30 hours on 1st July 1916 the British artillery lifted and the infantry, including the 1/8th Royal Warwickshire Regt, advanced in extended lines towards the German trenches. For a few moments there was silence, and then suddenly machine guns opened up from behind the largely unbroken German wire and cut down the attackers in massive swathes. The casualties, some 57,470 men, were the worst ever suffered by the British Army on a single day.

[1/8th ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGT. 1st JULY 1916]
On 1st July 1916 the 1/8th and 1/6th Warwicks were attached to the 4th Division for the attack & took the German trenches of the Heidenkopf Redoubt (The Quadrilateral) and it's support trenches. The 1/8th was in the first wave and entered the Heidenkopf with little opposition. This position is now the ground to the left hand side of Serre Rd No 2 cemetery, when facing the cemetery from the road. The Germans had prepared mines and they were to be exploded if the strongpoint was taken and this is the reason it was lightly manned on 1st July. However these mines were not blown which allowed the men from the 1/8th and 1/6th to reach deep into the German third line where they were cut to pieces by flanking machine gun fire from either side.

Both 1/8th and 1/6th Warwicks were decimated during the attack and only a handfull of men of each battalion came out unscathed. At roll call after the battle, the 1/8th could only muster 47 men out of 600 that went into the attack.

The remnants of both battalions and stragglers from other battalions valiantly held on until around 7:30pm in the evening despite many German counter-attacks and much brutal hand-to-hand fighting.

THE THEIPVAL MEMORIAL
The remains of majority of those killed were never found and they are now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.The casualties were 19,240 men killed outright on the 1st July and a further 38,000 wounded. These were the worst casualties ever suffered by the British Army on a single day.

[THE WAR DIARY OF 1/8th WARWICKS REGT 1st July 1916]
The following is the account of the action for the 1/8th Royal Warwicks taken from the War Diary:-
07:25. Enemy machine-guns opened up all along line. Three minutes later our troops are lined up lying on the parapet ready to advance. 07:30. Advance begins. Enemy first line reached and passed very quickly as also was the second. Only in one or two cases were any enemy seen in these two lines. Having plenty of casualties from machine-gun fire in enemy third and fourth line. At the third line we were temporarily held up by machine-gun fire but took it by rushes. From this point the fighting was all with bombs, along trenches. We reached our objective probably in 35 - 40 minutes from zero hour and at once commenced consolidating and cleaning rifles under the directions of Captain Martin and 2nd Lt Turner. By this time the next battalion was arriving (1/6th Royal Warwicks) but had had so many casualties that they could not go through us so helped consolidating. This happened with all battalions following us. Many times we were bombed from this position and regained it until bombs ran out. We had to retire to the third line, line the parapet and hold on with machine and rifle fire. Parties were detailed to collect as many bombs as could be found (both English and German) and when we had a good store we again reached our objective. No supply of bombs were coming from the rear so could not hold on and retired again. Enemy machine-guns and snipers were doing great amount of damage all the while. Enemy artillery opened but fortunately their range was over. Held on to this position until relieved by a battalion from the rear. Althrough the action no troops were seen on our right or left. This had a great deal to do with our inability to push past our objective.

An historically important & excellent 1st Day Somme casualty trio assembly to one of the less often encountered units.

A sheer classic which is clearly bound for the finest collection.

Medals are Good EF with their original ribbons. The 1914-15 star still exhibits much original red lustre. Group comes with full set of colour CWG copies of MIC etc.

£1550 with part-exchanges welcome.