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SiteReference: 

AutoID: 

29/06/2016 - 09:09

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Friday, October 16, 2015

BriefStatementOfSignificance: 

The Delville Wood South African National Memorial is a World War 1 memorial to all South Africans who fell during the Great War including the African volunteers of the South African Native Labour Corps and the victims of the SS Mendi. It is the only memorial dedicated to the South African Forces and their role in the Battle of Delville Wood. The battle was the debut action of the South African Forces on the Western Front and is considered an example of supreme sacrifice and heroism. It was also the most costly that the South African Forces experienced during their involvement in the War. Included in the memorial is an Altar Stone in commemoration to the South African losses during the 2nd World War.

FullStatementOfSignificance: 

The Battle at Delville Wood is remembered for the courage and tenacity of the South African forces in the face of the enemy onslaught and forms an important role in our military history for the tactical lessons learnt.

Delville Wood commemorates and honours with pride the role played by South Africa in the World Wars and Koeran War, despite the split this caused in South African politics. The Memorial is a symbol of South Africa’s sacrifice and courage so gallantly demonstrated in their debut battle on the Western Front and other theatres of the Wars.

As part of the centenary celebrations and transformation in the telling of the history, the declaration of the site acknowledges this and the cultural value of the site in:

1)      Its close association to the historical event of the battle

2)      Authenticity of the site and its well preserved trenches, rides and memorials.

 

When the First World War broke out in 1914, the Union of South Africa, established in 1910, was still recovering from the economic and political devastation of the Second South African War.  The war ended in 1902 with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging.  The Union was fraught with political difficulties due to the residual animosity between the English and Afrikaans but also due to the discontent among Africans of their exclusion in the Vereeniging Settlement.  As a dominion of the British Empire, South Africa chose to fight on the side of the British and Allies.  This was contested in South Africa as many Afrikaans speaking people preferred to support the German Empire.

The First South African Infantry Brigade (SAI) was recruited at Potchefstroom in August and September of 1915 under the command of Brigadier General HT Lukin for services in Europe.  The Brigade consisted of 4 regiments:

1st South African Infantry Regiment (Cape of Good Hope Regiment)

2nd South African Infantry Regiment (Natal and Orange Free State Regiment)

3rd South African Infantry Regiment (Transvaal and Rhodesia Regiment)

4th South African Infantry Regiment (South African Scottish Regiment).

The Brigade arrived in England in November 1915, but was then sent to assist in Egypt.  After a successful campaign there, they disembarked at Marseilles, France in April 1916 and eventually formed part of the 9th (Scottish) Division.  It was part of this division that the South Africans made their debut on the Western Front at Delville Wood.

The Battle of Somme on the Western Front was launched on the 1st July 1916, as an attempted divert the German’s attention and assist the French who were under severe attack at Verdun.  The offensive was one of the largest battles of the War and resulted in losses unimaginable before at the outbreak in 1914. 

The Battle of Longueval and Delville Wood formed part of this offensive with the aim to capture the German Second position between Delville Wood and Bazentin le Petit.  The battle at Delville Wood achieved this, however, at extreme costs.  

After the 9th (Scottish) Division captured majority of Longueval Village on 14th July 1916 It was of utmost importance to establish a strong defensive flank around the village and that the right flank of Longueval be consolidated and held. Therefore,  the SAI were ordered to capture the Delville Wood and hold it all costs.  On the 15th July the South Africans were successful in capturing the Wood which formed a tactical salient and prevented an ideal German launch for attacks on the village.   The South African forces held the Wood for six days enduring unrelenting counterattacks and intense artillery bombardment.  The intensity of the attacks from both sides devastated the wood and resulted in catastrophic causalities.

The intense bombardment was made more difficult due to wet weather which reduced visibility, tree roots preventing the digging of proper trenches and the exhaustion of the troops. Movement of troops and supplies was hampered and therefore ammunition shortages were experienced and resulted in hand to hand combat.

The South Africans were relieved on the evening of the 20th July and had suffered immense losses.  Of the 3153 men who entered the wood on 15th July only 780 survived.  The British continued the battle and secured Delville Wood on 3rd September 1916.

Important tactical lessons were learnt from the battle, such as night assembly and advances, dawn attacks, building defensive lies on the fringes of wooded areas, troops relieved after 2 days to prevent exhaustion and ammunition and ration shortages.

Delville Wood was considered one of the bloodiest battles of the War and will be remembered for signal courage and tenacity of the troops, most especially the South African Infantry, the appalling causalities and for the lessons learnt.

Author: 

Clinton.Jackson
 
 

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