BATTLEFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

BATTLEFIELD BLOG

At all costs: The defense of Delville Wood by the South Africans (Photo Blog)

7/15/2017

8 Comments

 
South African National Memorial at Delville Wood,  Longueval.
South African National Memorial at Delville Wood,  Longueval.
At Delville Wood, the South Africans saw their first battle on the western front. The heroic story of the South Africans is one of bravery and sacrifice but also of death and suffering. 

springbok Nancy, South African regiment’s mascot
The  springbok Nancy  (here along with her keeper private Peterson) was the South African regiment’s mascot. 
Source: © IWM (Q 10675) http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205195294
For some kind of reason I was always intrigued by the Allied forces who fought many miles away from home.
I always took the time to stop at a grave when I saw the Springbock emblem of the South Africans. Some while ago, I read about their actions in Delville Wood. 

​

 At all costs

Delville Wood today, street stones
Delville Wood today. The stones mark the position of the rides existing in the wood back in 1916.  
They are named after streets of London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cape town.
The 1st South African Brigade was part of the 9th (Scottish) Division who had been tasked with an assault on the village Longueval. The South Africans objective was Delville Wood itself and its capture was essential to ensure the capture of Longueval and for the continuation of the offensive towards the village Flers.

The South Africans were ordered to capture the wood and hold it "at all costs". 
During 6 days and 5 nights they held the wood in what was more like a scene of hell, with constant shelling and machine gun fire. ​


Delville Wood map world war 1
Source: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/215314-green-dump-cemetery-longueval/

6 days of holding ground

On the 15th of July the South African 1st Infantry Brigade, 3153 men strong, entered the wood. They showed their determination and consistency and managed to capture most of the wood at the end of the day. Seeking shelter for the heavy artillery bombardment and machine gun fire, they dug in.  At times the artillery intensified up to 400 shells per minute only to be stopped for a German counterattack.
​
This scene repeated itself over and over again during the next days. Nevertheless, the South African soldiers -  completely exhausted and having suffered many losses - tried to hold their ground. Counterattack were beaten of and many duels were fought between defender and attacker.
​
The South Africans held the wood until the 20th of July, when they were relieved by fresh troops. 
​
On that morning only 142 souls came out of the wood and were saluted and accompanied by the sound of bagpipes from Piper Sandy Grieve of the Black Watch, who was a Boer war veteran.

​On the 21th of July eventually 780 men of the Brigade assembled. 
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF-8vdl5QFw
Many counterattacks by the germans took place during the next months in order to regain the lost ground but were beaten back by defensive fire and bad weather conditions. The battle of the wood ended in the beginning of September. 

Eyewitnesses described the wood as a demolished place of death with corpes of both sides piled onto eachother in trenches and shell holes. Bodyparts and ripped of flesh laid all over the wood and the horrific cry of wounded soldiers filled the air. 
​

Delville Wood after the war
Delville Wood just after the War. 
​
Source: http://digital.nls.uk/first-world-war-official-photographs/archive/74546764

The South African memorial

After the war a memorial was erected and the wood was to be seen as the last resting place of the fallen soldiers. Nothing more symbolic than replanting a wood after being destroyed by war.
​
Picture
The Central Avenue towards the South African National Memorial at Delville Wood,  Longueval. 
​
2 rows of oak trees are standing on each side of the lane, running up to the memorial. The oak trees were planted from acorns of a South African oak tree, which had been planted there in 1688 by a French settler. 
The memorial does not bear the inscribed names of South Africans missing in action on the Western Front. The names are included on memorials to the missing of the United Kingdom.
South African National Memorial at Delville Wood,  Longueval. With altar Stone.
South African National Memorial at Delville Wood,  Longueval. 
​
The altar stone was raised in 1952 and and commemorates the fallen of South African during the second world war.
The memorial building has an arch in the center. The wall on each side leads to two shelter buildings. The Arch holds the Bronze statue of 2 figures holding a horse. They represent the two white races of the nation: the British and the Afrikaners. The 2 figures are based on the mythical story of Castor and Pollux, the twins who had one mother and two different fathers. 
​
The arch of the South African National Memorial at Delville Wood,  Longueval
The arch of the South African National Memorial at Delville Wood,  Longueval. 
On the very top part of the archway, is carved the French phrase "AUX MORTS", signifying that this is a monument to the dead.
​
Over the great arches are the inscriptions "Their ideal is our legacy, their sacrifice our inspiration." 

"Vir ons is hul ideaal 'n erfenis

​hul offer ​'n besieling"

The memorial wall holds the names of all South Africans who fell during the war, irrespective of race, rank or unit. The wall was only recently raised (in 2016).
​

The South African memorial wall (Delville Wood,  Longueval) view towards the arch
The South African memorial wall (Delville Wood,  Longueval) - the view towards the arch.
The South African memorial wall (Delville Wood,  Longueval) view towards the Museum.
The South African memorial wall (Delville Wood,  Longueval) - the view towards the Museum.

Join us in remembering the men who fought and died

Today Delville Wood is one of those peaceful places were nature retook his place after the horrors that went on 100 years ago. The fallen are still present within its boundaries.
​
Please reply and let us know if you have any relatives who fought during the battle of Delville Wood. 

​Thank you for sharing our blogpost!
Sources
Delville wood by Nigel Cave
​http://www.greatwar.co.uk/somme/memorial-delville-wood.htm
http://delvillewood.com
https://tanniemossie.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/nancy-the-springbok-mascot.pdf

http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/south-africa-somme/
https://samilhistory.com/2017/07/09/a-south-african-soldiers-diary-captures-the-horror-of-delville-wood/



About our blog


We take you along our photographic journey through the World War battlefields in Belgium and France. 
​In remembrance of these World Wars, we will highlight every month a specific event, battle, region or regiment. ​​

July 2017


In July, we honor the men who fought and died during the battle of the Somme. Follow our page on Facebook and discover how we tell the stories behind our pictures of Beaumont-Hamel, Mametz wood, Delville wood and Pozières.
Picture
Picture
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Somme  (map edited)
8 Comments
Evan Daubermann link
7/15/2017 18:29:23

my great grandfather. Pte D Landy force no. P10129 was with the ist SA infantry brigade, 2nd SA infantry regiment. I believe he survived delville wood but lost his brother. I could not find out any more than information. he was my mothers grand dad and the daughter of his son j B Landy.

Reply
Tom Bruelemans
7/15/2017 20:30:38

Dear Evan,
Thanks for sharing. I tried to look him up but only found the name of Private H.E. LANDY who fought in the 2nd SAI. The 2nd regiment attacked the wood on the 15th along with the 3rd. Hope to find more about him in the future.

Best regards,
Tom
Battlefieldphotography

Reply
gail welch
7/15/2017 22:12:35

I lost a relative, Duncan Munro McDonald of 1st SAI at Delville Wood. Can you help trace his grave?.He died on the 17th July 1916..I look forward to hear from you.

Reply
Tom Bruelemans
7/16/2017 11:30:43

Dear Gail Welch,
I tried to look him up and I found out that he has no known grave. He is remembered at the Thiepval Memorial Panel Reference: Pier and Face 4 C. It says that his day of death was 18th of July. If that was indeed his day of death he could have been involved in the defence of the SA HQ near Princess street. I 'll keep on looking and will contact you if I find more detailed information.

Best regards,
Tom

Reply
trish dahl
7/16/2017 08:01:41

My great grandfather Captain Robert Beverley was awarded an MC for his part in the battle and I had no idea there had been a memorial erected recently . Beautiful . Thanks for sharing these pictures

Reply
Tom Bruelemans
7/16/2017 11:36:56

Dear Trish,
Thank you for you sharing this with us and for the kind words. I see that he was wounded on that terrible 18th of July. It seems like he survived the war?

Best regards,
Tom

Reply
Ryan Papenfus
1/28/2020 15:25:58

Just this last weekend I visited Delville Wood and the Thiepval Memorial in search of my Great Great uncle Pte Ronald Lock's name at the various sights. He was with the 4th South African Infantry. I found his name at Delville Wood and Thiepval Memorial. It was an amazing experience to actually stand in that wood where the ultimate sacrifice was made by him and so many others.

As a side note I got 6 pages of copies of his service records from the South African Defence Archives at email: [email protected]

They included his enrolment papers with his actual writing and signature on it, his medical he took to be enlisted, relocation records showing his moments from South Africa o England to Egypt to France and ultimately to Delville Wood. Even his pay that was sent to his father after his death.

Reply
Pregnant Escort Saguenay link
6/8/2025 03:50:04

It's amazing how these soldiers showed such bravery and resilience during this difficult time.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Battlefield Photography

    Visiting the former battlefields for the last 20 years, Tom was always attracted to the stories behind them and the men who fought and died there. He decided to combine his love for war history with the other things he likes, such as photography and writing. Together with his wife Sarah he founded "Battlefield Photography". 
    Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
    Your subscription has been successful. Please check your email and confirm your email address so we know that you are human :) This protects us from spam!

    Newsletter

    About

    Tom Bruelemans
    ​Author
    Photographer
    History addict
    Left side of the bed 
    Sarah Eelen
    Editor​
    Designer

    Travel Mate
    Right side of the bed

    Recent Posts

    Photo Blog
    Boezinge
    Pozières
    ​Delville Wood
    ​Mametz Wood
    ​Beaumont-Hamel
    Lest We Forget
    George Theodore Snelling
    William Edward Hipkiss

    Sydney Edmund Ellis
    ​George Phillips
    John Edwin Greenwood
    ​MacCulloch and Edwards
    Poetry
    The Somme

    Archives

    February 2018
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017

    Categories

    All
    Lest We Forget
    Passchendaele
    Photo Blog
    Poetry
    The Somme
    WWI

    RSS Feed

    Unless otherwise indicated, this website and all images within this site are the property of Tom Bruelemans Photography.
Picture
BASED IN BELGIUM 
STEENWEG OP ASSE 99A | ​1785 MERCHTEM

CONTACT
TOM BRUELEMANS

GSM +32 499 800 561
[email protected]

OUR PROJECTS
BATTLEFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY
TOM BRUELEMANS PHOTOGRAPHY
FIVE MINUTE FASHION MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

COPYRIGHT © 2020 TOM BRUELEMANS PHOTOGRAPHY & MORE 
BTW BE0598848108 | IBAN BE71 1030 3796 5969 | BIC NICA BE BB



Unless otherwise indicated, this website and all images and text within this site are the property of Tom Bruelemans Photography. They are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. 
  • You may share content from our website for personal and non-commercial use, or for non-commercial education or information purposes only. Please cite this website (www.battlefieldphotography.be) as the source and credit Tom Bruelemans.  ​
  • Commercial use and distribution of images of the website is not allowed without express and prior written consent of the author.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact