----------Tis I Wayward day. I still find myself in the bend of the River Somme. I feel like I am in a Jimmy Stewart movie
. But instead of a cattle drive. This bend in the river is filled with mounds of dead bodies. It is a moonless night this evening. Our commanding officer General Henry Rawlinson has given us the go time. For our attack on the German lines. July 14th,1916 at 3:25 a.m.. 4 divisions of the B.E.F.'s 4th army is going to slam into General Fritz von Below's 2nd German Army. On a front that is 6,000 yds(5.5km) long.------We find ourselves just down from the German lines, which run from just past Guillemont and Ginchy. Northwest along the crest of Bazentin Ridge to Pozieres. Down the Albert Bapaume road. The attack plan laid out to us. Is to take the villages of Bazentin le Petit, Bazentin le Grand and also Longueval. They all lay adjacent to Delvillewood,and the Highwood on the ridge beyond.
------I hear footsteps behind me. As I turn around, I hear "Major, chin up old boy!" Why it is General Henry Rawlinson himself. The General seems optimistic about his plan. I ask him, how he chose this plan. He says,"I'm choosing to attack at dawn, when there will be no natural light for the German machine gunners to see far ahead." "What about our artillery General?",I whispered. "Well,you see I have decided ,when the attack is to start. To maintain surprise, the infantry were to be preceded by a 5 minute hurricane bombardment. Rather than the 30 minute barrage the Germans are use to. After that, a creeping bombardment, as the infantry moves forward.",he stated. He then walked away towards the battle room. As I watch the General walk away. I can't help but think of the men. When the attack begins. They will be attacking up hill the whole way.
------I head in the opposite direction, and bump into SGT. Jones. He is one of the engineers. "What are you up to Sarge?",I ask. Jones says,"I have been crawling in the mud and over dead bodies all day. My unit has been cutting German barbwire for hours." "There is a massive brewing.",I say. Jones whispers,"I tell you something Major. As I was working out there. Cutting the barbwire. My unit discovered the Germans have been listening to the telephones of the 63rd Brigade. So word around our unit. Is H.Q. has tricked the Germans with a fake message. That operations have been postponed for the time being." As he smiled. I laughed,"Well maybe we can fool'em."
------Pvt. Mchugh came towards us. "I can hear you guys", he said. "As you been cutting Sarge, I have been laying down tape and markers. So the men can advance in the dark. I've been on my stomach all day and night.", he muttered.
------Just then the sky lit up. I looked at my pocket watch. It is 3:20 a.m.,the attack has begun. The hurricane bombardment has cracked open the night. I think of all the new German troops under that barrage of fire and steel. A RFC pilot told me yesterday. He has been watching many German troop trains coming this way. They have been traveling from Flanders. It is now 3:25 a.m. the bombardment has slowed down and there go the men. They will be attacking Trones wood sector first. Lucky for them ,last night the 4th army was able to assemble 22,000 men and supplies 500 yds closer to the Germans with out being noticed. As reports come in. The attack started out with a miss hap. The attack started out to the east of Trones wood. The men thought they were attacking north. As the troops advanced, they could not stop the Germans from fixing the cut barbwire. Because of the long high grass, made it had to see. The men of the 7th division are exhausted. They have had 5 days rest. Before they were brought back for this battle. There has been no time to replace it's lost men.
------The 4th army is making gains, but slowly. From this news the High Command tried an attack in the daylight, with the 10th Cheshire on the village of Ovillers. But were cut down by German machine guns. They tried again at night. Succeeded in taking Ovillers. But lost so many men, they had to withdraw. All along the German lines, the British infantry advanced forward through the mist. With just enough light to tell German troops from British ones. They pushed through 2 German trench lines, through the barbwire. German positions fell one after the other. A lot of Germans troops escaped. Because many of the British troops lacked the training to hit soldiers beyond 300 yds.
------As a few German prisoners are brought in. I talk to one. He tells me and shows me a piece of paper. It is an order from German General Fritz von Below. It reads,"Despite my ban on the voluntary relinquishment of Positions, apparently certain sectors have been evacuated without an enemy attack. Every commander is responsible for ensuring , that his troops fight to the last man, to defend the sector for which he is responsible. Failure to do so will lead to Court Martial proceedings. THIS ARMY ORDER is to be made known to all commanders."---Below,July 14th, 1916...
------As time passed ,a message runner from the Longueval alley trench came running up. "Hey,Stanley Spencer!",I shouted. Stanley ran over to me. I asked him,"How are things in the alley?" As he looked at me with a sad face,trying to catch his breathe. He answered,"Just awful,In the trenches of Longueval alley. Many bodies have been covered by loose earth. From the sides of the trenches caving in. The bodies under the dirt form a springy, cushiony floor. It gives an unpleasant feeling,when walking on them." He also says,"H.Q. has been getting false reports on the battle for Longueval. Reports of capture of Longueval is untrue. Which has been leading the High Command the wrong way. Making them make all kinds of blunders. The truth is the Germans are holding onto the north part of Longueval. It is stopping the troops from advancing west. The Germans are also counter attacking and fortifying their positions at Longueval." He then takes off towards H.Q.. More reports of the battle come in. As a lull fell over the battlefield. Except where South Africans continue to attack German machine gun fire at Longueval.
------As the 15th of July begins. The Germans are still holding on to Delvillewood and Longueval. Which is giving cover for attacking German troops brought up from Flers. The Highlander light infantry and the Scottish rifle corps, were sent to take Highwood. They were soon joined by the King's Royal rifle corps. But they all were driven back. The High Command has judged Highwood to be untenable, an should be bombarded back to the stone age.
------The 16th and 17th of July brought much of the same poor judgement of the High Command. The 4th army leaders demanded the Highwood be taken by dawn. The British brought their artillery closer. When they should have moved it back to a safer distance, along with the infantry. German artillery fire, cut all the telephone lines. The German infantry counter attacked. British troops are being slowed down by mud. When they try to bring shells and troops up to the fight. More important , the bombardment at Highwood. Is failing to destroy the German machine guns.
------Although this stage in the fight for the Somme is looking like a British victory. The rain is stopping French troops from coming to the aid of the British. The time wasted by Rawlinson has been horrible. At one point a handful of British soldiers walked into the Highwood unopposed. Rawlinson decided to wait for the cavalry. He could of sent the infantry into the Highwood. When he finally sent the cavalry in, hours later. The Germans had plugged up the holes in their lines. German machine gunners ,cut down Rawlinson's cavalry. Also with the wasted time. More ground all over the battlefield could have been taken. After the battle for Bazentin Ridge. Most attacks on both sides were defeated by defensive fire power and the inclement weather. Which frequently turned the battlefield into a slough of mud. As I look over the battlefield through my field glasses. All I can see aside from the human death. Is the ruins of walls were buildings once stood. The sticks of trees that found nesting places among the debris. The whole landscape has become what looks like a volcanic uproar.
------As I turn and head back to H.Q. my satchel still isn't glowing. It looks like I'm still stuck on the Somme. But that's o.k. ,because a special person is reported to be in the Delvillewood sector. We will find out more in the battle of Delvillewood.
...When I write the Tourney of Pozieres...I think it suits the Somme... 
...I'd like to see more people have a chance to play in TGW...Maybe they will like it and become GOLD... 
ConfederateSS.out!(The Blue and Silver Rebellion)... 
