THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME: BEAUMONT HAMEL July 1, 1916 On July 1st, 1916 Newfoundland faced one of its greatest tragedies in its history. July 1st was the first day of what became known as the Battle of the Somme. Initially envisioned to bring the German Army to its knees the first day ended in a colossal failure for the British Empire. Newfoundland played a small role on that day, but also suffered her greatest one day loss of the entire war. The Newfoundlander’s role that morning was especially tragic amongst a day of calamity. They were scheduled to attack one hour and 20 minutes after the battle was launched at 7:30 a.m. Unable to attack from the firing line the Newfoundlanders assaulted from their support trench 250 yards behind. The communication trenches and front line were choked with hundreds of wounded and dead. Eager to test their courage the soldiers climbed out of the support trench. They came into full view of the enemy silhouetted against the skyline with the sun in their faces. The 1st Newfoundland Regiment was the only battalion to attack in this heavily fortified sector. The enemy’s guns had only one focus. There was not one man amongst the Newfoundland Regiment that did not think they were about to draw their last breath. As our soldiers plodded down the slope towards Y-Ravine, encumbered by heavily laden ruck sacks, their chins tucked into their chest as if they were fighting the headwind of a blizzard, the Germans opened up with their machine guns and artillery cutting down the Newfoundlanders in a murderous crossfire. Our men began dying before they reached their own front line. Those that were fortunate enough to escape the early carnage became bottle-necked in gaps in the wire leading to no man’s land. One gap, which today is revered by the symbol of the Danger Tree had nearly 90 bodies piled up. In thirty minutes the entire battalion was wiped out in its first real test of the war. There were many tales of heroism and sorrow, suffering and pain, but to the country who asked these brave men to fight it was devastating. Every officer that led our men forward were either killed or wounded. Overall, the pride of Newfoundland lay strewn in broken bloody heaps throughout the battlefield - 310 were killed, another 374 wounded. Of those wounded, twelve more would die while countless others returned home, physically and mentally shattered, to a mourning country. Hardly a family was left untouched by the tragedy that befell the Newfoundland Regiment and the people who so proudly volunteered and supported them. Of the approximately 800 soldiers that climbed out of the trench that morning there were only 68 to answer the roll call by the next morning. Many of those counted had not gone over the top as they were designated for ration parties helplessly watching the unfolding carnage from their front line position. With no rations to carry as the assault had failed, most of them spent the rest of the day trying to bring in their wounded comrades. Victor Carew, a witness to the butchery that day wrote home to his mother and had this to say: ”It’s quite lonesome here now, all me chums are gone… I don’t much care. I am satisfied to die for my King and Country.” Victor Carew’s life was spared at Beaumont-Hamel only to fall to a sniper’s bullet at the Battle of Cambrai in November, 1917. Afterwards the Divisional Commander wrote of the Newfoundland effort: “It was a magnificent display of trained and disciplined valor, and its assault failed of success because dead men can advance no further.”
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