Visit to the Somme – part 4

The War diaries of the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadians indicated troop movements away from the Somme at the beginning of October 1916.  Corporal Noel Bramwell Hall and his fellow infantry in the 19th Battalion had to take a long curved walk to their destination across fields, farms and through villages so they did not pass too close to the frontline.

They set off on 5th October from Bouzincourt and walked to Warloy-Baillon via Senlis-le-Sec. They had a couple of nights at Warloy to rest.

Bouzincourt

Contay Church

On 7th October their billet was La Vicogne via Contay, Herissart and Val de Maison.

Val-des-Maisons

Looking across the fields towards la Vicogne

Le Rosel near La Vicogne

Their 8th October destination was Bonneville via Val Heureux (Vert-Galand farm).  It seems they had a bit more rest at Bonneville of 3 nights in one place without being fired upon.

Beauval (one of the other Canadian Battalions came through this town, not far from Occoches)

On 11th October they left Bonneville and went via Rienvillers, Autheux and Occoches to Remaisnil.

Their 12th October destination was Sibiville and Sericourt which they reached via Bouquemaison, Rebreuve-sur-Canche and Canettemont.

On 13th October they left the Houvin-Houvigneul area (it seems some of the Brigade was there rather than nearby Sibiville) – the march table for their destination listed several villages including Houvlin, Magnicourt-en-Comte, Monchy Breton, Orlencourt, Marquay and Bailleul-aux-Cornailles.

On 14th October they moved to Bruay-la-Buissiere, Haillicourt and Ruitz near to Bethune and the frontline.

16th October was the day the 4th Brigade marched to the Barlin-Hersin area in preparation for the frontline again.

Signs for Lens, Bethune, Lievin and Barlin

During the afternoon of 26 October 2016 we roughly followed their route from the Somme to get a sense of the landscape and places they would have seen on their journey.  It was mostly farmland, villages and towns until we approached Bruay-la-Buissiere, though even on the motorways leading to Lieven, Lens and Loos-in-Gohelle where Noel is buried the colour of the autumnal trees lining the route were spectacular.

So although the landscape had become industrial and built up, there was enough nature to retain some beauty.

British line in Artois in the spring of 1916 after the relief of the French army south of Loos. http://www.1914-1918.net/maps.htm

The British frontline the 2nd Canadians had been sent to relieve was divided into three Brigade sections: Souchez on the right (south), Angrez in the centre and Calonne on the left (north) – near Bully-Grenay (where one Battalion was based in reserve).  The 4th Brigade was assigned to the Calonne section which was being held by the 111th Brigade and relieved them on the 17th October.

The map shows the British front line in Spring that year.

The Lens and Bethune area was a mining region and therefore of great value strategically.  Some of the 4th Brigade was called upon to help with some tunnelling for military purposes while most of the others manned the defences and frontline.

The War Diary intelligence summary sheet for 26th October 1916 shows that the weather was fair, the gas alert was relaxed and the Duke of Devonshire visited the 2nd Canadians that day. It also stated: Casualties O.R. 1 killed, 1 wounded.  O.R. means Ordnance Rating.  Noel.

On the Library and Archives of Canada website I found the index card showing the circumstances of Noel’s death:

“Killed” (Accidentally)

He was instantly killed by the premature explosion of a shell in the gun he was serving, during operations in the vicinity of Calonne.

Cemetary: Cite Calonne Military Cemetery, Near Fosse No. 2 de Lievin, 1 1/2 miles West North West of Lievin, 4 miles South of Vermelles, France.

Circumstances of death Cpl Noel B Hall 26 October 1916

Newcastle Daily Journal 10 November 1916 – death notices for Ann Eliza and Noel Bramwell Hall

It seems that he died somewhere just south of Grenay as the cemetery where he was originally buried was between Grenay and Lievin and they would not have moved him far.  He was less than 2 months short of his 25th birthday.

Also online I found a very poignant listing in the Newcastle Daily Journal, Friday November 10, 1916 which showed not only Noel’s death notice (under the military deaths – Roll of Honour) but that of his grandmother Ann Eliza Hall who died on 9 November exactly 2 weeks after Noel’s death, at the age of 79.

I can imagine that Ann Eliza was probably already unwell and that the appalling news of her beloved grandson’s death broke her heart.  Only 2 years previously her eldest daughter Marian had died and Noel’s father (her son) was also dead.

In 1925 Noel’s aunt Rosa Beatrice Hall, still living at the Manor House in Shincliffe, received a letter from the Imperial War Graves Commission which explained that Noel’s body had been moved to the Loos British Cemetery.

The tone of the letter is sensitive even though it would have been sent to many families (the type is different for the unique information about individual soldiers but the letter was still signed personally).

Noel Hall war grave letter 1925

Noel Hall war grave letter second side

In 2008 we found his grave so it wasn’t difficult to find it again in the neatly laid out cemetery.  Once again for our visit to Noel the weather was beautiful, with a clear blue sky, the fog of the Somme area left behind.

Arriving in Loos en Gohelle

Autumnal Maple trees at Loos British Cemetery

Entrance to Loos British Cemetery

Loos British Cemetery

Information about the battle of Loos

We had brought some English roses from our garden to place on Noel’s grave – the lovely yellow scented ‘Summertime’ which climbs around an archway in our garden, the two last buds of the gorgeous scented deep purple ‘Young Lycidas’, some sprays of the prolific red Olympic flame and an unidentified orange coloured hybrid tea rose from our front garden.  Noel has a known grave with his name on it.  So many of the WWI dead have no known grave or were not identified, therefore it seemed fitting to bring him an unidentified rose to acknowledge his many lost comrades.

Carrying the roses and remembrance cross to Noel’s grave

The main part of Loos British cemetery

Approaching the later extension of Loos British Cemetery

Noel’s grave when we arrived

The Remembrance cross and poppy for Noel

Roses from England for Noel

The inscription about Noel Bramwell Hall on his headstone

Commemorating Noel on the 100th anniversary of his death

Noel’s grave in the foreground

Commemorating Noel on the 100th anniversary of his death

Row B in section 18 at Loos British Cemetery

The memorial stone and cross in Loos British Cemetery

The Maple trees in the cemetery had lost a lot of their leaves but still looked flaming in the sunshine.  We signed the Visitors Book before we left to return to England.

Our entry in the Visitors Book at Loos British Cemetery

It was an immense privilege to be able to retrace some of Noel’s steps on this 2 day trip to France and learn something of what those soldiers experienced in that terrible drawn out fight for territory which wasted so many lives.

References:

War Diaries of 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade October 1916

British line in Artois in the spring of 1916 after the relief of the French army south of Loos. Campaign and Battle Maps, The Long, Long Trail – the British Army in the Great War http://www.1914-1918.net/maps.htm

Library and Archives Canada – Circumstances of death registers, First World War

See also Visit to the Somme – part 1,  Visit to the Somme – part 2 and Visit to the Somme – part 3.

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Visit to the Somme – part 2

Courcelette Church

While retracing the steps of Cpl Noel B Hall of the 2nd Canadians at WWI we visited the village of Courcelette after spending a bit of time at the memorial to the Canadians on the Albert-Bapaume road.  The village is small – a church and about 30 houses.  19th Battalion didn’t fight in the village however I’m fairly sure they would have passed through it or very close to it later, based on the information from the War diaries of 4th Brigade.

Sign to the village of Courcelette

The main road through Courcelette

The road layout has remained the same even though the fighting and shelling during WWI destroyed or badly damaged most of the buildings.  The village still looks old as the houses have been rebuilt, often using the same materials and designs.

Courcelette Church

Courcelette War memorial in the village green

Local Courcelette soldiers who died in the war

Local Courcelette soldiers who died in the war

Information board about the Battle of Courcelette

Information board about the Battle of Courcelette

Memorial slabs on Courcelette village green

Memorial to the Canadian soldiers in Courcelette village

In the centre of the village is the church and a small green which has become the war memorial for those of the village who died fighting.  There is also a memorial to the Canadians and an information display showing a map and description of what happened.  The small, old trees around the green have hand-made large poppies strung from their branches in places.  It is clearly a place of pilgrimge for many people.

After visiting Courcelette we found our way to the nearby British Cemetery.  I was intrigued to discover that the memorial entrance to the Cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker who also designed St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town where I grew up.

Information board about the Somme battles

Map of the Somme campaign

Courcelette British Cemetary designed by Sir Herbert Baker

Courcelette British Cemetary

Courcelette British Cemetary

Inscription at Courcelette British Cemetary

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries are all immaculately maintenained with the graves in neat symetrical rows, like a military parade.  It was very sobering reading the number of headstones inscribed with the simple words “A solder of the Great War – known only to God”.  We came across the grave of a Canadian soldier who died on the same day as Noel and was the same age, though at the Somme rather than near Lens.

The descriptions of the Somme battles showed that this peninsular of farmland between Bapaume, Albert, the rivers Ancre and Somme was hotly contested, taken and retaken at various times during the 4 1/2 long weary years of war and that early graves were often pulverised in later battles which meant that many bodies were never found or were unidentified.  Sometimes bodies are still uncovered during farming or building operations, when possible they are identified, they are always reburied with full military honours in one of the military cemetaries.  And the farmers are always ploughing up shrapnel, spent ammunition casings, shovels, cooking utensils and personal belongings.

Next we made our way to the Thiepval Memorial as I needed to find out if they could explain a place name I had come across several times in the War Diary of the 4th Brigade but could not find on a map.  The Brigadier-General had used local place names as well as nicknames for the newly dug trenches in his descriptions of events and I wanted to find Sausage Valley as it seemed to be a place where the troops were sent back to from the front line for a temporary rest.

At the Thiepval Memorial they have an information desk by the main entrance door to the Visitors Centre and this was run when we arrived by a very helpful person (she was English but lives long term in France) who looked it up in a detailed map guide book she had under the desk.  She was able to give me exact co-ordinates for the valley – 1000 metres south of La Boisselle and gave us the electrifying information that there was also a Mash Valley on the other side of the village 600 metres west of La Boisselle.  We had a good laugh about the British sense of humour which must have resulted in those two valleys being given such names by the armies who used them.  She also photocopied a map from her book showing the positions of these valleys.

We asked the Thiepval guide about visiting actual trenches and she told us about Beaumont-Hamel nearby.  So rather than look at the museum at Thiepval that afternoon we made our way into the Ancre river valley.  The river flood pools in the valley inspired JRR Tolkein’s descriptions of the Dead Marshes in The Lord of the Rings as Tolkien fought in the Somme in 1916.  The valley is quite wooded, though maybe 100 years ago many of the trees were destroyed in the war which would have added to the ghostly atmosphere.

Beaumont-Hamel is a rocky hilltop and valley battlefield riddled with trenches which have been preserved under grass.  So many of the 1st Battalion Newfoundlander Soldiers died there on the first day of the Somme (70% of their number) it is treated as one large war grave – a sacred site.  It contains 3 CWGC cemetaries.

Entrance to Beaumont Hamel

Entrance to Beaumont Hamel

About Beaumont-Hamel, Newfoundlanders and the Great War

At the entrance and the top of the site the area is wooded and there are plenty of trenches, half filled in.  We spotted fungi and a couple of red squirrels, so immediately thought of Ellie, who would have been delighted to see them if she had been with us.

St John’s Road trenches at the entrace of Beaumont-Hamel

Beautiful toadstools at Beaumont-Hamel

Red Squirrel at Beaumont-Hamel

Red Squirrel at Beaumont-Hamel

Red Squirrel at Beaumont-Hamel

Red Squirrel at Beaumont-Hamel

At the edge of the trees is the dramatic Caribou monument on a stone cairn overlooking the ridge and the valley.  There is a trench at the top of the ridge, it has a boardwalk and is usable.  The path leads downhill into the valley to the British frontline trench which still contained some of the metal side wall supports.  Further on we saw the metal stakes used for holding the large coils of barbed wire which would have been stretched along the top of the trenches.

The Caribou monument at Beaumont-Hamel

Walking in the British trench at the top of the ridge

The British trench with the Caribou monument behind it

The British front line trench still with its metal supports

Walking towards the Wellington Trench

The petrified tree ‘danger tree’ near where so many died

A large shell crater

The Wellington Trench

In the valley beyond the Wellington Trench and close to the German frontline (which was just over the other side of the ridge leading down to Y Ravine) is the Y Ravine Cemetery.

The Y Ravine Cemetery

The Y Ravine Cemetery

We walked up the hill to the German front line trenches and the heavily fortified Y Ravine.  These trenches were roped off as not safe to walk in as there is still plenty of ammunition embedded in the ground.  There was a place to look into the Y Ravine immediately opposite the 51st Highland Division monument.  Beyond this monument was the Hunter’s Cemetery, a circular memorial which used a bomb crater as a grave pit.

51st (Highland) Division Memorial

51st (Highland) Division Memorial

Hunter’s Cemetery

Hunter’s Cemetery

Hunter’s Cemetery

It was a short walk to the Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No. 2 which contained gravestones closely fitted side by side, often with double burials.

Approaching Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No. 2

The grave of an H Willis in Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No. 2

Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No. 2

We were back under the trees again, maple leaves floating down as we walked along Maple Walk back to the Caribou monument.

Maple Avenue

Maple Avenue, approaching the Caribou monument

The Newfoundlander’s memorial at the Caribou monument

As we walked towards the museum building we saw the remains of a Gun carriage, it made me think of Noel serving a gun and the dangers posed to soldiers if they made a mistake or if ammunition was faulty.  There was also a poem by John Oxenham inscribed on a plaque beside a tree inviting those who visited to think about the sacrifice of those soldiers and the responsibility future generations have to uphold peace.

The remains of a gun carriage

Memorial tree and poem

The Poem by John Oxenham

Although Noel had not fought at Beaumont-Hamel, seeing preserved trenches (even though grassed over) brought the realities of the battle into focus.

After we left Beaumont-Hamel we drove down into the Ancre valley again and to Albert, past the Basilica in the centre of the town and on to the hotel.  In the evening we returned to the centre of Albert for a meal and I photographed the Basilica which had been fully restored after suffering terrible damage during the war, the golden statue ‘The Leaning Virgin’ standing once more on top of the tower after being knocked sideways during the early part of the war and later knocked right off near the end of the war.  There was also a statue of a Scottish Highlander near the restaurant which I couldn’t resist photographing if only for its nickname.

Albert Basilica

Albert Basilica

The Scottish piper or ‘lady from hell’

Plaque about The Scottish piper or ‘lady from hell’

It had been a long and fascinating day discovering the Somme and putting Noel’s story into context but there was more to explore the next day including Sausage Valley, to be covered in Part 3.

See also Visit to the Somme – part 1, Visit to the Somme – part 3 and Visit to the Somme – part 4

References:

War diary – Operations of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade at the Somme, Sept 10th – 17th 1916, Brigadier-General R. Rennie, MVO. D80, Commanding

War diary – Operations of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade at the Somme, Sept 25th – October 4th 1916, Brigadier-General R. Rennie, MVO. D80, Commanding

Visit to the Somme – part 1

In 2014 I blogged about my Grandmother’s cousin Corporal Noel B Hall who died during 1916 in WWI.  We had visited his grave in June 2008 on our way back from the Waldkirch organ festival and I vowed at the time that for the 100th anniversary of his death we would visit him again.  But first I needed to do more research about him and his military service.

Noel Bramwell Hall, undated postcard

Noel served at the Somme yet was killed and buried north of the Somme battlefields.  There is a vast amount of information available online about WWI and trying to pin down the story of one individual soldier felt at times like seeking a needle in a haystack.  However I did know some basic facts because of the newspaper article I have in the family archives lists his Company, Battalion and Brigade.  This information had enabled me to find his grave information on the CWGC website 8 years ago.  But why was a young man who had been born and grew up in Durham serving with the Canadian army? Why did he die north of the Somme at Calonne (between Bethune and Lens) when it appeared he had spent some weeks at the Somme first?  Why was the undated postcard, showing one of only 2 photos I have of Noel (in civilian clothes), addressed to his grandmother and maiden aunts at an address in Sunderland when they lived in Shincliffe, Durham?  These were all questions which I hoped to answer.

Information from the family archives left in my care by my grandmother and her sister Charlotte Beryl Pearce as well as searches of census and birth records enabled me to discover the following facts about Noel:

He was born on 24 December 1891 in Shincliffe, County Durham to Frederick Jackson Hall and Florence Jane Hall (nee Hudson).  He was apparently their 3rd son, but one of his brothers had died in infancy.  His elder surviving brother was called Frederick Jackson Hall.  Noel was baptised Noel Bramwell Hall on 13 January 1892 in Shincliffe. I think his first name must have been chosen because he was a Christmas baby and his second name possibly because his mother may have been a fan of the Bronte sisters fiction.  On the 1891 census his father’s occupation was listed as Solicitors Clerk and the family lived in Shincliffe Village.

His father did not appear on the 1901 census because at the time he was serving in the Boer War in South Africa.  In the 1901 census nine year old Noel and his mother were living at Sherburn House Station NER, Sherburn, Durham – they were boarders and his mother had ‘living partly on own means’ next to her name.  His elder brother (known as Eric) was listed in the 1901 census as living at 56 Old Elvet in Durham with their grandparents as James Hall ran the Old Elvet private school and 13 year old Eric was a pupil there.  On the 1911 census his mother did not appear, I found out she died in 1910.  I have yet to find out when his father died.

Noel was listed on the 1911 census as living with his Grandmother Ann Eliza Hall and aunts Marion and Rosa Beatrice (James Hall had died in 1908) at the Manor House in Shincliffe Village.  His occupation at age 19 was Music shop assistant, presumably in Durham.  The Hall family was well known for being very musical, they had organised a number of concerts in the city when James ran the school and I have a copy of a programme from one of these concerts in the 1890s showing that Noel’s father had sung solos.

On 18 April 1912 aged 20 Noel emigrated to Montreal, Canada on board a ship called Sicilian (the Allan Line).  He lived in Toronto, the newspaper article even included his address as 49 Bellefair Avenue.  His occupation on the ship record was listed as ‘farming’.

The second Canadian infantry Division was formed in 1914. The 19th Battalion of the 4th Brigade was raised at Exhibition Park in Toronto, Ontario on 6 November 1914.  I have found Noel’s enlisting papers online (attestation paper) – the medical examination part is dated 7 November 1914 and the attestation part is dated 12 November 1914.  So Noel probably attended the gathering at Exhibition Park.  The paper includes his aunt Rosa Beatrice Hall as his next of kin.  It also lists his occupation as ‘Tutor’.  He was not married and had not served in the military before (this contradicts the newspaper article which said he had previously served with the Grenadier Guards – it is just possible that the reporter was told that his brother or uncle was serving with them but incorrectly claimed this for Noel instead – I have not yet investigated his brother and uncle’s war records).  The attestation paper also gives details of his appearance – he was 5ft 6 1/2 inches tall, his chest girth when expanded was 33 1/2 inches with a range of expansion of 2 inches, his eyes grey and his complexion and hair fair.  He had a large mole on the back of his right shoulder.  His religious denomination was indicated as Church of England.

Noel Hall Toronto article, 1915

On 13 May 2015 the 4th Brigade sailed from Canada on The Tunisian and arrived at the West Sandling Camp, Shorncliffe in Kent (England) on the 23 May.  The Toronto newspaper article describes this arrival through Noel’s eyes:

“We got into Devonport at nine o’clock Saturday morning, the 22nd, but had to wait in the harbour til two boatloads of troops from Ireland disembarked to go on to the Dardenelles.  So we waited til Sunday morning.  We got off at 10 o’clock and got on a Great Western train for Sandling, Kent, though we did not know then where we were going.  We went through the suburbs of London and were given a great reception all along the line where holiday-makers were waiting for their excursion trains, and I noticed that there were few few young men among the crowds, in fact it was very noticeable.  We saw the soldiers drill Sunday just as if it was a week-day, but they were volunteers from factories who were working all the week.  We had to stop twice to let the Red Cross trains pass through to London and we could see the poor fellows lying on the stretchers all bandaged up, and it gave one the feeling that we were near to the front.  We noticed all over the country Red Cross flags flying on churches and factories that had been made into hospitals.  Where we are in camp we are just twelve hours run from the trenches, in fact some of the men who left for the front were back in forty-eight hours.  That is going a quick service, don’t you think?”

Arriving in Dunkerque at breakfast time

The 4th Brigade of the 2nd Canadians trained at West Standling Camp until 14 September 1915 when it was transported to the front line in France to serve as a Reserve army.  It seems that their first few months of service was behind the lines, possibly relieving others for short periods.

I concentrated my research on the last 2 months of Noel’s life as going through all the War Diaries for the 4th Brigade would have taken a lot more time.  This helped me piece together enough information to know that he fought at the Somme and did trench digging there but somehow succeeded in surviving the Somme carnage only to die less than a month later further north. So our trip needed to include both the Somme and Lens areas and I worked out key places to visit in the two days.

First view of the Canadian Memorial at Courcelette

We set off very early on Tuesday 25th October and got the 6am ferry to Dunkerque from Calais.  Breakfast on the ferry meant that we didn’t need to stop along the way to eat as we drove through northern France via Lens, Arras and Bapaume – all occupied by the Germans during that period of 1916.

Our first stop was on the Albert-Bapaume road midway between Courcelette and Martinpuich to see the memorial to the famous advance by the 2nd Canadians on 15th/16th September 1916.

My research showed that the 3 Battalions of 4th Brigade involved (18th, 20th and 21st) had the ground prepared for them by the 19th Battalion (Noel and his fellow soldiers) as they did some major ‘jumping-off’ trench digging work according to the War Diary of the 4th Brigade:

Crossing the road to the Canadian Memorial at Courcelette

“In preparation for the attack, a series of jumping-off trenches in advance of our Front Line, had to be dug.  This work was carried out successfully by the 19th battalion, Major Gordon F Morrison, Commanding, in the absence of Lt-Colonel W R Turnbull, wounded in a previous engagement.  The enemy shelling during the few days this work was going on, was very severe, and unfortunately many casualties resulted. 

The great value of these forward Trenches, which were dug by the men of the 19th Battalion, was however, clearly shown by subsequent events and too much credit cannot be given to those carrying out of the work, which was done under an irritating and destructive fire during several days and nights.

Memorial stone inscription

Our Artillery kept up a steady and very effective fire day and night on the 12th, 13th and 14th September. This fire covered all enemy trenches which came within the zone of the attack, and the effect was clearly revealed in the shattered nerves of many of the prisoners who came in on the day of our advance.” (War diary, Sept 1916)

The 19th waited behind the lines to be pulled in to help with the battle if they were needed.

“The four waves were to form up in the jumping-0ff trenches, previously prepared, and to be in positions in ample time to give all ranks a good rest before the hour fixed for the assault.  The fourth Company of each Battalion forming the fifth wave, formed up in trenches to rear.

Stone Maple leaf wreath

In addition, Platoons from the 19th Battalion, followed closely upon the First wave of the three attacking Battalions as an intermediate wave, and the instructions given to this wave were, that it should “mop up” or deal with any enemy left, who might possibly fire into the backs of those troops who had passed on.  The intermediate wave was also instructed to consolidate the First Line German Trench and take charge of all Prisoners.” (War diary, Sept 1916)

However during the night most of the 19th Battalion were relieved by other Battalions so it appears that Noel and his colleagues didn’t have to do much of the “mopping up” work, though a platoon of bombers from the 19th did stay to help.

Courcelette from the Canadian Memorial

The first use of tanks in war took place in this battle:

“At 6.30 am the “TANKS” supporting the advance of the 4th Brigade went forward in accordance with instructions and assisted in the taking of some enemy positions. … The “TANKS” used for the first time, proved their value.  Prisoners stated that, in their opinion, it was not war but “Butchery”.  One “TANK” is reported to have got astride an enemy trench and to have enfiladed it both ways.  A machine gun officer captured in the SUGAR FACTORY, declared that he directed fire at them, but without any effect, and certainly the advance of this new offensive weapon had much to do with the success of the operation.” (War diary, Sept 1916)

Rosie at the Canadian Memorial

The Canadians advanced further than was anticipated in appalling conditions and both the Sugar refinery on the Albert-Bapaume road and Courcelette were recaptured from the Germans, though many soldiers lost their lives as a result.

The Canadian Memorial at Courcelette to those long dead soldiers is beautiful.  It is set in the heart of a wide open field adjoining the road and is designed to be a simple, solid and lasting tribute to all those men who fought in such difficult and nightmarish circumstances.

Autumn trees at the Canadian Memorial Courcelette

The central memorial is surrounded by rings of Canadian Maple trees, visiting when we did was perfect for observing the different colours of the leaves as they were falling from the trees – there was a great carpet of them all over the mossy grass.  On a bright sunny day the effect would have been stunning, on the grey cloudy day the cobwebs in the grass were covered in moisture and the effect was peaceful and contemplative.  Rosie sat in a corner seat and said she could have sat there all day just watching the leaves fall.

Maple leaves and cobwebs

View of Courcelette from the Canadian memorial

At each memorial and cemetery is a Visitors book in a specially designed stone cupboard with a metal door.  I wrote a different message in each one we visited.

Our entry in the visitors book at Courcelette

Anna beside the Canadian memorial stone

Canadian Memorial at Courcelette

The next place in our trip was to the village of Courcelette, however that will be in Part 2.

See also Visit to the Somme – part 2, Visit to the Somme – part 3 and Visit to the Somme – part 4.

References:

War diary – Operations of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade at the Somme, Sept 10th – 17th 1916, Brigadier-General R. Rennie, MVO. D80, Commanding

 

 

 

Noel B Hall – WW1 victim

Noel B Hall, B Company, 19th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 2nd Canadian Contingent

On this 100th anniversary of Great Britain’s entry in the first world war, it seems fitting to examine the small traces of evidence we have about the only soldier casualty of that terrible war that I know of in my family.

The Hall family were a prominent Durham family, who ran the Old Elvet School in the city. Noel moved from Durham, England to Toronto, Canada shortly before the war. When WW1 broke out he enlisted in the Canadian Army. However he stayed in touch with his family in England (see postcard below).

Noel B Hall – photo postcard

Noel B Hall – photo postcard note to his grandmother and aunts

He wrote to a friend in Toronto who published what Noel wrote about his embarkation journey via England to the Western Front in their local newspaper (see article below).

Article in Toronto newspaper based on letter Noel’s friend

He was promoted to Corporal during the war. He fought in the Battle of Courcelette in 1916 (see news paper article, which does not mention his name) and was killed on 26 October 1916.  He was only 24.

Canadian’s Day of Glory – newspaper article 25 September 1916

Canadian’s Day of Glory – newspaper article 25 September 1916

Canadian’s Day of Glory – newspaper article 25 September 1916

Canadian’s Day of Glory – newspaper article 25 September 1916

In 1925 his body was moved from the Cite Calonne Military Cemetery to the Loos British Cemetery due to local French laws and sanitation regulations. The Imperial War Graves Commission wrote to his aunt Rosa Beatrice Hall with this news (see letter).

Imperial War Graves Commission letter to Rosa Hall about moving Noel’s body

Imperial War Graves Commission letter to Rosa Hall about moving Noel’s body

Noel was my Grandmother’s cousin (her mother Charlotte Eliza Hall’s nephew), Rosa was Granny’s aunt.

In June 2008 me and my family tracked down and visited Noel’s grave at Loos British Cemetery.  It is a small cemetery, immaculately maintained and we saw it on a sunny day. I wonder if Rosa ever managed to visit his grave, she was listed as his next of kin so I can guess that they were close.  We hope to visit his grave again in 2016.