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7. France, 1916 On July 1, 1916 at 7:30 A.M. the Allies launched the largest offensive of the war. The Battle of The Somme had begun. The Allied command under Generals Haig and Gough were planning a summer offensive along the River Somme. What would soon be the bloodiest and most tragic single day in British Military history. July 1, 1916 the opening day of Somme, England held its breath while her Generals sent an entire generation of her best troops to their death. By 12:30 P.M. over 50,000 of England's soldiers were dead or wounded. Entire Brigades were simply mowed down "In neat little rows" as one German officer stated after the war. Entire villages that saw all of their able bodied men enlist the winter before now were draped in Black. "A low moan of grief could be heard in every corner it seemed, inaudible almost just an undertone of sadness" The French village of Pozieres and the high ground beyond her gates were part of the first day's objective for the Allies. Numerous combined British and French assaults failed to reach the objective of Pozieres itself and the Mouquet Farm house located behind the Village. The limited news that minor objectives had been taken inspired the Commander in Chief Sir Douglass Haig to renew the attack and build on the successes. The allied forces continued to attack the German trench works surrounding Pozieres. Sometimes with success and coordination and sometimes with the total annihilation of the attacking forces. The Germans had, by this stage of the war realized the importance of the machine gun when placed on high ground and in defensive positions. Deep bunkers accompanied these positions sometimes as deep as 30 feet where the soldiers could wait safely while the Allies Bombed their positions. When the barrage was over they scampered up the step to what was remaining of their trench system and opened fire. This process was repeated up and down the front of attack. As the allied infantry hopped the bags to the encouragement of their officers and charged the enemy trenches most were caught out in the open upon the plateau of no mans land with nothing to stop the bullets but the English cloth and flesh they wore.. Brigades of men just "Ceased to Exist" yet still forward and onward they came. On July 14 General Haig instructed General Gough to take Pozieres Village with as little delay as possible meaning that the Australian 1st Corp would now be sent into the attack alongside the allies. The first Corp at this time consisted of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Divisions. Of these the 1st Division Commanded by General Walker was stationed in Worley only 12 miles away. It had been a year and a half since Charles had embarked onto the H.M.S. Euripides. So much had happened to him since that day he set sail for the far away shores. Since leaving Sydney behind forever the sights he must have seen. The clear water of the Aegean Sea, and all the glory of Egypt. Not only her Pyramids and statues but also the profoundness of the desert sand, thoughtless but requiring thought if one was to survive. And the beautiful locals at Mena Camp where Charles and his companions would have spent some months training and preparing for the battles to come upon the Galipolli shores. He had seen and been hardened by battle on the hillsides of Monash Valley. Charles discovered what bullets feel like when they enter the body at high velocity. After being wounded Charles stayed at the Palace Hospital in Heliopolis, and according to records, preferred pudding and a banana for breakfast over the more popular oatmeal porridge. Once again healthy Charles is stationed again on Gallipoli. He is reunited with D Company in a quiet section of the line. Only this time instead of fighting the enemy, the order to withdrawal is given and the entire AIF, under a brilliant cover of deception pulled out of the Gallipoli Peninsula. In all the most extraordinary events of the Gallipoli Campaign save the Blood Bath of the Lone Pine attack Charles Bourke was there. Now promoted and healthy he and the Battalion were ordered to France where, since the beginning of the war, brutal bloody trench warfare has been draining the blood of all the nations attempting to sustain their ground. The Australians were called to France to give support to the existing British and French troops there. In Alexandria, Charles and the third battalion were training and becoming again fully manned, 27 officers and 970 other ranks completed the roll call. Meanwhile, waiting in the Alexandria harbor was the H.M.S Grampian. On March 23, 1916 the AEF boarded the HMS Grampian and sailed for France and the port of Marseilles. The Army said goodbye forever to Egypt, the land of the Pharos and sadly the mates and boys left behind on the shores and slopes of Galipolli. For Charles and the Battalion it also meant a place where the weak went under and strong got stronger. The Grampian arrived in the port of Marseilles on March 28. Charles would have been greeted with clear beautiful skies and ocean. The snow capped Swiss Alps could be seen in the distance. How lovely, beautiful and inspiring this first sight of France, must have been! For Charles to come to this far away land and see what a wonderful country it was. The Division disembarked the Grampian and began its journey to the north. It was beautiful here in the south of France but it was in the north where the ground shook and tolled humanity by the second. The AIF entrained and began the 60 hour journey north. The tracks lead straight through the beautiful Rhone Valley. This it is said is a place of matchless beauty and complimented only by the heart felt welcome by the people. Many remarks are made regarding the greeting the Australians received. All were glad to see "Les Australiens" as they represented a new hope. The train made a stop every four hours so the soldiers could be issued refreshments donated by the local civilians. Much was expected of the Australians. On March 31 the Battalion detrained in the village of Steenbecque. Billeting orders were issued. D Company was ordered to find billets in the village of Ebblinghem. Charles formed his squad and sought out satisfactory quarters. "Ebblinghem was a delightful little village, undisturbed and, up to that time, very little used by the British troops for billeting purposes. It knew its war by the rumble of the guns in the distance, by the motor traffic which swept continually through its quiet streets, but most directly through the dwindling ranks of its men folk in the trenches of the south (2)."
Billets? Many of the Australians were under the impression that the term Billet meant to house. All were looking forward to clean sheets and a soft bed. Many of the soldiers were even concerned that they were indeed to dirty too go inside a stranger's home. The French, however, had an entirely different definition of Billet. Once the new definition was understood, that a billet meant anything with a roof over your head i.e. barn yard horse stall and, what some have done with a keen sense of Australian humor chased the pigs out of their styes so the soldiers could sleep. Corporal Bourke and the rest of D company made good use of themselves and lost no opportunity in helping the citizens with work in the household and in field. In this sense the Australians were very well known for their good nature, humor and hard work. Subsequently both citizen and soldier became very attached to each other. Ebblinghem was constantly being used as billets and her citizens knew many outfits from many armies. They missed none as much as D and C Company from the Australian Third Battalion (2) and it saddened them to realize that soon the men with cheerful grins and heavy laughter would be marched to the front. When they came back their ranks would be thinned and the smiles replaced by a silent purposeful stare. On April 10, C and D Company were ordered to reform its ranks with the Battalion and join the 1st Brigade. The Brigade marched 12 miles to Strazeele and was cheered by the French people alongside the roads. The Battalion stopped at the village Moolenacker and set up billets. Here the accommodations were found to be much the same as Ebblinghem except that now they were much closer to the front line, close enough to hear the distant rumble of the heavy guns and the sound of occasional anti aircraft fire, horrifying in intensity, nothing at all like Galipolli. There was something else in Moolenacker. Charlie would have watched and observed, as he prayed over what he knew would be coming, his almost certain death. It was here in Moolenacker that the shadows of the great front seemed to stretch back and cover the town's citizens with an almost veil like grief. A type of sheet that traps inside the pain and disbelief of war and what the day's sight and horrible sounds have brought. People smiled less and less. They grew less attractive here toward the front lines and gave off an almost stoic unfrenchlike appearance. There were cemeteries set up all around the village were the dead "Tommie's" from 1915 had been buried. They had been killed fighting off the German advance in the early stages of the war. Many of the citizens of Moolenacker had watched much of the fighting take place. Citizens adopted all the graves sites and were seen tending them almost daily. Most had been planted with beautiful flowers and bushes. Still, always in the distant, the rumble of the big guns. The Battalion would be moving soon.
To the Front Corporal Bourke now finds himself belonging to an Army of monstrous size. The allies had over a million men on a front of over 200 miles. Charles must have found it easy to become lost in the numbers of insignificance. By 1916 the Western Front no longer measured death by single men but by yards or ground. What Corporal Bourke was doing exactly at the time of his death died with him. Sometimes the most difficult concept is that of the single man on his own in such a vast sea of Armies. It is impossible to fully tell what his eyes saw in those last days in France, what the mind does in some miraculous moment when the arm of a corpse falls from the trench wall into your lap during supper and a ringed hand now bone showing and colored is left for you to discard so as to continue eating and the flying men alive or not, now winged through the air on the explosive results of science. Am I next? Charlie wonders. Yes, we are next Charlie. But when, when? Yes it is difficult for today to imagine a yesterday that is truly so long ago and so horrifying. On April 20, 1916 the First Brigade was ordered to the front, Sailly sector. The 3rd Battalion was assigned as the defensive battalion. The Battalion broke into Companies and occupied several outposts and communication trenches. It was here that the Battalions experience in sapping and defensive works was greatly appreciated. The Battalion found the trenches in disrepair and immediately set labor parties to restore them to "Fit for War" condition. It took a fortnight to transform the trenches into strong defensible comfortable shelters (2). The Battalion completed its take over of the defensive positions and held watch. The Germans also watched and on May 3, C Company was shelled while sleeping in their billet. A German Battery dropped fifty "5.9s" shells on the Weathercock House in 30 minutes resulting in the first Battalion casualties in France. Two killed and one had his arm blown off. The Battalion moved out that night to join the rest of the Brigade in the forward area. Once in the deep forward trench system the Battalion set out to patrol and harass the enemy at night. During the day movement was limited to small parties with heads kept low. For the most part the Sailly sector of the front was considered "Quiet". Though still somewhat tense as to much carelessness would get a man sniped. For Charles and most of the Battalion this must have been a time of surreal reflection. The surrounding combination of beauty, nature, destruction and death caused emotions not commonly enjoyed by the common man. For a time here the weather was fresh with spring and the days were long and mild. The wild flowers and French Poppies were in full bloom. Below them the River Laies meandered, as each day was drenched in sunshine. Charles would have been commanding his squad, looking to assist in whatever project or task that he could. The spirit of the Battalion soared and there was no lack of supplies. No Mans Land at this section was 350 yards wide and it seemed the Germans wanted to keep it that way. As May turned to June the Battalion was moved to the Fleurbaix sector of the line and relieved the 7th Battalion. Here initial conditions were found to be much the same as Sailly, though not as quiet. The Germans were aggressive and a party of ten or so men moving at once would draw down machine gun fire. Gas alarms were sounded throughout the night. Caused no less by nervous troopers sighting some mist. Artillery and Trench Mortar shelling was general and consistent from both sides. Casualties began to rise. The average nightly expenditure of small arms ammunition was 1600 rounds, Lewis Gunners (Machine Gunner) 2200 rounds Rifle grenades or bombers 30 rounds. The Battalion remained in this sector of the line until the night of July 4th. The 45th Battalion then relieved it. Charles Bourke would return to Sailly with the rest of the Battalion for rest and refitting. It was there in that French town that he would enjoy his last hot water bath. In fifteen days he would be dead.
Pozieres What is now a meandering crossroad village was once the place of desperate struggle. A place where a battle that was began by Generals was finished by the infantry. Amid the blast of artillery and the constant rattle of machine gun fire the Battle for Pozieres slowly took on a life of its own. The Battalion remained in Sailly until July 9th. For the men this stay was entirely too short. It was in Sailly that the soldiers had established a fond rapport with the locals and enjoyed many of the fine establishments of dining there, often revisiting and rekindling old friendships. On top of this, the Battalion was determined to become cleaned, drilled and healthy well beyond expectation and deemed one of the finest units in the Allied Army. This was credited mostly to its Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel O.G. Howell Price. Price was a youthful and popular C.O. and devoted his splendid enthusiasm to the caring of the men. He was a fearless leader and a model soldier. This enthusiasm could have been due in part to the knowledge that Col. Price had of the ultimate destination of the Battalion in mind and that the relative comfort that the men had enjoyed up until now would soon be replaced. The Battalion marched out of Sailly and began its journey to the battlefield. Through Oultersteene where it entrained southbound to St. Quen where the Battalion was billeted. St. Quen was indeed the largest of the billets they had seen and was considered a city by the inhabitants. From this point the Battalion marched through Vignacourt, Allonville and finally their last stop before the Battle, Worley-Baillon. On July 19th, while resting in Worley the Battalion received orders to proceed through the city of Albert. By nightfall the Battalion was called to halt just before a slope rising toward the main thoroughfare, The Baupame Road (Still a main highway today and a benchmark for many Battlefield Tours). As Charles waited and took in his evening meal he was greeted by the first of the heavy barrages. This was a German barrage, and though it was landing further back toward the rear of their line it was indescribable. It was understood now that life and death had very little concern for the single man or that great man alone. These guns could make a man disappear without a trace. Nothing in Galipolli could do that but here, here in France it could happen. As a result of constant bombardment the trench system was almost unrecognizable to the replacement troopers. All movement within the network and maze of trenches required guides, especially at night, which is when the Third Battalion would move. The Battalion waited at the Baupame road for the guides to bring them to their forward positions. By platoon the Battalion made its way from Albert to their forward positions. An orgy of senses to behold. The wire balled up and, stuck with bits of friends cooked on like a grilled piece of loose chicken. Though it's not chicken. Walk amongst the dead Charles and you walk amongst yourself. The front was congested with the leftover smell of battle, T.N.T, cordite gas and blood. The Battalion found their positions. The main location was a support trench running across what was known as Sausage Valley. C Company (Capt. E. W. G Wren) and D Company (Capt. J.R.O.Harris) were located here. A Company (Major A.R. Edwards) and B Company Capt. Kemp) were occupying a communication trench running back from D Company and toward the rear. Lieut-Col Howell Price had made his Head Quarters in a captured German Dugout. The Battalions position was approximately 1000 yards from Pozieres. The German trench systems ran as close as 500 yards on some places. The total area of the Pozieres battles depending on what one would call battlefield would be about three square miles. The battalion would be ordered to advance to the assembly and jump off trenches when the attack of the village itself was ordered. Corporal Bourke never got that far. The original attack was planned for the night of the 20th. After consideration and the need to further secure Artillery support General Walker moved the attack back. The evening of July, 22 would give his army enough time to secure and dig enough forward positions so that the men would not have to move across too much open area of no mans land. In this forward section however the German Command were aware that an attack would be coming soon and had ordered that the artillery keep up a fairly constant barrage. When a column was spotted moving up the Baupame road they laid down a heavy Shrapnel and Gas barrage. The constant shelling was causing heavy casualties both physically and mentally. This was especially noted on the faces of the battalion the third was relieving. What Charles spent that last minutes and hours of his life doing and watching can be described as indescribable. Words will never be enough. All along the floor and stacked up like fire logs for protection against shrapnel and exploding shell were corpses of the dead Allies and Germans alike. On the trench floor they made a pathway, soft and subtle under the boots of the fresh green troops. Beneath the watery mud they slowly decayed and turned into a yellowy mixture made out of chalk and themselves. This brew became famous along the exploded canals of Ypres. As did stories of men slipping helplessly, drowning slowly in a shell hole filled with the new liquid. Of this there was only one cure, a friendly bullet through the brain. In the forward area of Allied Pozieres trenches the unburied dead lay thickly all around. There had been furious fighting here since July 1st and no stop to clear the bodies. The Battalion immediately set out her veterans to bury them so as not to unnerve the new troops. Meanwhile the Germans continued to shell the area. They knew an attack was coming, not exactly when or where but they knew. They didn't want the Allies to get much sleep or get to cozy in their new ditches. The big guns kept firing and every now and then that soft plop sound of the Gas shell, then every one sounding the alarm, a thousand gongs going off at once up and down the line followed by silence, then the death count. The area was never safe. Bourke and his Battalion spent two days and nights here working and preparing for the attack on the village itself. Death in this part of the earth was something to live with, exist with in a world not dead or alive. A world that could only be possible at the front. In time the front either changes man to animal or man to corpse. The Battalion remained in the support trench from the night of July 20th until the night of July 22nd. It was at this point the German Artillery laid down one of the heaviest barrages of the war. Virtually all the supporting Battalions suffered heavily. The barrage consisted of high explosives and phosphogean gas and lasted almost 12 hours. Somewhere within this new unleashed power, Corporal Charles Bourke, #699, while in action was killed. The main assault on Pozieres would begin the evening of July 22 and the early A.M. of July 23. By July 22 the Battalion was in place in the jump-off trenches. At 12:30 a.m. the first line of soldiers went over the top. Their bodies moving silhouetted against the flares and tracer rounds. The attack had begun. The hardest, bloodiest fighting the Battalion had seen yet lasted for three days and nights against motivated and well fortified German positions. On July 26, the Battalion was relieved. Did the family dog whine back in Forbes I wonder? Did his Mother, Sara, wake suddenly out of her sleep feeling a pain unfamiliar yet somehow expected? The war was over for Charles. The Mothers favorite Son, frozen now forever. The Mother and left behinds handed memories of Charles that would be spared the daily growing older and replaced that eternal optimism of what might have been.
Roll Call Of the Battalions 1090 officers and other ranks that fought the Germans those three days and nights in The Battle for the Village of Pozieres only 575 men survived. The Battalion gained 400 yards and the fighting was considered a success. The Australians would take Pozieres Charles Bourke was dead and the time it took to call roll was cut in half. My Great Uncle, Corporal Charles Bourke was killed in action on July 21, 1916, He was 21 years old. His body was buried in the vicinity of Pozieres. On August 7th 1916, Mr. and Mrs. John Bourke received the telegram. Their son was now a memory and his image never to grow old. |
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