Machine Gun Corps at Montauban - Old Version
This edition of the Battlefield Sleuth concerns reports of events on the first day of the Somme, from the perspective of the 90th Company, Machine Gun Corps. As part of 90th Brigade, the men of Machine Gun Corps took part in the capture and subsequent defence of the village of Montauban. New information assists in interpreting and clarifying further events of the 1st - 2nd July 1916 See https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/56466769/machine-gun-corps-at-montaunban
This edition of the Battlefield Sleuth concerns reports of events on the first day of the Somme, from the perspective of the 90th Company, Machine Gun Corps. As part of 90th Brigade, the men of Machine Gun Corps took part in the capture and subsequent defence of the village of Montauban. New information assists in interpreting and clarifying further events of the 1st - 2nd July 1916 See https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/56466769/machine-gun-corps-at-montaunban
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ETINHEIM 30 TH JUNE 1916<br />
[The 90 th Brigade comprised infantry from the 2 nd B<strong>at</strong>talion Royal Scots Fusiliers with the 16 th , 17 th<br />
and 18 th B<strong>at</strong>talions Manchester Regiment. They were supported by the 90 th Company <strong>Machine</strong> <strong>Gun</strong><br />
<strong>Corps</strong>, with men from the Royal Engineers.]<br />
We had done all the practising for the last fortnight and were now waiting in the assembly trenches.<br />
For us, these consisted of a few small trenches cut in a hollow between two woods about 700 yards<br />
behind our front line. We had arrived in these trenches l<strong>at</strong>e the night before, and had passed a very<br />
cold night indeed. Consequently we were all awake when dawn broke (LC).<br />
No.2 Section leaving @ 4.30pm. No.4 4.40. No.3 4.50 No. [5] pm. The first party arriving in assembly<br />
trenches behind CAMBRIDGE COPSE [near Maricourt] where we stayed all night. Everything was<br />
quiet during the night. [This must only refer to German artillery](WD)<br />
The guns had been keeping up a pretty heavy bombardment throughout the night, increasing in<br />
intensity every minute. The fringe of the wood behind us (curiously enough called ‘Oxford Copse’)<br />
was lined with 18-pounders, who were firing over our heads. As they were only 150 yards away, the<br />
noise was deafening.(LC)<br />
90 th Brigade assembly positions near Maricourt. Approxim<strong>at</strong>ely 3,000 yards from their objectives in <strong>Montauban</strong>. The field artillery<br />
guns were positioned in front of Oxford Copse. Crown Copyright
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