Springboks at Delville Wood

Posted on April 15, 2023 by

19 Comments

In the summer of 1916 men of the South African Brigade marched into Delville Wood. After six days of fighting, less than a third of them returned from among the shattered trees of “Devil’s Wood”. Who were the Springboks of the South African Brigade and what can we find of them on the Somme today?

BATTLEFIELD MAP:

RECOMMENDED READING:

PODCAST EXTRAS:

Category: Podcast Episode, Somme, War Memorials, WW1 History

19 Comments on “Springboks at Delville Wood”

  5. Excellent Paul. My great uncle (SA Scottish) was killed at Delville Wood and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. I have walked the battle and been to the wood several times; it is just as described. Delville Wood is a deeply symbolic part of SA military – and social – history. Thank you for your superb contribution to its preservation.

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  6. My great uncle was killed in Delville Wood July 26 1916 serving with the 1st Bedfordshires. Those poor guys have never been given credit for the sacrifices they made. Have never seen a reference to them. Love your podcasts – so informative and interesting.

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  7. Great episode Paul. I was fascinated by Delville Wood when I visited last October for many reasons, not least by the fact that you can basically wander anywhere you want and walk along the indentations of the former trenches and shell holes. Having just been to Vimy Ridge and Newfoundland Park where, for very good reasons, visitors have to stick to the designated pathways, it was a pleasant surprise. By the way, the toilet in the Calypso Cafe is worth a visit – I especially liked the tea towel with the 1970 calendar on it acting as a curtain!

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  8. Paul as a youth in RSA early 1960s, our cadet corps at St Andrews College Grahamstown, annually commemorated Delville Wood Sunday clad in our Graham Tartan kilts. It transpired several alumni were actually killed there. Two brothers fought together, one shot dead alongside his elder sibling, who was killed three months after Delville Wood.
    General Lukin actually unveiled the Memorial Clock Tower at the School in 1923 built in memory of the 125 Old Andreans killed in the Great War.
    To my everlasting shame at the time I knew virtually nothing of Delville Wood or the Great War. But it was the first place I ever visited on the Old Front Line and found it a magic place.
    Many thanks for this memory.

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  9. A fascinating podcast Paul.

    A quick question…. You mentioned that Frederick Tatham searched Delville Wood for the body of his son Errol. He described the dead in the wood.

    Do you happen to know what year (and month) he searched? I’m curious about the clearances of the battlefields of the Great War, either at the time or in the years that followed. It must have been a grim task.

    Many thanks….

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      • Thanks for the answer. It is amazing and must have been an extraordinarily risky undertaking. One can only imagine the range of emotions he must have experienced in the process of searching for his son.

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  10. I walked to Delville Wood from Rue Ernst Junger in Guillemont a couple of months ago (followed by a longer walk to Albert!). I spent some time in the wood and visitor centre and it is difficult to imagine now the sanguine events of 107 years ago. However, your podcast of another grim “nation building” battle was excellent

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