Walking the Somme: Mailly-Maillet

Posted on January 11, 2025 by

9 Comments

We begin Season 8 back on the Somme Battlefields of 1916 and walk the ground around the village of Mailly-Maillet, located just behind the British trenches in front of Beaumont-Hamel and Serre and later much closer to the fighting in 1918. We visit cemeteries, see original graffiti and end our walk close to the final approach to the battlefield.

Got a question about this episode or any others? Drop your question into the Old Front Line Discord Server or email the podcast.

Recommended books: Graham Greenwell An Infant In Arms, Edmund Blunden Undertones of War and Lieutenant Owen Steele of the Newfoundland Regiment.

BATTLEFIELD MAP:

Chapelle Madame Video:

Podcast Extras:

Category: Behind The Lines, Somme, WW1 Cemeteries

9 Comments on “Walking the Somme: Mailly-Maillet”

  1. Thanks again Paul,

    Very interesting to hear about Herbert Geoffrey Lush Wilson. In your podcast Herbert is referred to as a Captain and on CWGC site he is Major. Maybe a late change in rank. Unsure. I will now need to look into my family connection to Herbert and the Lush side of my family. My grandfather fought in WW1 as part of the CEF in the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. He was part of the 164th Battalion from Oakville Ontario. He was born in the UK. Somewhere in Berkshire. He and his brother moved to Ontario in the early part of the 20th century. I’m trying to determine if they were Barnardo Children or not. My wife and I have been to the graves of the 6 Lushes who fought as part of the CEF and have a grave or are listed on the Vimy Memorial. We have found the grave of another Lush while exploring the cemeteries. He was part of the British army.
    Your show has produced some more homework for me, and I truly appreciate it!

    Burke Lush

    Peterborough, ON, 🇨🇦

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  2. Thanks for an excellent podcast and reading list Paul. Given his later conversion to pacifism, I think that Crozier (senior) can best be described as a “complex character”.

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  3. Very interesting episode Paul, I’d not heard of Mailly-Maillet until I started transcribing the 1918 Soldiers Own diary that I had bought. The owner Harold Charles Pardington was a signaller that had been attached to the MGC. His entry reads

    “Wed Mar 27th, Slept in Mailly-Maillet Wood with but am I raincoat? M.G’s hold the front line as infantry found two bottles of champagne in village.
    Thur Mar 28th, Left Mailly-Maillet Wood for Martinsart, Rode to Forceville at 4:30am”

    Some parts are very faded and a few sentences/place names are hard to discern amd dont yet make sense but Im gradually building up his movements during 1918, it seems he was quite mobile in his role, as he mentions riding and walking to a multitude of locations. And quite humourous despite some close shaves. Fascinating to own something that I can begin to tease a life out of.

    Adam

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  4. Hi Paul

    I’m on the Somme at the moment for my 60th birthday. Really enjoyed completing both the Somme Winter Walk from Courcellette to Grandcourt Rd and the Mailly Maillet Walk…I found some German names on the Lady’s Chapel dating from 1940.

    I visited Eric Heaton’s grave on Tuesday as part of a walk across to Redan Ridge and Serre Road. Not sure if you are aware……but the path to Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery has been completely ploughed away, its the same with Grandcourt Road Cemetery. We had a struggle across the heavily ploughed soil.

    Completing your walk to the Nab on Saturday.

    Best wishes Mike

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  5. 2 Huge smiley faces from me for this podcast! 1 it mentions my beloved Ox & Bucks and 2 no need to buy another book as I already have an Infant in Arms.

    Great information as ususal, makes me want to go back. As always superb research.

    Thank you

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  6. Stumbled on your podcast series today whilst researching the area prior to a visit next month. Really interested to hear about Mailly-Maillet where my grandad fought in the trenches in 1918 with the East Yorkshire Regiment. They arrived in July after retreating from trenches near to Reims having suffered huge losses at the end of May. The regiment’s war diaries have been invaluable in tracking him through northern France, so it will be especially poignant to walk in his footsteps here. I’m fascinated to have also seen your vlog about the Chapelle Madame with the names of soldiers scratched into the stonework, looking forward to seeing (and feeling) that. Thank you for all this great information!

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