Victory calling – evolution of operational command: an infantry Battalion experience ‘A General without a telephone was to all practical purposes impotent – a lay figure dressed in uniform, deprived of eyes, arms and ears’

Tin triangles. Idea was that sun would reflect and be seen by aircraft!!

Fife & Kent. It is from Fife we get the detail.

Fife has met his Company Commanders 5 times in 8 days to go over the planning for the assault. Orders – Prior t0 the assault reports to Bn HQ at the railways station. After the assault orderlies with reports will follow road leading from church to SW corner of Fricourt thence, if necessary, to the station. OC Companys and platoons must bear in mind the importance of reporting the situation in writing at every stage. Reports should be in duplicate and sent by separate orderlies. Goes on to say: Communicating with contact aeroplanes: On Z day flares will be lit by infantry as follows – on reaching the first objective. On reaching the second objective. During the third phase on reaching the east edge of Fricourt village & all along the line of the most forward infantry at 9am, 1pm, 5pm & 9pm. "We knew that on our left the 10th West Yorkshire of our Brigade, though temporarily under orders of the 21st Division, were attacking; but could see nothing of their progress, though a report from Captain Bartrum, D Company, on the higher ground behind us, stated that their first wave had crossed No-Man's Land with hardly any casualties . . . . owing to the dense clouds of smoke and to the terrific noise, we were for some time entirely dependent for news on telephone messages from Brigade H.Q. and the reserve company, D ; but at 9 a.m. I received a message from B my centre company, which was of the gravest importance. The message was to the effect that A Company, under Major Kent on the right had left its trenches and had assaulted the enemy's position at 8.20. “This seemed so incredible that I could hardly believe that it was true, but immediately sent the adjutant to ascertain. The Battalion war diary talks about this being due to ‘an unfortunate mistake on the part of the officer commanding A Company.’ “To my horror, Lieutenant Barmby returned almost immediately to say that there was no doubt whatever that the statement was correct. A few minutes later a message from A Company came back with a report from Lieutenant Wilkinson, who stated that he and those of the company who were left were lying out in front of our wire; that Major Kent and Lieutenants David and Tenney were wounded, and that they were being heavily fired on by machine guns and snipers."

7th Bn casualties 1 July 1916 COMPANY STRENGTH CASUALTIES % A 140 108 77 B 160 70 43 C 177 80 45 D 131 61 46 TOTAL 608 319 52

Fricourt chateau. On 7 July Cotton, commander of C Company Fricourt chateau. On 7 July Cotton, commander of C Company ? walks to the Chateau and notes in his diary: “It was most interesting exploring the remains of the old Hun front line. Lots of dead Germans about chiefly killed by shell fire. Many of the deep dug-outs are burning. The Brigade HQ is under the ruins of the Chateau and is a most commodious and secure dug-out. The first floor, below ground is used as a mess, below that a room for the HQ staff & below that again a passage with bedrooms leading off it. It was, in the days of the Hun, lighted by electric light.

Casualty Comparison 1917 Sailly – Saillisel. Battalion strength 330 all ranks. KILLED WOUNDED MISSING OFFICERS 4 2 OTHER RANKS 68 118 TOTAL 72 120 % CASUALTIES IN TOTAL 59.93 1916 Fricourt COMPANY STRENGTH CASUALTIES % A 140 108 77 B 160 70 43 C 177 80 45 D 131 61 46 TOTAL 608 319 52

Victory calling – evolution of operational command: an infantry Battalion experience ‘A General without a telephone was to all practical purposes impotent – a lay figure dressed in uniform, deprived of eyes, arms and ears’