2nd Gordon Highlanders War Diary
July 1st 7.30 a.m.
The battalion attacked at 7.30 a.m. in 4 lines at 100 yards between lines. B and D Companies 1st and 2nd lines (2 platoons in each line), A and C Companies 3rd and 4th lines. The advance was carried out under a very heavy barrage of machine gun and rifle fire. D and C Companies were held up by the barbed wire and suffered very heavy losses whilst A and C Companies pushed on steadily. Three lines of trenches had to be crossed before nearing the village of Mametz which was the final objective.
7.55 a.m. A and B Companies who had lost heavily during the advance had reached the Sunken Road immediately in front of Mametz village. All the officers of B Company were wounded except Lt K S Gordon. The 1st South Staffords were on our right and the 9th Devons on our left. The objective of the Staffords was the east half of Mametz village and the 9th Devons to prolong the line to the left of Mametz.
8 a.m. Message received from Capt A N Davidson, commanding A Company: "Am rallying in Sunken Road, north of Cemetery Trench preparatory to rushing Mametz."
9.0 a.m. A second message was received from OC A Company: "Am in touch with party of 50 1st South Staffords on right. They are in Shrine Alley. Cannot get any touch on left which is at present in the air. Mametz being heavily shelled. Reinforcements badly needed."
On receipt of this message two runners were sent forward to find C and D Companies. They returned stating that C and D Companies were held up in front of the German wire and unable to advance owing to the heavy machine gun fire and snipers.
9.30 a.m. 3rd message from OC A Company: "Situation more normal. Mametz being still heavily shelled. Left flank still in the air and valley west of Shrine held by enemy's machine guns. No officers and NCOs with party of S Staffords on my right."
A message received from Capt G H Gordon: "Am held up by wire. Am going to try and work round on the left".
11.5 a.m. 4th message from OC A Company: "Left flank by Shrine still in the air. Patrols cannot find D or C Companies and have met with serious opposition from enemy's machine guns in the valley west of Shrine. Am occupying from Shrine to point F.11.a.7.9 along bank of road. Propose advancing to objective when Devons and Borders on left get into line".
The 9th Devons suffered heavy losses in their initial advance and right company being wiped out and never getting to the 1st line German trench, the result being that our left was very much exposed.
1.45 p.m. 5th message from OC A Company: "Situation grave. Being bombed by large parties at Shrine. Reinforcements absolutely necessary".
2.40 p.m. A reply to the 5th message was sent: "2 companies of 2nd R Warwicks are coming up to support you at once. Hold on to your position at all costs".
3.45 p.m. The two companies of 2nd Warwicks arrived at 3.40 and advanced in 4 lines with little opposition.
4.5 p.m. The enemy surrendered as soon as the 1st line 2nd Warwicks approached the Sunken Road and Mametz was captured and 600 prisoners. 2 platoons of the 8th Devons who had been sent up previously in support joined up and they had been held up by barbed wire.
4.45 p.m. The force now consisted of 2 companies Gordon Highlanders, 2 companies 2nd R Warwicks, 2 platoons 8th Devons and 3 machine gun sections. They were re-organised at once and the defence of the village at once taken in hand. 2 companies of 2nd Warwicks were in touch with 1st South Staffords left. 2 companies 2nd Gordon Highlanders prolonged to the left of the 2nd Warwicks and 8th Devons (2 platoons) prolonged to the left of 2nd Gordon Highlanders. Three strong points were made and a machine gun section placed in each point.
10 p.m. 2 more companies 2nd Warwicks came up and formed a close support, the whole force being under command of Lt Col B G R Gordon DSO, commander of the Gordon Highlanders.
10.30 p.m. The 95th Company RE arrived and assisted in consolidating the position and during the hours of darkness a large number of high explosive shrapnel was burst over the village of Mametz but little damage done. Capt Gordon and about 50 of his men joined up about this hour but nothing was known of D Company less 1 NCO and 18 men.
2nd July The position remained the same. Advanced stores of bombs and ammunition were brought up and the positions improved. Whizz bangs and high explosive shrapnel were burst intermittently over Mametz during the day. The killed were all collected, the wounded having been evacuated on 1st July.
Special Notes:
A party of bombers under 2nd Lt Lawrence bombed all the dug outs up the valley accounting for a large number of killed. The trophies captured comprised 600 prisoners, one machine gun, one anti-aircraft machine gun, one trench mortar and large supplies of rifles, ammo and bombs, stores, etc.
The casualties were as follows:
Killed
Officers:
1. 2nd Lt W Fearnley
2. 2nd Lt G Giles
3. 2nd Lt C G Gordon
4. 2nd Lt D T King
5. 2nd Lt N L McNeill
6. 2nd Lt J White
7. 2nd Lt W A Davidson died of wounds, 2nd July 1916
Wounded
8. Capt H B Brooke died of wounds, 24th July 1916
9. Capt R A W Murray
10. Capt J E Fiennes
11. Capt Gross
12. Lt H Mc D Pyper
13. Lt J R E Guild
14. Lt Ferguson
15. Lt Macdonald
16. Lt G R S Cookson
Other ranks:
Killed 119
• Wounded 287
• Missing 39
Strength of battalion going into action:
• Officers 24
• Other ranks 783