Great War First Day of the Battle Somme casualty pair awarded to Private W.E. Sargent, 1st/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment who saw service on the Western Front from 22nd March 1915 and who was killed in action during the Battalion’s attack on Redan Ridge on 1st July 1916. Having no known grave he is now remembered on the Thiepval Memorial. Where out of 800 men of the Battalion who went over the top, 588 became casualties of whom 239 were killed. Of the 800 men of the 1st/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment who went over the top on 1st July 1916, 588 became casualties, of whom 239 were killed.
Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (2388 PTE. W.E. SARGENT. R. WAR. R.)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
William Edward Sargent was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham in 1889 and before the war was employed as a wood machinist at a factory making bedsteads. In September 1914 he enlisted in the 1/8th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, a unit of the Territorial Force. Sargent served in France from 22nd March 1915 and was killed in action during the Battalion’s attack on Redan Ridge on 1st July 1916, having no known grave he is now remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
The 1/8th Royal Warwicks were part of the 48th (South Midland) Division, but on 1st July 1916 they were attached to the 11th Brigade of the 4th Division for the attack on Redan Ridge. The 4th Division’s objective was the ridge between Grandcourt and Puisieux-au-Mont at a distance of 3,600 yards away. The 11th Brigade had gained their objective, the 10th and 12th Brigades would pass through the 11th Brigade and gain the final objective along the Ridge.
The 11th Brigade would attack in two waves. The leading wave consisted of the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, the 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade, the 1st/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, while the second wave would consist of 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment, 1st Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry and the 1st/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
At precisely 07.30hrs the Warwicks advanced. They had to cross about 200 yards of No Man’s Land to reach the German front line, but as soon as they left their trenches they were met by a storm of fire from machine gun positions up on the Redan Ridge behind the German front lines. The two left companies ‘C’ and ‘D’, came under intense machine gun fire from their left and took heavy casualties. They reached the German front line by little headway was made beyond that.
It was a different story on the right, however. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies took the first two German lines very quickly, but casualties stated to be taken from machine guns in the third and fourth lines. The Warwicks were temporarily held up at the third line but took it with a series of rushes. From this point on, the fighting degenerated into a vicious bomb fight along the trenches, but by 08.10 the fourth line had been taken and the survivors began consolidating their gains.
By this time the 1/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment had arrived but were took weak to advance further, having been decimated by artillery fire in No Man’s Land. Instead they joined forces with their sister battalion and helped them consolidate. The remnants of the two battalions spent the day being bombed out of their final position and then bombing their way back in again. When the grenades ran out the men were forced to pull back to the third line where they lined the parapet and held it with machine gun and rifle fire. Parties were detailed to collect as many grenades ran out the men were forced to pull back to the third line where they lined the parapet and held it with machine gun and rifle fire. Parties were detailed to collect as many grenades as they could find, British and German, and when an adequate supply had been found the Warwicks attacked their objective again, taking in once more. However, without a further supply of grenades from the rear, they could not hold on and had to retire to the third line again.
All the time casualties were mounting from machine gun and sniper fire. Lacking support and ammunition, the remnants of the Warwicks and the other battalions of the 4th Division were steadily driven back by the Germans and by mid-afternoon they were concentrated around the Quadrilateral. To make matters worse, the failure of the Divisions to the right and left was causing enemy fire to fall on the British troops from three directions: north, south and east.
At 19.30 after being in action for twelve hours, the Warwicks relieved by men of the 10th and 12th Brigades who continued to hold on to the gains that had been made. However, by nightfall it had become obvious that the British offensive had been a disaster. Most of the attacks had failed even to reach their objectives, let alone capture them, and the handful of units that had achieved their objectives could not be reinforced and were in danger of being cut off and destroyed. In the early hours of 2nd July it was decided that the Quadrilateral could not be held, so a staff officer crossed over to it and ordered the garrison to withdraw.
Of the 800 men of the 1st/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment who went over the top on 1st July 1916, 588 became casualties, of whom 239 were killed.
Sargent is additionally entitled to a 1914-1915 Star.
