November 5th 2016 Commemoration Plan

My plan for November 5th this year is as follows:

1. Meet at 11am at the French memorial in the middle of Gueudecourt.

2. Meet with the Mayor by 11:30am at the mairie.
Unveil the plaque, have a couple of speeches and there may be other items as well.

Anyone my follow me with the rest of my plan -
3. Go to the Bayonet/Hilt Trench area where the 1st and 3rd Battalions attacked where a wreath will be placed.

4. Go to the area of the Maze attack and lay a wreath.

5. Go to Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.

The battlefield (where the 1st and 3rd Battalions attacked)

French soldier memorial in Gueudecourt

Villers-Bretonneux Memorial

99th Anniversary

Ninety-nine years ago today Australian soldiers were involved in an offensive near Flers and Geuedecourt, France. 

 Thomas (my great-grandfather) and his fellow Australian soldiers of the 1st and 3rd Battalion attacked a 'triangle' just near Geuedecourt, France. Unfortunately a number of them were wounded and/or died during this attack.

This is an attack map for the 'triangle' attack on November 5th 1916

A little further along the front the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th Battalions were also involved in this offensive. They were attacking a section called 'The Maze' and a larger number of these soldiers were wounded and/or killed then involved in the 'triangle' attack.

This is photograph of the original attack plan for the November 5th offensive.

 

 

Unfortunately for a number of the soldiers killed (especially in the 'triangle' attack) they remained un-buried where they fell until early March 1917. 

NEW WEBSITE

As of early this morning I have made my new website go live!

I have transferred over everything that was on the old site and will be adding new research (information, maps and photographs) about the November 5th 1916 attack. I have expanded my research to all the Australian battalions involved in this attack.

Memorial at Gueudcourt

After my last visit to Gueudecourt for the 95th anniversary of the death of Thomas and the other soldiers I decided that for the 100th I REALLY want to place a plaque in France commemorating them and the battle they lost their lives in.

A couple of months ago I decided to start to try and make this happen, I have contacted someone in France in the hope they can help me and I have started saving money for the plaque.

I have to admit in a perfect world I would be able to get the plaque I have imaged (and drawn) and it would be placed right near their burial site. I know I am going to have to settle for something else, but I will not settle for anything less then a plaque recognising the battle and the loss of lives.

I may have already posted the following previously on here - My image of the perfect plaque (or monument) to Thomas and the other soldiers would be the return of what was placed for them when they were originally buried (though in stone) - A simple cross bearing all their names. I have to admit when I told my family and friends most were a little confused (confused might not be the right word) as I am far from religious, but I feel it is only fitting that the cross be returned. I know others may not feel this way.

I will post updates on what happens when things occur (hopefully).

Unknown Soldiers In Photographs

The following photographs were sent to me to by a family member of John Harris. They have been placed on the November 5th 1916 website, on John Harris' personal page. They contain John Harris and other soldiers whom names are unknown - if you recognise a soldier please let me know.

John Harris is standing on the left-side of this photograph.

John Harris is standing on the right-side of this photograph.

John Harris is sitting on the left-side of this photograph. The solider standing behind him and the one sitting next to him are from the 1st battalion as they are wearing 1st battalion patches on their uniforms (top of left arms).

Introduction

This photo is of Thomas Rutherford.


My pop never new his father (Thomas Rutherford) and the family never knew what had happened to Thomas. They knew Thomas served in World War One and had his serial number - 5207. A couple of years ago I was asked to see what I could find about Thomas' World War One service (as I am the family historian).


I discovered that Thomas served in the 1st Battalion, A.I.F and was a private. I also discovered that he was killed on the evening/morning of November 5th 1916 along with quite a few other Australian soldiers near Gueudecourt, France.


Thomas died near the trees in the middle of the photo. This photo is taken from the A.I.F Cemetery. Gueudecourt is to the right of this photo.




On November 5th 2006 my father and I stood near Gueudecourt looking at the location where my Great-Grandfather was killed exactly 90 years early (to the date, but not the time). We had gone to France to be the first in our family to remember this man none of us knew. Up to this point I had discovered Thomas' personnel file, Red Cross file (as he was reported missing in the war), embarkation roll and honour roll. I also discussed that he was now just a name on the wall at Villers-Bretonneux, France and at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

This photo shows Thomas' name on the wall in Canberra

While in France seeing the Somme area and seeing the different places involved in the wars. I began wanting to discovered Thomas' final resting place, I began wanting to change him from just a name on the wall. I had a little tiny light of hope in that in his Red Cross file (which only contained 5 pages) included a page stating that Thomas was buried near Gueudecourt and the location of his burial. (You can see this page above)

I decided when I got back from France I would try to confirm this location and hopefully get a memorial of some sort erected for Thomas. My following entries will follow my research and show the information I uncover. To start with I will be placing the research I have already undertaken.


One of the main things I realised when undertaking the search is that Thomas died with quite a few other Australian soliders. Also that I am not just looking for Thomas about 40 to 50 Australian soldiers all together. (I will explain in another blog what I mean by this last sentence)