Pro Patria Mori: The 56th (1st London) Division at Gommecourt, 1st July 1916
-
ISBN: 0955811910Published by Iona Books, July 2008 Available from author at www.gommecourt.co.uk.Softback £22
'Stand To!', Journal of the Western Front Association, No. 81, January 2008 (This review applies to the first edition)
Seldom do we see a book which deals with the work of a single Division and it was particularly good to know about member Alan MacDonald's 'Pro Patria Mori, The 56th (1st London) division at Gommecourt, 1st July 1916. It is a substantial work of over 500 pages, giving a most comprehensive and detailed account of the work of the 56th on the First day of the Somme. The attack on Gommecourt has not been studied in depth before; it was here, at the northern end of the Somme battlefield, that Haig, against advice, decided to carry out a diversionary attack to attract German artillery and infantry away from the main thrust. The area chosen for the 46th and 56th Divisions to attack was about the most heavily defended sector. Both attacks failed. The author uses a mass of sources and the result is a most detailed and pleasant to read account of the disaster. Each battalion's story is given as they played their parts in the Division's attack, the casualties are listed and there are even photographs of a number of those who died. Everything is there - even the German angle, and I commend this book to members.
Book Description
On Saturday, 1st July 1916, the men of the 56th (1st London) Division, went 'over the top' to storm Gommecourt - a village later recognised as the strongest position in the German lines. It was the opening day of the 141-day Battle of the Somme when 57,470 British soldiers were killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
The revised edition of 'Pro Patria Mori' recounts the experiences of the London men who fought and died at Gommecourt. Using the personal recollections of those involved, many previously unpublished, the book is a day by day account of the planning and preparation of the attack. The battle itself is covered minute by minute, with many situation maps to explain the action. Unlike many WWI histories, the fighting is seen from both sides of No Man's Land with accounts drawn from many German unit histories.
In addition, there are extensive sections describing the injuries, treatment and evacuation of the wounded; a wholly new section on the dreadful treatment and conditions experienced by British Prisoners of War; and an analysis of the reasons for the catastrophic failure of the Gommecourt attack.
The Book contains numerous appendices including a full Roll of Honour of all men from the 56th (1st London) Division who died before and during the attack on Gommecourt in which over 1,300 men died in just twelve hours. The new edition contains a similar Roll for the men of the 2nd Guard Reserve Division - the German defenders of Gommecourt.
'Pro Patria Mori' is 700 pages long, fully indexed and comes with over 200 photographs and 25 maps and plans. The companion volume - 'A Lack of Offensive Spirit? The 46th (North Midland) Division at Gommecourt, 1st July 1916', which describes in detail the failure of this Division's simultaneous attack on Gommecourt, was published in March 2008.
