A Lack of Offensive Spirit?: The 46th (North Midland) Division at Gommecourt, 1st July 1916

by Alan MacDonald

'A Lack of Offensive Spirit?' is a companion volume to Alan MacDonald's recently revised book 'Pro Patria Mori - the 56th (1st London) Division at Gommecourt, 1st July 1916'. The attack of the 46th (North Midland) Division at Gommecourt on the first day of the Battle of the Somme is one of the most controversial incidents of the Great War. The men were effectively accused of cowardice ("A lack of offensive spirit") and of being drunk and the Division was the only one subject to a Court of Inquiry into its conduct. Their commander, Maj. Gen. Eddie Stuart Wortley, was the only General sacked as a result of the catastrophe of the 1st July 1916, a day when the British Army suffered its worst casualties in a single day in its entire history. `A Lack of Offensive Spirit?' tells the story of Stuart Wortley and the 46th Division from the opening of the war, through the tragedy of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and then, day by day, through the preparations for the attack on Gommecourt. The attack itself is described using the dozens of eyewitness reports collected after the battle as well as official documents and post-war recollections and memoirs. The German perspective on the battle is also extensively covered with information drawn from numerous German unit histories. The conduct of the Court of Inquiry and of Stuart Wortley's desperate efforts to clear his name are covered in detail as well as the tragic fate of the hundreds of officers and men missing, dead and wounded. `A Lack of Offensive Spirit?' is fully indexed, contains over 20 maps and plans, 45 photographs and contains extensive appendices (including a Roll of Honour of both British and German dead).

700 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2008

Reviews

[Mark Merritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book 6 stars, I would! For an extremely detailed description of a single divisions activities for 2 months prior to a single day of a severe battle, the author wrote an extremely engrossing account. This book is concerned with the 46th British Midland Division’s attack on Gommecourt as part of the Somme Offensive that commenced on 1 July 1916. The 46th was a territorial division, in fact the first British territorial division to be sent to France in World War 1, in 1915.

The Gommecourt attack was planned as a diversion to draw off some German artillery and Infantry from the main part of the Somme attack that took place just to the south. The 46th Division, along with the British 56th London Division, made up the British VII corps, and both divisions were tasked with taking Gommecourt and fulfilling the high commands intent. Needless to say, while the men did everything possible to achieve these results, the actual attack was an unmitigated disaster. Together, both divisions took over 7,000 casualties, a significant part of the nearly 60,000 casualties the entire British Army took on 1 July in the kickoff of the Somme battle.

This book goes into extreme detail on what the 46th division did from May 1916 to July 1916. The details of the commanders intent, the problems of the weather, the set up and plans of the artillery for the pre battle bombardment and every detail you can imagine are in this account. Even though there is so much detail, Mr. Macdonald wrote a very readable account of the proceedings. Numerous appendix’s add much information, including the list of each man in the division killed from May through July, with brief biographical sketches and where these men are buried, or more sadly, where their names are listed on the numerous tablets listing the missing that dot the Western Front.

Mr. Macdonald is no admirer of Field Marshal Haig or much of the British High Command, but, he is fair with all levels of command. The medical services and their effort to combat trench foot, various infections and other diseases as well as their attempt to set up adequate medical facilities prior to “ZDay”, 1 July, are also extensively covered.

I could go on and on. I can’t say enough good about this fine work. It even has a chapter for battlefield trampers like me to drive around the area to see what there is to be seen. If you have any interest in the Battle of the Somme, this is the book for you!

[Andrew Hartshorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most incredibly detailed historical accounts I have ever read.

The author left nothing out. Every detail that is out there is in here!