Decorated Delville Wood soldier’s son recounts father’s bravery
At one stage his bayonet got stuck in a German soldier and he had to fire a round to dislodge it
THIS year marks the 100th anniversary of one of the bloodiest battles fought in the First World War.
The Battle of Delville Wood, that was fought from 15 July to 3 September, was a series of engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme between the armies of the German Empire and the British Empire.
Toti resident Bert Tanner (93) is the son of the late Private George Garnet Tanner, who served at Delville Wood with the 2nd Battalion, which was under the command of Lieutenant–Colonel William Tanner (no relation).
The Battle of Delville Wood has been described as ‘the bloodiest battle-hell of 1916’ and ‘six days of hell’.
It was essential to the British that the wood be cleared of Germans before any attack could be launched on the formidable and notorious German Switch Line. The task of capturing the wood was handed to three battalions of the 1st South African Brigade.
The South African regiment went in at dawn on 15 July and following a heavy artillery battle, they managed to clear the southern edge of German forces. The remainder of the wood remained in German hands.
“My father described it as terrible hand-to-hand fighting, using bayonets,” said Bert. “At one stage his bayonet got stuck in a German soldier and he had to fire a round to dislodge it.”
The German artillery bombarded the wood so heavily, it was estimated that at times the rate of shelling reached seven a second. The defenders were decimated by shrapnel and falling trees and many of them were buried alive by the massive explosions.
Recommended for the Military Medal, Pvt Tanner was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his heroics as a despatch runner during the battle. On 18 July, he was sent back with information detailing the position the company was in.
He had to penetrate a heavy barrage and, although badly shell-shocked, succeeded to reach the battalion headquarters.
“The Germans were using Big Bertha (a 420mm howitzer) to bomb the woods. One of the mortars hit close to my father when he was returning with the reply,” said Bert. “He was buried alive, with only his legs sticking out. He wriggled his legs until he was discovered and pulled out.”
Tanner made it back to the strong point with the reply, although giddy and concussed. The battle for Delville Wood was costly for both sides and the 1st South African Infantry Brigade lost 2,536 men.
George was among the last South African group relieved on 20 July.
Later in the war, he was hospitalised with mustard gas in the lungs and while recovering, met Sally, Bert’s mother, and they were married at the end of the war. Bert was born in Cambridge, outside East London, in 1924.
George and his brothers William and Albert fought and survived both World Wars. He didn’t see much action in the Second World War as he still suffered from damaged lungs. He died in 1983.
“I went to visit Delville Wood for the 80th anniversary in 1986 with five other South Africans,” said Bert. “Two of us had fathers who fought in the battle and the other four had relatives. During the five-day tour, the SABC accompanied us and filmed the visit.
The wood was completely re-grown and there was no trace of the horror that happened there.
I had a photograph taken of me standing next to the ‘last tree’.” The ‘last tree’ was the only surviving hornbeam tree after artillery shells splintered and smashed almost every tree in the wood. This tree continued to grow after the war and still stands, its trunk studded with shards of metal artillery shell casings.
The SA Legion will commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Delville Wood with a parade on Sunday, 10 July at 10.30am at the Cenotaph in Dorothy Nyembe Street (Gardiner Street), where Bert has been invited to lay a wreath.
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