THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD

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THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD
IP: 51.6.245.226
Posted on April 4, 2026 at 11:50:20 by David Platt, welfare & Liaison

THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD
On 31st March 1917, German forces made a stand between Savy and Holnon just west of St Quentin, France in an attempt to stop the British advance.
By 0500 hours on the 1st April, 97 Brigade had attacked and captured Savy village. 96 Brigade with the 15th and 16th Lancashire Fusiliers, also known as the 1st and 2nd Battalions the Salford Pals, was then ordered to make an attack on the Bois de Savy together with the smaller wood to its south-east. The purpose was to harry and prevent the German rear-guards from entering St Quentin unopposed.
The battalions were due to advance at 1300 unfortunately, in full view of the Germans who were installed on the high ground south of Holnon. Their objectives were to take the wood and to establish strong points on the far side in the vicinity of the St Quentin-Peronne railway. A gale was blowing and the Pals were lashed with rain sleet and snow as they waited to set off.
Within minutes as the troops crested the rise beyond Pommery Chateau, the whole brigade came under shrapnel fire. Companies split up further into platoons in open formation. As the Pals formed up, they were already being subjected to spasmodic high explosive and howitzer fire..
The Fusiliers were on the left of the attack and, as the waves moved forward, behind their artillery's creeping barrage, the number of casualties rose, struck down by machine-gun fire. As they reached Savy Wood the Pals found them to be empty but progress was very slow as the Germans had built a network of severed trees, obstacles and tangled undergrowth.
By 1600 hours that afternoon, the Pals had fought their way round and through Savy Wood and began the process of consolidating their advance by establishing a succession of posts in entrenchments to the north and east of the wood. German machine gun and artillery fire continued but, by 2030 the Salford Pals were established and the British position started to expand.
The cost in terms of casualties was severe, almost 230 throughout the two battalions. Of these a total of more than 40 were killed or died from their wounds soon after.
#OTD #Fusiliers #FusilierStories #LancashireFusiliers #WW1

Replies:

Re(1): THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD - By vince moran April 4, 2026 at 12:18:47
- Re(2): THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD - By Colin Fletcher April 5, 2026 at 12:47:09
  - Re(3): THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD - By vince moran April 5, 2026 at 15:10:17
    - Re(4): THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD - By Geoff Pycroft April 5, 2026 at 19:17:02
      - Re(5): THE SALFORD PALS AT SAVY WOOD - By vince moran April 6, 2026 at 23:28:20

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