The Western Front Today - 18th Division Memorial, Trones Wood
The British 18th Division had three memorials erected in their honour after the war: at Clapham Junction in the Ypres Salient; and at Thiepval and Trones Wood in the Somme. The latter memorial signifies harsh fighting by the division in July 1916 and late August 1918.
On 14 July, during the opening of the third stage of the Somme Offensive, 18th Division secured the wood from the Germans. It fell to the German Army during the great Spring offensive of March 1918 and was once more retaken by 18th Division on 27 August 1918.
The memorial to 18th Division was placed in the years before the wood was re-grown.
References:
Before Endeavours Fade, Rose E.B. Coombs, After the Battle 1994
Major & Mrs Holt's Battlefield Guide - Somme, Leo Cooper 2000
An 'Old Sweat' was slang to denote an experienced soldier.
- Did you know?
