“They were on The Somme”

Between September 1^st and October 14^th, 1916 the 15^th Battalion took part in the Canadian Corps’ offensive on The Somme for which the battalion was awarded the Battle Honours, Somme 1916, Poziers, Thiepval and Ancre Heights. There were three phases in the 15^th Battalion’s participation in Somme offensive: September 1-25 saw the battalion arrive in Albert and move into the forward trench line near Pozieres and Mouquet Farm taking part in the fighting to advance the line closer to Courcelette;  on September 26^th the Battalion, along with the 14th Battalion, led the 3^rd Brigade’s assault on Thiepval ridge advancing the line north of Courcelette towards Regina Trench; September 29-October 14 saw the battalion in close support positions on the edge of Courcelette operating in the ‘Sunken Road’ and ‘Death Valley  until it was withdrawn in October.

During its time on the Somme, the 15^th Battalion lost almost half of its usual strength suffering well over 500 casualties – between September 25^th and 28^th alone 2 Officers and 115 Other Ranks were killed, missing or died of wounds.

This video covers the period from September 1^st to October 14^th, 1916 and commemorates all those men of the Battalion that fell on The Somme.

Dileas Gu Brath

Click here to see our 15th Battalion CEF(48th Highlanders of Canada) tribute video on YouTube.

Click here to see our “This Week in History” page.