About William
William Short was born in Eston, Middlesbrough on 4th February 1885. He was named William Henry Sivil as he was born out of wedlock and he was given his mother's name. On the the 1901 Census he is still listed as William Henry Sivil, a 16 year old general labourer. I have found no evidence as to whether he ever officially changed his name or if he was ever known as Sivil. William was known to his family as Will and "Twig" or "Twiggie". This has been reported as having been due to a habit of chewing a twig. I am led to believe however, that it was a lot more to do with his slight stature. This is information passed on from my Grandfather, Arthur, who was raised by William's parents and was nicknamed Twiggie because of his uncanny resemblance in both appearance and nature. Another factor to William's nickname may, or may not be related to the fact that the family had a boarder called John Twigg.
William was a popular local footballer who played for Grangetown Albion, Saltburn and Lazenby United Football Clubs. I have struggled to find out anything of significance about these teams apart from that Saltburn won some local cups and leagues in the 10 years prior to the outbreak of war. I have no evidence as to whether William was part of these teams but it would be nice to think he tasted some success before he endured so much tragedy.
The family later moved from Eston, to 35 Vaughan Street, Grangetown to be closer to work. William worked with his father at Bolckow, Vaughan & Co. as a general labourer and craneman until he enlisted on 2nd September 1914. He was enlisted into the 8th Battallion,Alexandra Princess of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment who were a part of the 69th Infantry Brigade with three other Regiments, who along with the 68th and 70th Infantry Brigades were to form the 23rd Division.
The 8th Battallion assembled at Frensham in September of 1914 and on the 28th September Major E.G. Caffin took command of a Sergeant-Major, a Quartermaster-Sergeant and 1,070 other ranks without any other Commisioned Officers. Lieut-Colonel H.R. Sandilands, who wrote the History of the 23rd Division in addition to serving in it, expresses candidly how ignorant civilians were in the ways of the military and if someone had "predicted that they would be soldiers before the close of the year, he would be no less surely have been stoned." In this world of television, internet and national media it is difficult to comprehend that most people would know about their local area and very little else. Lieut-Colonel H.R. Sandilands explains this with a story about General Babington, the Divisional Commander. General Babington was one of the very few members of the 23rd Division to possess full uniform and he would visit Frensham to talk to the men. It was on one of these visits that a young officer took offence to some soldiers who had failed to stand to attention for the visiting General. Asked if they knew who they had been speaking to them one of the admonished soldiers replied " I doan't rightly know who 'e be, but I reckon 'e be one o' t' Directors." Another sign of times times having changed is that throughout the entire Division trained cooks were non-existent. A contract was made with Messrs Lyons & Co. to cater for the troops until the division had trained it's own chefs by early December.
Uniform was also in short supply and General Babington had to obtain permission to spend £17,000 on clothing. Two officers connected to the clothing trade were sent to buy underclothing and boots but it was mid-October before there was any real uniform and this came in the shape of emergency blue clothing. It was also in October that 100 obsolete Lee-Metford rifles were issued for drill purposes along with a selection of other mothballed kit. It would seem that military shortages are nothing new. The difference is that when the Division moved to France in August 1915 they had been properly kitted out, it was just their training to be completed.
FRANCETHE ARMENTIERES FRONT
It was in the Armentieres sector that this training was to take place. Instruction in stick bombs, mills bombs and the still crude trench mortar was given alongside traiming in sentry duties, patrolling and wiring parties. Clearly the training was being tailored for the trench warfare that was to be so prevelant in the First World War.On the 9th of September the 69th and 70th Infantry Brigades were attached to the 27th Division and within the week William was on active service as they held of some 4500 yards. This had previously been thought of as a "peaceful" front but not for much longer. On September 15th the 69th Brigade took control of the right this sector setting up its Headquarters at Erquinghem. The first priority was to 'dig-in' if for no other reason than the trenches had been dug in the dry summer and even a decent shower was enough to waterlog them. Many thought it unnecassary as rumours circulated of an impending attack on the Germans. These rumours were not unfounded as a four day bombardment commenced on the 21st September for the advancement planned for the 25th September. On the night of the 24th-25th September William will faced battle for the first time as the Battle of Loos began. It is not clear how involved Williams regiment was but they clearly held a front line position from the reports at the time so it would be unlikely that he wasn't involved somehow. Due to the limited success of this offensive at Loos the 69th Brigades planned attack on Trois Fetus, was not considered justifiable and on the 27th orders were recieved to conserve ammunition and so ended the 23rd Divisions involvement of the Loos offensive. The formidable German defenses meant that any success over those days and nights of battle were fine achievement.
The following months at the Armentieres front can hardly be described as uneventful as the daily slog of war unfolded but it is possible to say that it was fairly standard for a static front. The most significant occurence in this time was the introduction of the trench raid particularly for one William Short. The fact that previous acts of bravery were mentioned in William's citation means it is not unreasonable to consider that he would have been active from this time onwards in regards to raiding enemy trenches.
THE SOUCHEZ FRONT
From the 5th March through to June 16th, 1916 were spent on the Souchez Front which spread up to the now infamous Vimy Ridge.
THE SOMME
CONTALMAISON
On the 10th July the 8th and 9th Battalions of the Yorkshire Regt attacked Contalmaison, a stronghold of the Germans and tactical thorn in the side of the British forces. To cover the infantry the 23rd and 34th Divisional Artillery were to keep a barrage on the line of the objective from 4 pm to 5m and to bombard Contalmaison. At 4pm the infantry advanced to the attack and ten minutes later 200 germans attempted a counter attack from the north against Bailiff Wood, but were stopped with with heavy casualties by the machine guns. At this time Lieutenant-Colonels Vaugh and Holmes brought the 8th and 9th battalions forward for the main assault.
The ground over which lay the early stage of their advance, though heavy with mud and broken by shell holes was level. On leaving assembly trenches the troops, though not fully in view, were not under observation from Contalmaison. Immediately they moved forward both battalions came under heavy fire of artillery, rifles and machine guns, but the men continued to advance. As the advance progress the attacking troops became more exposed until they descended into the valley which separated them from the objective. They came into full view of Quadrangle trench which was sited on the opposite slope, which rose to Contalmaison.
At 5pm the 8th Battalion on the Southern flank, on descending into the valley, found their advance hampered by wire, which in places was almost intact. Some Historians are now trying to claim that many mistakes were quickly learnt from on the Somme. This is clearly not the case in regard to using shrapnel shells to cut wire. In addition to this the successful tactics used by Major-General Maxse and many of the French troops on the first day of the Somme had been used with success at Loos and Verdun in 1915 by the BEF and German troops respectivley. The ground at Contalmaison was a quagmire of flooded shell holes, wire and debris lay everywhere. Under fire from the front and left flank men were falling every second and advance was only possible by rushes in small groups for a few yards at atime.
Swept by a continouus hail of rifle bullets and shrapnel, the attack in face of such difficulties might well have failed but for the personal qualities of the commander, the gallant leading of his officers and the superb courage of all ranks. By 525pm the 8th Yorks had gained their whole objective, reduced now toto a muddyditch three feet dep, providing lttle protection from the enemy's fire from the village. At 530pm the artillery barrage lifted and the infantry moved forward to attack the village. The ground on the left and centre of the attack was fairly level but presented a considerable slope on the right.
It seems that the greater proportion of the enemy's machine guns had been massed in the South East quarter of the village, leading to the the supposition that the Germans anticipated attack from this direction. The position of the machine guns in this quarter made them readily available to oppose the advance of the 8th Yorks on the right of the attack.
MUNSTER ALLEY
The battalion was now ordered to make further a attempt against Munster Alley, with the object of seizing it's junction with Torr Trench, and establishing blocks in both trenches fifty yards beyond the junction. If possible, a furher advance would be made up Munster Allet to the German switch. One company was detailed to carry out the operation under the personal operation of Major Western. The attack was to be led by a party of picked bombers, volunteers, led by 2nd Lieutenant Lister. Following these would come one platoon under 2nd Lieutenant Cole.
At 4.10pm the attacking party moved forward up Munster Alley. The enemy was at once encountered at the trench junction, and driven back 170 yards, with the loss of two prisoners. Strong opposition was now met, and in the bombing fight which ensued our men were forced back some twenty yards to a point where a block was formed. During all this time the enemy shell-fire was very heavy. Continual counter attacks were made, but were driven off with great loss. William, one of the leading party, though wounded in the foot in the initial encounters, refused to leave his post. Later, his other leg was shattered by a shell, but he continued, as he lay in the trench, to adjust detonetors and straighten pins of the mills bombs for his comrades. These actions was a notable example of the gallantry displayed by many this night. The Australians kept up a continual supply of bombs to meet the heavy expenditure. 2nd Lieutenant Watson assumed command when 2nd Lieutenant Lister was wounded. One might wonder as to the effect of seeing a soldier who had refused to leave his comrades on the wounded Lister. It is not an unreasonable assumption that he would have been treated in the Contalmaison Chateau cellars that were being used as a field hospital of sorts, where William was taken to be pronounced dead and later laid to rest in the grounds. I am not trying to cast aspersions on Lister's character, far from it, I think that Lister was in a far superior position to judge William's actions. It is not something I will be able to prove, more an educated guess as to part of the reason why William was given the recognition and subsequent award of the Victoria Cross. The success of the attack may have also been a factor and I am sure that William would be happy to dedicate his award to the other brave souls who laid down their lives fighting by his side at Loos, Contalmaison and Pozieres. At about 9 pm, the 8th Yorkshire regt, which had been bombing and attacking for five consecutive hours was relieved by the 11th West Yorks and fighting continued until dawn without losing any of the captured trench. Between twenty and thirty prisoners had been taken, and the ground surrounding Munster Alley and Torr Trench was covered with German dead, half buried and trodden under foot during the attack. Two Lewis-guns had been brought up to cover the block in Munster Alley and Torr Trench. Torr Trench was practically blotted out of existence by shell fire, but it had been possible to establish a post about fifty yards from the junction and the Australians undertook to clear the remainder of it.
"Munster Alley, so far as it provided positions for enfilade fire on the British line had finally been taken from the Germans. The efforts expended towards the capture of this trench in relation to it's actual length can scarcely have been exceeded in any operation during the war." These are the words of Lieutenant-Colonel H.R. Sandilands whose work, completed in 1923, has been the source of most of the information that has formed this site. I do do feel that this is a quote that deserves particular attention as it adds some sense of proportion in what was a notoriously horrific action within a notoriously horrific battle within a notoriously horrific war, from somebody who was there and not an over enthusiastic great great nephew.