Battle of The Somme, July 1 , 1916 July 1, 2007
Montauban, the nameshouldringabell…
In Maricourt, take the first road north to Montauban immediately beyond Péronne Road Cemetery. After 750m the road crosses the start-line for the 18th and 30th Divisions’ attack on 1 July 1916. About 1km to the west of the road Captain Wilfred ‘Billie’ Nevill kicked his football across no man’s land before he was killed close to the German barbed wire.
The 18th Division of which Nevill was part had been in the Somme for nearly a year. In May 1916 Nevill, made a Captain, went home to England on leave. He and his fellow officers concerned themselves about how their men would behave when finally called on to go ‘over the top’.
To provide his soldiers with a reassuringly familiar symbol, Nevill bought four footballs and took them back with him to France. His team would boot then dribble their way through the German ranks and into Montauban.
‘Over the top’ soon came…
At 07.27 on 1 July 1916, when the French artillery bombardment lifted, Nevill, along with another officer duly kicked two of the balls into no man’s land – and followed in pursuit. Captain Nev had promised a prize for the first ‘goal scored’ in crossing enemy lines.
Approaching the German barbed wire defence, the concerted attacking-line hesitated – yet Nevill dashed forward to dribble some more to move the attack on – and was killed instantly.
In total 60,000 British died in the first 90 minutes of battle.
The 18th Division was supported by the 30th Division, made up of four battalions each of Liverpool Pals, Manchester Pals and Regular battalions with the French allies in reserve… the attack was stepped up… Montauban was captured three hours after the advance had begun (although heavy fighting continued throughout the day).
A monument is there today in commemoration of the Pals. In total 420,000 British perished in the Somme in the 8 mile push that lasted 4 months. This figure made up nearly half the British casualties for the entire War.
That day in Montauban, two of the dribbled footballs were found and were hailed before the surviving members of the victorious Regiments reassembling the other side of the Montauban Trench which had been their goal. Immediately the story of these football-dribbling Brits was reported worldwide in the press. In Britain it stood for courage and strength of character. In Germany it was seen as a clear example of British madness.
A year ago today, in 2006, and a further 90 years on from the Somme debacles, Germany on home soil were preparing to take on Italy in the footballing World Cup. A World Cup where prejudices were slain and mankind revelled in exemplary human behaviour and bonhomie – save for France’s Zidane headbutting the chest of an Italian in the Final on the back of a racist insult.
