Although not a professional historian, Avril Williams
has a wealth of knowledge about what happened in and
around Auchonvillers during the Great War, and about
the Somme Campaign generally. Quite apart from
her own studies, having lived, raised a family and
worked in Auchonvillers for many years (surprising
how many years really, given that she's still only
twenty-one :-), Avril has picked up invaluable knowledge
from the locals, many of whom had family here at the
outbreak of the War and, coupled with what she has
learned from the many historians she counts as friends,
her knowledge is wide and she has become a sought
after guide.
The area surrounding Auchonvillers provides ample
opportunity for 
exploring
both the Old Front Line and the 'behind the lines'
areas where soldiers rested and, in the last gasp
of innocence in June 1916, assembled for the Big Push
that they hoped would bring an end to the war.
Avril's guiding is not restricted to the Somme,
however, and she is happy to discuss guiding on other
battlefields.
- Recommended reading:
- Masefield, John. The
Old Front Line (2003 edition) Pen & Sword
Books, Barnsley.
- Reed, Paul. Walking the Somme
(2003) Leo Cooper, Barnsley.
- Cave, Nigel. Beaumont Hamel
(2003) Leo Cooper, Barnsley.
- Middlebrook, Martin. The
First Day on the Somme (2003) Leo Cooper, Barnsley
- Middlebrook, Martin & Mary. The
Somme Battlefields (1994) Penguin Books, London.
- Cuttell, Barry. One Day on
The Somme, 1st July 1916 (1998) GMS Enterprises,
Peterborough.
- Holt, Major & Mrs. Battlefield
Guide to the Somme (1999) Leo Cooper, Barnsley.
- Blunden, Edmund. Undertones
of War (2000 edition) Penguin Books, London.
- Manning, Frederick. Her Privates
We (1999 unexpurgated edition) Serpent's Tail,
London.
- See also -
- Around Avril's Place
You have perhaps seen the flickering images
of men from B and D Coys of the Lancashire Fusiliers
in the Sunken Lane, grinning to camera and smoking
their cigarettes and pipes, just a short while before
they went over the top - the lane is still there and
is easily recognisable from the film. Having
visited the lane and retraced the soldiers' steps
you will understand why so many of these men became
casualties within the first few seconds of the assault
The Sunken Lane leads up the Redan Ridge, which
is also well worth exploring. This ridge was
held by 4th Division on 1st July 1916.
A gentle walk across the Redan Ridge will bring you
to one of the most poignant areas on the Western Front,
the area in front of Serre, the graveyard of the Pals
and now setting for the Sheffield Memorial Park.
Directly in front of Avril's is the Hawthorn Ridge,
where elements from 86th Brigade, the 2nd Royal Fusiliers,
supported by the 1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers, went
over the top on 1st July 1916.
No doubt you have seen Malins' famous film of the
Hawthorn Ridge Mine exploding (and giving the Germans
all the prior notice they needed that the assault
was imminent), well come and see the crater(s), for
which our soldiers fought so hard with the Royal Fusiliers
on one side and German troops lining the other.
You may have heard of the dreadful casualties inflicted
on the 'Immortal' 29th Division, including the slaughter
of the Newfoundland regiment, well come and see where
it happened (and, having walked the battlefield, perhaps
understand something of why it happened).
Explore Auchonvillers, Mailly Maillet and Hamel,
as vividly described by Blunden in Undertones of War.
Apart from ongoing trench warfare, this area was
once again the scene of fierce and bitter fighting
during the set piece battle in November 1916 when
the 51st Highland Division liberated Beaumont Hamel
and then again in 1918 when the German offensive was
stopped just outside Auchonvillers.
All of the above locations are within quite easy
walking distance of Avril's, so if you are interested
in the Somme, for whatever reason, it makes sense
to stop off here.
Siren/Siret
No: 39074277300018 9