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Race Dog
In WW1, South African soldiers went to Delville Wood. It was sometimes known as Devil’s Wood and the fighting there during the battle of the Somme was particularly ferocious. The majority of the wood was eventually taken by South African soldiers on the 15th of July 1916, and they held on grimly during numerous German counterattacks for six days, until they were relieved.
Both the wood and the South African battalions were almost completely destroyed.
The South African Brigade had gone into battle here on 15th July 1915 with a strength of 121 officers and 3,032 other ranks. At roll call on 21st July they numbered only 29 officers and 751 other ranks.
Today on the 11th day at the 11th hour the carnage ended.
Let us never forget.
