223837 Pte. Hughie James Sontag British Army 1st Btn. D Coy. Royal West Kent Regiment from:53 Angel Road, Edmonton, London (d.20th July 1916) Hughie Sontag was my great uncle and I uncovered the events leading to his death through my family history research at the regimental museum. I am indebted to their archivists and Jonathan Saunders in particular for providing me with some of the details.
Hughie enlisted on 10th of September 1914, five days after the publication of Lord kitchener’s famous poster and opted for service in the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment. On 26th of May 1915, after completion of his training, Hughie was posted to ‘D’ Coy, 1st Battalion in ‘France and Flanders’.
After various engagements the Battalion later arrived on the Somme on 17th of July 1916 to take part in the great offensive that had commenced on 1st of July. On 19th of July the Battalion was ordered up to support positions. Before entering the trenches, eleven officers and a proportion of NCO's and men were detached, in accordance with Army orders, and sent to remain with the transport. (Experience in the past had shown the necessity for making sure of a nucleus of survivors, should the unit suffer very heavy losses). Hereafter this was always done before going into action, and those left behind were called the "dumped personnel". They then moved up to High Wood, which was jointly held by the British and Germans.
The Battalion marched soon after noon that day to Mametz, crossing the old German front line, thus seeing the country that most of the officers and men had looked longingly towards in 1915. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies dug themselves in between Bazentin and Longueval in support to the KOSB, while C and D Companies occupied an old German trench north of Montauban. There was considerable artillery activity during the day and night, but the Battalion only suffered two casualties.
On the night of 19th-20th, troops in the front line attacked, with the result that the Germans were slightly pressed back, and High Wood (Bois des Foureaux) was partly occupied. The Battalion moved into the front line after dark on the 20th. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies occupied the track running from the south corner of High Wood in a South Easterly direction, ‘D’ Company was in support, and ‘C’ in reserve. The Germans put a heavy barrage behind the front line after dark, and ‘D’ company was "badly caught" when moving up.
In all, the 1st Battalion suffered 14 fatalities killed in action on 20th July 1916 (this does not include wounded or wounded who later died of wounds). Hughie was 24 years old, his body was never found and his death was recorded as missing in action’. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
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