THE THIEPVAL MEMORIAL TO THE MISSING

HISTORY

The Thiepval Memorial commemorates almost 73,000 soldiers who died on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and 20^th March 1918 who have no known grave. From 21^st March, casualties who are  missing  in this area are commemorated on the nearby Pozières Memorial. A high proportion of the names at Thiepval are soldiers who died on 1^st July 1916 – the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Located at one of the key sites on the Somme battlefield, it was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and was unveiled in 1932 by the Prince of Wales. Thiepval remains one of the most impressive memorials on the Western Front and can be seen for miles around; it is the largest of all the memorials to the missing on the British sector of the Western Front, being 150 feet high with base 123 by 140 feet.

Almost every regiment and corps of the British army are found here, and in addition soldiers from the Royal Naval Division and South African Brigade. Perhaps every rank from Private to Lieutenant Colonel is recorded, and the youngest soldier to die on the Somme (Pte Reginald Giles, Gloucestershire Regt, age 14) is commemorated on the memorial.

The London Regiment has the greatest number of names, with 4,340 listed. Next is the Nothumberland Fusiliers with 2,931 names and Royal Fusiliers with 2,502; reflecting the large size of these regiments during the Great War.

The names are listed on huge panels, mounted on sixteen piers, in regimental order and then within each regiment by rank and then name. However, the register contained in bronze lockers by the main steps is in surname order.

The introduction to the register, published in the 1930s, says of those commemorated here:

" A few will be found and identified as the woods are cleared, or when the remaining tracts of devastated land are brought under the plough. Many more are already buried in the larger British cemeteries of the Somme, but as unidentified. To the great majority this memorial stands for grave and headstone, and this register for as proud a record as that for any grave."

Indeed, when the memorial was first built it commemorated 73,077 soldiers and sailors. The remains of several hundred have been found since, and indeed names added to the memorial on the Addenda Panels. The new total is just below 73,000.

LOCATION

The Thiepval Memorial is well signposted from many locations on the Somme battlefield, but the best way to reach it from Bapaume (the way most people come into the area) is to follow the D929 in the direction of Albert. Stay on this until the village of Pozières. Here turn right on the D73 following signs for Thiepval itself. In the village turn left at the main crossroads, and then left again at the church. This is the approach road which will take you straight to the memorial car park.

The Thiepval Visitors Centre opened in July 2004, and has toilets, a small shop, exhibition area, and drinks machines. It is open every day from 10.00-17.00 (18.00 in Summer months).

Victoria Cross winners commemorated on Thiepval are:

(1) Pte W.Buckingham was killed on the Somme, September 1916.

PLAN OF THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

THIS SHOWS LOCATION OF PIERS & PANELS

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION

PLAN ©CWGC

INDEX SHOWING WHERE REGIMENTS & CORPS ARE INSCRIBED ON THE PIERS

USE THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PLAN ABOVE

©Paul Reed 2001/4