Lieutants Bernard Bryant Salmon
and Francis Cecil Orr Twist
18th Battalion Manchester Regiment, The 3rd City
Pals
The following article is about two officers of the 18th battalion, which
encapsulates the spirit of the 'Pals'
Thanks to Andy Henshall (Kingo) for writing this piece
In the early part 20th Century most of the University’s
and public schools had an Officer Training Corp and were a good recruiting
ground for the small peace time army of Great Britain.
As Britain headed towards war with Germany and the rush to enlist in Kitchener’s
army gathered pace, it was becoming obvious that a lack of officers was
a major and urgent problem.
The Boys from the Public schools were trained to be leaders, absorbing
an ethos combining notions of command, duty and privilege and generally
had the right social standing to be commissioned officers. In many cases
they were accepted for training straight on leaving the public schools
and never took up the places offered to them by the Universities. Training
courses lasted 18 weeks and as the casualties from the early months of
the war started to mount the newly commissioned officers started to make
their way to the front.
This is the story of how two pupils from Rugby school found their way
to a unit of the Manchester Regiment on the Somme and wrote their name
in the proud history of a “Pals Battalion.”
Francis Cecil Orr Twist
Francis Cecil Orr Twist was born in 1896 in Paddington,
London. He was the eldest son of Cecil Frederick Twist, a solicitor (and
also an old Rugbeian) and his wife Catherine Isobel.
In 1909, he gained a scholarship to Rugby School, reached the sixth form
in 1912, became head of his house in May 1914 and head of school in September
1914.
He was head of games in his house and left school gaining a scholarship
at Balliol College Oxford in 1915.
Bernard Bryant Salmon
Bernard Bryant Salmon was born in 1897 in Stoke Newington,
London. He was the younger son of the Reverend William Bryant Salmon,
Rector of Stoke Newington and of Florence Annie his wife. In 1910 he gained
a scholarship to Rugby School. He became second in the school, head of
the school house and was a Cadet Officer in the school Officer Training
Corp.
He won a classical scholarship to Trinity College Cambridge in December
1914 and entered University in 1915.
Although a year separated Twist and Salmon they were
undoubtedly schoolmates and friends. Twist was an enthusiastic scholar
with a deep affection for the school, played rugby for the first 15 and
was set for a scholarly life having no leanings towards a military career.
Salmon did not possess the athletic and physical attributes of popular
school heroes but in spite of a good share of ill health he worked his
way up to the school rugby 15. He was an intelligent young man, who won
one of the very best classical scholarships to Cambridge.
On the 3rd August 1915 Salmon was gazetted as a temporary
2nd lieutenant in the Manchester Regiment followed by Twist on the 19th
August. After training both men were posted to the 25th Battalion the
Manchester Regiment. As the casualties started to mount in the early months
of the campaign both men were posted to the 18th Battalion-by this time
already in France.
The 18th battalion had arrived in France on the 9th December 1915.
Recruited in September 1914, it was the third of the city’s pal’s
battalions and had been training for over a year for its entry into the
war.
The men’s first Christmas abroad was spent at Canaples and every
effort was made to make it seem like the festive season. On the 6th January
it formed up and marched eastwards to take up its first position in the
line in the Somme marshes area around the village of Vaux. On the 11th
it suffered its first battle casualty when number 11005 Private Bernard
Brown was shot through the head by a sniper.
Several more fatalities were suffered and on the 1st February a draft
of 25 men joined from the 25th (Reserve) battalion of the Manchester Regiment.
The 18th had adapted well to trench life and had already been awarded
its first gallantry medals, suffered its first casualties, fought its
first battles and endured heavy shelling by the time the end of February
neared. It was then, on the 25th February that 2 Lt’s Twist and
Salmon arrived at the 18th’s Headquarters in the village of Vaux
in the middle of a snowstorm. Lt Salmon was posted to B Company and Lt
Twist to D company.
Lt Salmon was into action almost immediately. On the
27th a party of Germans estimated at sixty strong attacked Knowles point,
a fortified strong point. Warning of the attack was given by the battalion
scouts and as a consequence the enemy were met by hand grenades and heavy
rifle fire. 2nd Lt Nelson, who was in command sent back for reinforcements
who were brought up by Lt T.J Kelly and 2nd Lt Salmon. A Lewis gun was
set up and fired on the enemy who then retired leaving two men dead on
the wire. The 18th’s casualties were 3 men killed and 9 wounded.
Salmon had had his baptism of fire.
The routine continued in the trenches until the 19th March when the Battalion
were relieved by the 8th Surreys, having suffered 103 officers and men
killed, wounded or missing in 2 months.
It was at this stage that the Commanding Officer, Lt Col Walter Fraser
relinquished command due to and old illness made worse by his active part
in the early battles. He had been with them from the start and his loss
was felt keenly by the whole battalion. Major William Smith from the 20th
Kings Liverpool Regiment assumed command of the battalion on the 20th
March.
The battalion marched to Etinehem where it remained training
and on fatigues until the 29th.
The battalion were in and out of the line for the next month until the
8th May when it relieved the 16th Manchester’s in the trenches at
Maricourt. The battalion suffered heavy bombardment for the next few days
and on the 13th the line of a neighbouring battalion was pierced and parties
of enemy started to work their way northwards towards the Manchester’s
companies. Here, however their advance was checked and the enemy were
repulsed suffering heavy casualties. During the engagement a mine shaft
which was being pushed out towards the enemy trenches was pierced by a
trench mortar, burying some fifteen men. 2nd Lt Salmon with consummate
coolness and courage climbed over the parados and in spite of heavy fire
rescued 3 men, carrying them into the trench. He had a narrow escape when
a trench mortar exploded close to him but he continued to help those working
at the entrance to the mine shaft. In spite of his best efforts only one
man was saved, the rest being lost in the mine shaft.
Second Lieutenant Salmon received the Military Cross in recognition of
his action and Pte Greatbanks the Military Medal.
Second Lieutenant Salmon was recommended for the Military
Cross by the Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Smith and was gazetted
on the 24th June 1916.
His citation read as following:
Temp. 2nd Lt. Bernard Bryant Salmon,
25th Bn. (attd. 18th Bn.) Manch R.
For conspicuous gallantry during a heavy bombardment. Hearing that a mine
shaft was blown in, he at once organised and led a rescue party, and though
heavy shells were falling round, and he was once himself partially buried,
he was personally responsible for the rescue of a corporal and a private
For an Officer to win a Military Cross was quite an achievement,
to do so within 6 weeks of landing in France and joining a new Battalion
and at the age of just 19 was remarkable.
The following day the Battalion was relieved by the 16th
Manchester’s and returned to billets in Suzanne.
For the next month the battalion were in and out of the trenches and on
the 18th June moved to Ailly-Sur-Somme leaving D company behind to act
as a working party. The next 4 days saw D company moving the tons of ammunition
and trench stores needed for the forthcoming battle to the forward trenches
around Maricourt.
For the great battle on the 1st July the 18th Battalion
had been designated as the brigade reserve battalion and the assaulting
battalion would be their fellow Mancunians from the 16th and 17th Battalions
and the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers. Their task was to advance the 3000
yards to the enemy defences around the village of Montauban and push the
Germans out of their well prepared defences. A tremendous artillery bombardment
had been crashing down on the enemy positions for several days and the
18th Battalion reached their assembly trenches south of Cambridge copse
the night before and waited for the off. They were to follow the assaulting
troops and provide carrying parties to bring up all the equipment and
ammunition needed as the advance progressed.
The attack was timed to go at zero + 1 hour and at 8.30 the troops climbed
out of their trenches and started the advance across no mans land. By
10.30 am the Manchester’s were in the village.
Although not in the first wave of the attack the 18th suffered 170 casualties,
mostly from C Company and 4 officer casualties. On the following day the
battalion was relieved and moved back to Happy Valley to rest. For the
next 4 days the 18th provided burial parties for the thousands of dead
lying on the battlefield.
On the 7th July the Battalion moved to the assembly trenches in front
of Maricourt in readiness for the attack on Trones wood. The wood was
attacked by the 21st Brigade and a foothold was gained in the southern
corner and the 18th and 19th Manchester’s were ordered forward in
support. It was during this advance that the Commanding Officer Lt Col
Smith was wounded, dying the next day. The 2 battalions consolidated their
positions in the wood. Heavy fighting continued for most of the next day.
In the early morning of the 9th July, 2nd Lieutenant Salmon was with the
remnants of B Company in the shattered and heavily bombarded wood. Several
attacks had been repulsed throughout the night and early morning. Lt Salmon
had personally rescued several wounded men and under very heavy shell
fire carried one man on his back for a hundred yards. Later as the shelling
intensified he appeared from his shelter and attempted to dig out some
men who were buried. It was then that he received his mortal wounds.
In his short time with the Battalion he had made a huge impact not least
amongst his men who were greatly affected by his death, and burst into
tears.
Second Lieutenant Bernard Bryant Salmon was buried where
he fell.
His Commanding officer said “He was one of my best
and most promising officers and a model of all that an English Officer
and gentleman should be. His death is deplored by all ranks, by whom he
was greatly loved and respected.”
In a letter to his parents a brother officer wrote “Let
me assure you that your son has left behind a glorious name that any man
might envy. The men in the trench wept when he was hit, and no wonder,
for the like of Bernard Salmon is not born every day. That boy of 19 had
the heart of a lion. His whole career out here had been one of long sacrifice,
and he went into his last action with the same calm courage, though he
had confided to me beforehand that he felt it was going to be his last”
Lt Frank Twist, his friend and fellow officer whom he had known since
their days at Rugby School said
“I did not actually see him in the wood myself but an officer of
the 17th Manchester’s who was with him for a time has since told
me how splendid he was, carrying in wounded repeatedly. We used to say
he earned his V.C every day.
His men were quite inconsolable. I subsequently had command of what was
left of his company and the men all spoke of him as a hero. When one of
his men was informed of his end he had to be forcibly restrained from
rushing back into the wood, crying out, “ Mr Salmon dug me out when
I was buried and I want to be with him; I must be with him “ Another
man told me that we had lost the finest officer in the Battalion, he was
wrong; he should have said Division. He was a man, and the bravest man
and finest Christian in the regiment.”
The 18th Battalion had little time to mourn. On the 11th
July the shattered remnants of what was left of the 18th were relieved
and marched back to the Bois-De-Celestine near the village of Bray for
rest and reorganisation. On the 14th, 440 drafts of men from 27 other
Regiments filled the depleted ranks of the battalion and a new Commanding
Officer, Major Hubert Williams of the 3rd Dragoon Guards assumed command.
The whole nature of the “Pals” Battalion changed with the
arrival of these recruits and the whole esprit de corps was lost. Discipline
became a problem but an almost immediate order changed all that as the
battalion was told to prepare itself for the attack on Guillemont.
At 11pm on the 29th the 18th left the assembly trenches
and marched 3 miles in gas masks through a German gas barrage and reached
the assembly trenches at 4.30am. At 5 am they moved off from the trenches
towards Guillemont. The advance was carried out under a blanket of mist
and the companies had great difficulty keeping direction. Lt Twist, by
this time in charge of the remnants of Lt Salmon’s platoon led his
men forward. He led them right up to the German wire, eighty yards from
the trenches under heavy machine gun fire. He made them lie down and himself
sought a gap in the wire. He was seen to be hit first in the wrist, and
then in the thigh, and then in the head. The battalion were then forced
to retire, leaving him where he lay.
Second Lieutenant Francis Cecil Orr Twist was mentioned
in despatches of 4th January 1917.
His Commanding Officer said: - “He was the bravest
lad I ever knew, courageous, efficient and good. He and Salmon were two
of the finest lads we had in the Battalion or could ever expect to have.
He led his men like a hero and died like a hero and it is some consolation
to know that his death was no less splendid than his life.”
His Company Commander wrote: - “Your son was a
most excellent Officer, in whom I placed implicit confidence, and whom
I held in high personal esteem.”
His Soldier servant said: - “I hope Mr Frank will
be spared. He is too good to be killed, and there is not one of the boys
who would not willingly lay down his life for him.”
At 3.30am on the 31st July the Battalion were relieved
and the remnants marched back to the citadel.
The casualties for the battle were 470 men killed, wounded
or missing and of 16 Officers who took part in the action only 1 returned.
The Battalions Casualties for the month of July were;
- 32 Officers and 1,300 Men killed, wounded or missing.
Writing of Lt Twist in the meteor, the school magazine his Old Headmaster
says:-
“Those who new Twist, and especially those who
worked with him, will find it difficult to express what he was to them.
The most modest and unassuming of men, he never realised the effect of
his work and character upon his friends and upon the School, nor the feelings
with which we regarded him. For the rest we can only record a memory of
honesty and wisdom and unselfish loyalty which revealed to us a singularly
beautiful character and has called out a wonderful tribute of affection
and gratitude. The father of one of his men writes: “I never came
across a clearer case of hero worship so genuinely merited by an Officer
and so wholeheartedly accorded by his men.”
He was peculiarly sensitive to the horrors of war, but he wrote “It
is a great consolation in these terrible and triumphant times to reflect
that nothing can take away the six years of perfect happiness I had at
Rugby, and whatever happens the house goes on for ever.” His rare
gifts of mind and spirit promised a future of high service, but, as one
who was looking forward to an Oxford friendship writes: “Perhaps
his life is greater as it is.”
Both officers have no known grave and still lie on the battlefield where
they fell and are commemorated on the Thiepval memorial to the missing
of the Somme.
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