Tower and Town, December 2017

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Private James Flippance

The son of Mary and James Flippance, Private James Flippance was born on 9th October 1890 in Pewsey, Wiltshire. He grew up in the French Horn in Pewsey, but his father would have liked him to grow up in Australia. James then married Lucy Flippance of Milton Lilbourne, Marlborough, Wiltshire.

On 7th October 1914 he was invited to join the 49th battalion of the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment). They disembarked in France on 9th October 1915, where they fought as part of the 7th Infantry Brigade and the 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.

James’ first fight was at Mount Sorrel, which included three divisions of the British Second Army and three divisions of the German Fourth Army who fought from 2nd to 14th June 1916. This battle was part of the build-up to the battle of the Somme.

His second battle was during the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Flers–Courcelette which lasted from 15th to 22nd September 1916. The French Sixth Army, the British Fourth Army and the Reserve Army all fought against the German 1st Army. Tanks were used for the first time in this battle and the German Empire was brought close to collapsing.

The battle of Ancre Heights was part of the Battle of the Somme and lasted from 1st October to 11th November 1916. The battle of Ancre Heights is the name given to the many British attacks after the battle of Thiepval Ridge. The battle was headed by the reserve army who also led large attacks on 1st, 8th, 21st and 25th October and on 10th and 11th November. Lots of smaller attacks were issued in between, with many interruptions of heavy rain, which turned the ground and roads into rivers of mud. By 21st October the British army had advanced by 500 yards and had taken all but one of the German footholds in the eastern part of Staufen Riegel (a German trench).

Sadly, James Flippance did not reach the end of this battle as he died, aged 26, on 8th October 1916. Private James Flippance died in the Battle of the Somme and was buried in the Tincourt new British cemetery, Somme, France. His tombstone still stands today with many other victims of the war who were from Wiltshire.

Katie O’Grady