Diagram illustrating the heroism of L Battery, WW1

A fascinatingly detailed diagram drawn by Ugo Matania (uncle to The Sphere special artist, Fortunino Matania) showing the exact positions of guns, horses and men of L Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery which was devastated at Nery, near Compiegne, but held out with just one remaining gun. The battery gallantly maintained fire using three guns (three being disabled almost immediately) against surprise fire from a strong German force comprising ten field guns and two maxims on 24 August 1914. Despite two of the remaining three British guns being silenced, Gunner Derbyshire and Driver Osborne under the command of Captain Bradbury kept up fire until only a single German gun remained, eventually ceasing fire. Captain Bradbury was killed and awarded the Victoria Cross. Gunner Derbyshire and Driver Osborne each received the Medaille Militaire. The Battery was all but wiped out - 6 officers and 63 men or NCOs were killed or wounded. This diagram accompanies another illustration in the same issue of The Sphere by Fortunino Matania, showing the gunners heroic action. The details for both pictures were provided by one of the survivors who demonstrated the exact positions of every man, horse and gun in the area. The top picture shows the horses tied up while men of the battery prepare breakfast. The bottom shows the destruction wrought by the surprise attack with the remaining gun seen in the foreground with Gunner Derbyshire kneeling at his post with the last shell, while his comrades lie wounded. See pictures 10725215 and 10725867 for F. Matania's recreation of the scene

Battery Compiegne Devastated Diagram Diagrams Eyewitness Fortunino Heroism Illustrating Matania Nery Positions Shelled Sphere

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