Lonesome Memorials #12: The Ulverston Street Trench Memorial

This 21st-century memorial on the Somme battlefield, located just west of the village of Ovillers, is one of the more recently dedicated monuments on the Western Front.

Blue Tabs Show Location; Village of Orvillers on Right

The King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment (from NW England) was in action in this area during the autumn-winter period of 1915. The trenches in this sector were undoubtedly given their names by soldiers who came from Lancashire and Cumbria, some hailing from Ulverston, which later became Albert's twin town in 1976. Long after the "twinning" of the two communities, the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme came along and researchers came across trench maps that clearly showed the location of Ulverston Street Trench. Once the significance of the discovery was recognized, the town of Albert erected a memorial with a plaque on the site of the trench. The plaque is inscribed in English, French, and German. The stone memorial and plaque was unveiled by the then Ulverston Town Mayor Elect, Mrs. Brenda Marr in 2006.

Men of the 2nd Berks Prior to the Somme

On the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916, the Ulverston Street Trench was occupied by the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment of the 8th Division, whose men left the trench at 7:30 a.m. to attack. No significant advance was made. The German 180th Infantry Regiment was well prepared. Ovillers proved impossible to take. By nightfall of 1 July, the 2nd Berkshires had 437 dead, wounded or missing out a total of 5,121 for the 8th Division.

Present Day View from the Trench Site Showing Enemy Dispositions (Click Multiple Times to Enlarge Fully)

Getting There

Since some of these roads are unsigned, these directions are best given with a map.

From Albert:  Drive East on the Albert-Bapaume Highway (Rt. D929) to the turn off for the La Bosselle Mine. The map begins there. (Don't turn off Rt. yet.), follow the dark blue.  An alternate route, in blue-grey,  if you are coming from Bapaume can also be seen on the Google map.

Sources: Panorama by Jolyon Fenwick for a 2016 exhibition of Zero Hour Panorama; The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum; Ulverston Town Council