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Aucklands advance from its battalion headquarters
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Aucklands advance from its battalion headquarters
This drawing relates to an incident on the 14th/15th September 1916 and is described in a book entitled A Saga of the Sword by Austin F. Britten, published by Arrowsmith, London 1928. The chapter, entitled The End of an Epoch, contains the following map reference : S11 b4.9. This is right in the middle of the area of the 2nd Battalion Auckland Regiment which was in No-Mans Land, just a shade short by 50 yards or so of the German Front Line in Coffee Lane. And, no doubt, Matania is attempting to portray an incident in the initial phase of the Aucklands advance from its battalion headquarters, slightly on the right of the fork (La Forche) which is where the New Zealand memorial now stands. It would also appear that four tanks were allocated to the New Zealand Division and all four passed this way towards the fork before spreading out. They were from D Company and were numbered D8, D10, D11 and D12. The actual image was never used in the book (which in the end did not have any illustrations) but no doubt Matania was asked by Austin Britten to produce this incident at the above map reference. The name of the book was written on the back of the picture. Fortunino Matania, Ri (1881-1963). One of the most accomplished realistic illustrators and artists of his time, his wartime work was immensely popular and appeared in nearly every major news magazine, Allied, Neutral and Central Powers alike. Date: 1916
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Media ID 11397976
© David Cohen Fine Art/Mary Evans Picture Library
Advance Area Attempting Auckland Austin Battalion Britten Chapter Coffee Doubt Entitled Epoch Fork Headquarters Incident Initial Lane Matania Phase Portray Reference Regiment Relates Saga Shade Slightly Yards 14th 15th 1928 Arrowsmith Short
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative drawing by Fortunino Matania, titled 'Auckland's Advance from its Battalion Headquarters,' depicts a pivotal moment during the Battle of the Somme on September 14-15, 1916. The incident is described in detail in Austin F. Britten's book 'A Saga of the Sword,' published by Arrowsmith, London in 1928, in a chapter called 'The End of an Epoch.' The drawing takes place in the area of the 2nd Battalion Auckland Regiment, specifically at map reference S11 b4.9, which was located just shy of the German Front Line in Coffee Lane. Matania's artwork appears to capture the early stages of the Auckland Regiment's advance from their battalion headquarters, slightly to the right of the fork (La Forche), where the New Zealand memorial now stands. Four tanks, all from D Company, are shown making their way towards the fork. These tanks, numbered D8, D10, D11, and D12, were part of the four tanks allocated to the New Zealand Division and passed through this area before spreading out. Although the image was never used in Britten's book (which ultimately did not include any illustrations), Matania was commissioned by Britten to create this scene based on the events that transpired at the above map reference. Fortunino Matania (1881-1963) was a highly accomplished realistic illustrator and artist of his time, and his wartime work was widely popular, appearing in numerous major news magazines from Allied, Neutral, and Central Powers alike. This powerful image is a testament to the bravery and determination of the soldiers of the Auckland Regiment during the Battle of the Somme.
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