Battle of Thiepval Ridge

The Battle of Thiepval Ridge was one of the several vicious and gory military engagements of the Battle of the Somme. It was fought between the BEF and the German forces near the town of Thiepval, France, from September 26 to September 28, 1916, during World War I. It was a British assault against the enemy positions on a low ridge which was held by three divisions of the German XIV Corps (2nd Army under Max von Gallwitz).

The Battle of Thiepval Ridge began when the British II Corps, commanded by Lieutenant General C.W. Jacob, and the Canadian Corps, led by General Bying, launched an attack on the German positions on the Thiepval Ridge along a 5 km front, anticipating another major attack on both banks of the Ancre river to reduce the big German salient on the Somme. The British first objective was to drive the Germans off Thiepval Ridge high grounds. To carry out this massive assault, the units of the British II Corps were supported by six of the eight available tanks, plus 800 field guns and howitzers, which had been set aside for this offensive.

Summary

Preceded by an intense bombardment, the Battle of Thiepval Ridge was initiated at 12:35pm on September 26, 1916, with the II Corps four assault divisions. Shielded by a creeping barrage, the Canadian Corps attacked to the north and northwest of their positions at Courcelette and were successful in achieving limited objectives in wresting the base of the ridge from German control.

The 11th Division, II Corps, advanced against Zollern Redoubt but severe casualties slowed their progress and by evening the British attack had stalled at its edge. Meanwhile tenacious infantry units of 18th Division, II Corps, systematically advanced uphill on Thiepval and met with early success, but enemy resistance stiffened and the push through to the village was halted by machine-gun fire near the ruined chateau. Nevertheless, a tank was used to spearhead another charge, and by 2.30pm, after much hard close-quarter fighting, the greater part of Thiepval had been secured by the stolid and audacious British troops.

During the afternoon of September 27, the 11th Division stormed Stuff Redoubt and gained precarious hold of its southern edge, while the 18th division, under the command of Major-General Maxse, captured the German fortress of Thiepval. Successful British operations concluded on September 28 with the capture of the Schwaben Redoubt, north of Thiepval.

Below, a British 9.2-inch howitzer employed to provide fire support during the attack