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  • #46
    Sunday 6th August 1916. Day 37


    Mouquet Farm

    The farm is just north of Pozieres. In 1916 it was a German Bde HQ and a strongpoint defended by two companies in a warren of bunkers and MG posts. It’s importance as an objective lay in the fact that it flanked Thiepval Ridge. Because Mouquet Farm (Mucky or Moo Cow Farm to the troops) was the scene of heavy fighting from today until 3rd September, I’m going to treat it as a separate sector.

    9th Bn, Royal Fusiliers (36 Bde, 12th Div) were holding Ration Trench. At 4am a German attack from the north east with grenades and flamethrowers drove the Fusiliers out of their trench. Fighting in the open they prevented any further German advance.

    This is the best map I could manage.





    Pozieres

    In the early morning 5 and 7 Bdes (2nd Australian Div) were relieved by the 45th and 48th Bns of the 4th Australian Div in Pozieres. A German attack from Courcelette was driven back.

    South of the village, in the afternoon, 8th Green Howards captured another 150 yards of Munster Alley from the Germans. They also secured the eastern end of Torr Trench. Fighting continued all night with 11th West Yorks fighting through the Green Howards in conjunction with an Australian attack.
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    • #47
      Monday 7th August 1916. Day 38

      Pozieres

      At 4.15 am the Germans broke through the Australian positions at The Elbow (a point on OG2 north of the Windmill). After heavy fighting the Germans were driven back. Lt Jaccker and a small group of men were instrumental in driving back the Germans by attacking the from the rear.

      South of the village fighting continued in Munster Alley.

      Delville Wood

      17th Div relieved 2nd Div’s 99 Bde in the Wood.

      At 4.30pm 51 Bde of 17th Div advanced and dug in beyond the wood. At midnight 10th Sherwood Foresters had dug in in front of Longueval.
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      • #48
        Tuesday 8th August 1916. Day 39

        Mouquet Farm

        35 Bde, 12th Div, holding the ground near Ration Trench was attacked at 3am and again at 7.30am on both flanks. The main body held off the attack but on the right 5th Bn, Royal Berks pulled back.

        At 9.20pm the Australian 15th Bn drove the Germans from treet>Park Lanetreet> and entered 0G1. The failure of 7th Suffolks on the Australian’s right to retake Ration Trench meant that the 15th Bn had to withdraw back to the line of the Farm track.

        Guillemont

        XIII Corps launched a two division assault on Guillemont and the area east of Waterlot Farm.

        6 Bde, 2nd Div attacked north of the railway. 1st King’s Regt attacked Guillemont Station with three companies reaching their objective. The fourth company found the German front lines reoccupied. From Waterlot Farm, 17th Middlesex Regt entered ZZ Trench but failed to link up with the King’s Regt.

        55th Div attacked Guillemont itself with two brigades-164 and 165.

        In 164 Bde, 1/4th Bn King’s Own Regt was halted by barbed wire south west of the village. The Liverpool Irish (1/8th King’s Regt) advanced past the quarry and occupied the centre of Guillemont. They were followed by 1/4th Loyal NorthLancs, whose mission was to occupy the German line. They however were pushed back and the Liverpool Irish were surrounded in Guillemont where the survivors surrendered after 36 hours.

        South of Guillemont 165 Bde sent 1/5th King’s Regt bombing along Cochrane Alley. They were soon halted and forced back to the assembly trenches.
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        • #49
          Wednesday 9th August 1916. Day 40

          Mouquet Farm

          The Australian 16th Div captured treet>Park Lanetreet> in a night attack.

          Guillemont

          55th Div again attacked Guillemont, with 164 Bde and 166 Bde. The three battalions committed were driven back.






          High Wood

          10th Loyal North Lancs (34th Div) advanced 200 yards along Intermediate Trench and across open ground beyond.

          In the wood itself 33rd Div continued sapping towards the Switch Line while east of the wood a forward trench was dug facing treet>Wood Lanetreet>. Two flamethrowers (weighing 2 tons each) oil drums and a pipe pusher (for boring saps) were brought forward. Things could be hotting up for Harry Hun.
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          • #50
            Thursday 10th August 1916. Day 41

            Mouquet Farm

            The Australian 4 Bde took over the frontline from 12th Div as far as the Pozieres-Thiepval road.
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            • #51
              Friday 11th August 1916. Day 42

              Mouquet Farm

              At 1am the Australian 13th and 16th Bns pushed forward from treet>Park Lanetreet> towards Mouquet Farm. 13th Bn established a post in the OG Line south east of the farm. 16th Bn occupied a line just short of the quarry. Both battalions had to fight off counterattacks at dawn.
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              • #52
                Saturday 12th August 1916. Day 43

                Mouquet Farm

                During the day the Australian 50th Bn moved up to the Quarry area and relieved 16th Bn. At 10.30 pm the 50th moved forward from treet>Park Lanetreet> and Ration Trench.They reached the treet>Thiepval Roadtreet> and linked up with 12th Div but stopped 100 yards short of the objective.

                7th Norfolk Regt and 9th Essex Regt captured Skyline Trench.

                High Wood

                At 10.30 pm 15th Div launched a three battalion attack on the Switch Line.nOn the right flank 12th Bn Highland Light Inf was stopped by MG fire. On the left 6/7th Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers and 6th Bn Cameron Highlanders occupied the trench.

                Meanwhile in 34th Div 11th Bn Warwickshire Regt made an unsuccessful assault on the remainder of Intermediate Trench.

                Guillemont

                Two companies of 1/9th Bn, the King’s Regt reinforced by the battalion bombers fought down Cochrane Alley and reached the spur south of Guillemont. However they were withdrawn that night.
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                • #53
                  Sunday 13th August 1916. Day 44

                  Mouquet Farm

                  In the early morning, a German attack fell on 1/4th Bn, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry (145 Bde, 49th Div), recapturing Skyline Trench, over-running two companies and advancing on Ration Trench. This attack was held off however. Contact with the Australians was maintained at the treet>Thiepval Roadtreet>.

                  The Australian 4th Div withdrew 4 Bde from the line except fro the 13th Bn and replaced it with 13 Bde.

                  High Wood

                  1st Div relieved 34th Div in the line.
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                  • #54
                    Monday 14th August 1916. Day 45

                    Mouquet Farm

                    At 5.15am1/4th Bn, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry unsuccessfully attempted to recapture Skyline Trench. At 10pm the bombers of 1/1st Bn, Buckinghamshire Regt advanced along a communication trench from Ration Trench into Skyline Trench.

                    An Australian attack by 13 Bde from the OG lines was mostly unsuccessful. On the right flank 51st Bn was driven back by MG fire while 49th (tate>Queenslandtate>) Bn occupied some ground east of the OG lines. 13th Bn occupied a German trench called Fabeck Graben but was unable to hold. On the left the 50th Bn was virtually wiped out by artillery whilst trying to advance beyond the quarry.
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                    • #55
                      Tuesday 15th August 1916. Day 46

                      Mouquet Farm

                      By 5am1/1st Bn, Buckinghamshire Regt bombers had cleared most of Skyline Trench. Bombarded all day by the Germans, by 3pm they were confined to the heads of the communication trenches in Skyline Trench.As darkness fell they pushed men out in front of the trench to occupy defensive posts. Fighting went on all day for a trench southwest of Skyline Trench with 3 battalions of the Gloucestershire Regt (1/4th, 1/5th & 1/6th)engaged unsuccessfully in the fighting.
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                      • #56
                        Wednesday 16th August 1916. Day 47

                        Mouquet Farm

                        The Australians were attacked all night by the Germans. The attacks halted by artillery and Small Arms fire.

                        At 5pm 1st Australian Div relieved 4th Div.

                        Guillemont

                        At 5.40 am 2nd Bn The Suffolk Regt, attacked and clearedCochrane Alley as far as the Guillemont-Hardecourt road and also a trench along the road. At the same time 8th and 13th Bns the King’s Own attacked but failed to capture Lonely Trench. Also unsuccessful was an attack by 4th Bn Royal Fusiliers on a strongpoint south of the Guillemont-Trones Wood Track.
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                        • #57
                          Thursday 17th August 1916. Day 48

                          High Wood

                          15th Div attacked the Switch Line. 7th Bn Cameron Highlanders captured part of the trench but suffered heavy casualties in a German bombardment. The Germans then began to bomb along the Switch Line from the east but were driven off by 8th Bn Seaforth Highlanders and 10/11th Bn Highland Light Infantry.

                          Guillemont

                          At 8pm and 10pm 10th Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers and 12th Bn West Yorkshire Regt attacked Lonely Trench. Both assaults failed.
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                          • #58
                            Friday 18th August 1916. Day 49

                            A day of major activity with attacks on the German line all the way from Mouquet Farm to Guillemont.

                            Mouquet Farm

                            48th Div sent 143 Bde into the attack on Hindenburg Trench, which they captured along with NabValley. 1/4th Berks in 145 Bde captured ground on the Skyline Trench Spur. Meanwhile in the 1st Australian Div, 3rd Bn (1 Bde) attacked a new German trench in front of Fabeck Graben while 4th Bn established posts in Quarry Trench and consolidated north of the quarry.

                            Pozieres

                            7th and 8th Australian Bns of 2 Bde advanced at 9pm south east of the treet>Bapaume Roadtreet>. Both were unsuccessful and were driven back to the start line by dawn. North of the road 6th Bn began digging a trench towards the Elbow.

                            High Wood

                            tate>North westtate> of High Wood the action began at 4am when 1st Bn The Black Watch attacked Intermediate Trench. Under heavy shelling small parties advanced beyond the trench but were driven back. At 2.45 pm in conjunction with the main attacks 8th Bn Royal Berkshire Regt again assaulted Intermediate Trench and were again driven back. At the same time two companies of 1st Loyal North Lancashire Regt attacked the part of the trench where it entered High Wood. They were practically wiped out by their own barrage but a bombing attack from the captured part of the trench by 1st Northamptons was more successful.

                            In the wood itself 2nd Bn Argylls attacked the Germans with blazing oil drums and the flamethrowers mentioned earlier. Neither weapon was successful and the Scots were driven back.

                            South of High Wood 4th King’s and 1/4th Suffolks failed in an attack on treet>Wood Lanetreet>.

                            Delville Wood

                            The action described here took place east of Delville Wood and between the wood and the village of Ginchy. 14th Div was in action here. After a 36 hour bombardment 6th Bn Somerset Light Infantry advanced and captured the southern portion of Beer Trench which was virtually obliterated by the artillery as well as Hop Alley, a communication trench between Delville Wood and Beer Trench. The Somersets barricaded Beer Trench, consolidated and drove off two German attacks. At the same time 6th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry captured Edge Trench but were driven out by a German attack.

                            North of the wood, 7th Bn, King’s Royal Rifle Corps captured Orchard Trench and dug in beyond it. Thye also captured a small portion at the southern end of treet>Wood Lanetreet>.

                            Guillemont

                            At 4am an attack drawn from six companies of 10th Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 12th Bn West Yorkshire Regt, 2nd Suffolks and 8th King’s Own made another unsuccessful attack on Lonely Trench.

                            At 2.45pm, two companies of 10th Welsh Fusiliers and two of 1st Gordon Highlanders attacked the treet>Guillemont-Hardecourt Roadtreet>. The Scots reached the road and the Welsh captured the southern part of Lonely Trench. On their left however the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers were driven back and with their flank exposed the Welsh withdrew from Lonely Trench. Twice more the Northumberland Fusiliers attempted an assault on their objective with no success.

                            South of Guillemont the French made progress in Maurepas Ravine and advanced as far as Wedge Wood.

                            The afternoon also saw attacks on Waterlot Farm and GuillemontVillage by 24th Div. South of the Trones Wood track, 12th Middlesex Regt was driven back by MG fire. North of the track 7th Northamptons gained a position in the German line at the quarry. Reinforced by a company of 9th Sussex, they consolidated there. 3rd Bn Rifle Bde captured Guillemont Station and the treet>Waterlot Farm Roadtreet>. 8th Bn the uffs captured the north section of ZZ Trench and made contact with 14th Div on their left.
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                            • #59
                              Saturday 19th August 1916. Day 50

                              High Wood

                              West of High Wood a patrol of the 1st Bn, Northamptonshire Regt, found and occupied an undefended 200 yard stretch of the Switch Line. After dark 2nd Bn, King’s Royal Rifle Corps occupied outpost positions on their right.

                              Delville Wood

                              9th Bn Rifle Brigade occupied posts along Beer Trench and dug a sap out from treet>Princes Streettreet>.
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                              • #60
                                Sunday 20th August 1916. Day 51

                                Authuille Wood

                                East of the wood, 1/6th Gloucestershire Regt made a bombing attack along a trench with little result.

                                High Wood

                                Between 2am and 4am 1st Bn, Northamptonshire Regt held off two German attacks on their position in the Switch Line. At 8am they were driven back. Two attempts were made to recapture the position with no success. 2nd Bn, King’s Royal Rifle Corps managed to hold their position.

                                2nd Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers was trench clearing west of the wood while east of it, 1/9th Highland Light Infantry captured 60 yards of Wood Lane.
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