Battles & Campaigns · 1916
Battle of Thiepval Ridge
Thiepval, Somme, France
What happened
British and Canadian troops attacked the high ground of Thiepval Ridge behind a moving wall of artillery fire. Fighting in the maze of trenches was confused, and tanks took part. Thiepval village fell on 27 September, and most of the Schwaben Redoubt was taken by 28 September.
Why it matters
The ridge gave the British a view over the Ancre valley and stopped the Germans watching toward Albert.
What came next
The British pushed on in the Battle of the Ancre Heights from 1 October.
Did you know?
The Thiepval Memorial on the ridge bears the names of over 72,000 British soldiers of the Somme with no known grave.
Timeline
- 23 Jul 1916Australian troops take Pozières.
- 26 Sep 1916Battle of Thiepval Ridge begins.
- 27 Sep 1916Thiepval village falls.
- 1 Oct 1916Battle of the Ancre Heights begins.
- 18 Nov 1916The Battle of the Somme ends.