Battle of Thiepval Ridge

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Battle of the Somme
Albert – Bazentin – Fromelles – Pozières – Mouquet Farm – Guillemont – Ginchy – Flers-Courcelette – Morval – Thiepval Ridge – Le Transloy – Ancre Heights – Ancre

The Battle of Thiepval Ridge was the first large offensive mounted by the British Reserve Army of Lieutenant General Hubert Gough during the Battle of the Somme. Beginning on 26 September, the battle saw the capture of the German fortress of Thiepval which had been an objective on 1 July 1916, the first day on the Somme, and had repeatedly defied British attempts to capture it.

Also taken was the German redoubt of Mouquet Farm by the 11th (Northern) Division — this position had been attacked without success in August and September by Australian, and later Canadian, divisions. On the right flank of the Reserve Army, the Canadian Corps advanced about 1,000 yards north from Courcelette.

Successful British operations concluded on 28 September with the capture of the Schwaben Redoubt, north of Thiepval, another first day objective that had been the site of fierce fighting by the 36th (Ulster) Division. General Gough was keen to continue the pressure on the German defences and so the fighting entered a new attritional phase, known as the Battle of the Ancre Heights.