Fighting for Mouquet Farm

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates The Fighting for Mouquet Farm (the Battle of Mouquet Farm) took place between the British Reserve Army and the German Army during the Battle of the Somme (1916). The fighting began on 23 July. The farm was captured by the 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Corps on 16 September, then lost to a German counter-attack, before being re-captured on 26 September by the 11th (Northern) Division during the Battle of Thiepval Ridge (26–28 September). Number 16 Section of the 6th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment (Pioneers) smoked out the last German defenders.

Background

1916

Mouquet Farm was to the right of the modern D 73 Pozières–Thiepval road, south of Grandcourt and to the south-west of Courcelette, about Template:Cvt north-west of the high ground near Pozières.Template:Sfn Following the fighting that had occurred around the village earlier in the year, a decision was made by the British to gain control of the ridge beyond the village to create a gap in the German lines, behind the salient that had developed around the German-held fortress of Thiepval. By capturing Mouquet Farm, the British hoped that it would destabilise the German position and enable subsequent gains.Template:Sfn

Battle

10 August – 3 September

File:Map of German defensive fortifications from Thiepval to Courcelette, July 1916.png

Map showing Mouquet Farm and the German defensive fortifications from Thiepval to Courcelette, July 1916

During the night of 10 August, parties of the 4th Australian Division of the I Anzac Corps, attacked towards the farm and managed to establish advanced posts in the valley south of the farm and to the east. Attacks were then made from a foothold in (Fabeck Trench) to the north-east and to deepen the salient near the farm. By 22 August, the 2nd Australian Division had made several more attempts on the farm and realised that the main defensive position was underground, where the Germans had excavated the cellars to create linked dug-outs. On 3 September, the 4th Australian Division attacked again with the 13th Brigade and captured much of the surface remains of the farm and trenches nearby, with hand-to-hand fighting in the ruins and underground. German counter-attacks repulsed the Australians except from a small part of , the fighting costing the Australians 2,049 casualties.Template:Sfn

16–26 September

File:Mouquet Farm Pozieres.jpg

Mouquet farm, Pozières, by Fred Leist

During the battle, the divisions of I Anzac Corps advanced north-west along Pozières ridge, towards Mouquet Farm, with British divisions supporting on the left. The approaches to the farm were watched by German artillery observers, who directed artillery-fire on the attackers from three sides of the salient that had developed in the lines.Template:Sfn Many casualties were caused to the attackers as they approached the farm; in August and into September, the Australians were repulsed three times.Template:Sfn

The Canadian Corps relieved the I Anzac Corps on 5 September.Template:Sfn The Canadians captured part of the farm on 16 September and were then repulsed by a counter-attack. By 25 September, further attacks had captured part of the farm on the surface but the Germans still held the cellars, dug-outs and tunnels beneath.Template:Sfn The farm was captured on 26 September by the 34th Brigade of the 11th (Northern) Division, in the general attack of the Battle of Thiepval Ridge. The 9th Lancashire Fusiliers bombed the exits of the underground positions and also managed to reach the second objective, at the west end of Trench, where German machine-gun nests had held up previous attacks. The 6th East Yorkshire (Pioneers) overwhelmed the last defenders with smoke grenades and took 56 prisoners.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Aftermath

Casualties

In the fighting around Pozières and Mouquet Farm, the I Anzac Corps suffered c. Template:TrimTemplate:Sfn During its second period on the Somme, the 1st Australian Division suffered 2,654 casualties, having already suffered 5,278 in August. The 2nd Australian Division incurred 6,846 casualties from 25 July to 7 August and another 1,267 from 23 to 29 August.Template:Sfn From 29 July to 16 August the 4th Australian Division suffered 4,761 casualties and another 2,487 from 27 August to 4 September.Template:Sfn

Gallery

• Mouquet Farm and its defences, June 1916Template:Efn
  Mouquet Farm and its defences, June 1916Template:Efn
• Mouquet Farm and its defences, September 1916Template:Efn
  Mouquet Farm and its defences, September 1916Template:Efn

See also

• Battle of the Somme: order of battle

Further reading

Books

Websites

External links

• Contemporary photos of the battle sites
• Original photos