_Towards Bapaume._--The British advance on the two wings--Thiepval to
the west and Gueudecourt to the east--forced the German centre back on
the Le Sars-Eaucourt line. Continuing to press the enemy, the British
carried Destremont Farm, in front of Le Sars, on September 29, while on
October 3, the village of Eaucourt-l'Abbaye was taken. On the 7th, a
further advance was made along the spur which forms a salient in front
of Le Transloy village, and Le Sars village was carried the same day.
A single line of heights only now separated the British Army from
Bapaume, 6 km. distant from Le Sars. This line consisted chiefly of
Warlencourt Ridge, which dominates the country all round, and which had
been turned by the Germans into an apparently impregnable fortress.
Although the bad weather and the mud now forced the Allies to suspend
their offensive, sharp fighting continued. From December to the end of
January the British raided the enemy's trenches unceasingly.
After that, operations were resumed to reduce the Ancre salient
completely. The improvement, realised since the previous summer, in
their offensive strength, at once became apparent. Their artillery,
reinforced, thoroughly "pounded" the whole terrain, making it possible
for the infantry to force a way through all obstacles, and to advance
continuously.
Advancing over the tops of the hills, which border the Upper Ancre, the
British directed their efforts alternately against both banks of the
river, and soon rendered untenable those positions still held by the
Germans at the bottom of the valleys. On February 7, 1917, Grandcourt
was captured, while the week following, Miraumont, Pys, Warlencourt
with its famous Ridge, and Ligny-Thilloy (within 3 km. of Bapaume) were
surrounded.
The Germans now fell back on a new line of defences close to the town,
and by strong counter-attacks sought to stay the British advance. Their
efforts were in vain, however, and the British hemmed them in more
closely each day. Irles was occupied on March 10; Louppart Wood and
Grévillers on the 13th. On the 14th, the British were at the gates of
Bapaume, which they entered three days later (the 17th), only to find
that the town had been burnt and methodically destroyed by the Germans.
_Towards Péronne._--On October 1, the French lines, in _liaison_ with
those of the British south of Morval, took in Rancourt, Bouchavesnes
and Labbé Farm, passed in front of Feuillancourt and reached the Somme
at Omiécourt.
After a halt, devoted to the consolidation of the ground, the French
resumed their advance, in spite of the bad weather. The objective was
now to widen the positions beyond the Bapaume-Péronne road, in order
to turn the town from the north, as the marshes of the Somme and the
defences of Mont-Saint-Quentin did not permit a frontal attack.
On October 7, the road was occupied from Rancourt to within about 200
yards of the first houses of Sailly-Saillisel, and the western and
south-western outskirts of Saint-Pierre-Vaast Wood were reached. During
the following weeks the fighting, which was furious, concentrated
around Sailly-Saillisel. On October 18, Sailly was carried, but
Saillisel held out until the beginning of November. Meanwhile, the
French made several unsuccessful attempts to carry the defence-works of
Saint-Pierre-Vaast Wood, and finally remained hanging on to the western
outskirts, in close contact with the enemy.
[Illustration]
At the end of 1916, the front line in this sector extended from the
northern outskirts of Sailly-Saillisel, along the western edges of
Saint-Pierre-Vaast Wood, then took in Bouchavesnes and crossed the
Somme near Omiécourt.
The winter passed quietly, except in the region of Sailly-Saillisel and
Saint-Pierre-Vaast Wood, where skirmishing and grenade fighting were
incessant. The British took possession of the sector and fortified it
strongly, raiding from time to time the enemy trenches.
In March, 1917, the artillery duel increased in intensity, and the
Germans prepared to evacuate their positions.
Their retreat began on March 15, after the country had been
methodically devastated. The British occupied the whole wood of
Saint-Pierre-Vaast on the 15th and 16th, almost without striking a
blow. On the 17th, they held the Mont-Saint-Quentin--powerful advance
fortress of Péronne. On the 18th, they finally entered the town from
the north, while other detachments reached it from the south-east,
across the marshes of the Somme.
[Illustration: PRESIDENT POINCARÉ HANDING THE "COMMANDEUR DE LA LÉGION
D'HONNEUR" INSIGNIA TO GENERAL MICHELER.]