Context – Battle of the Somme
Thiepval is situated in the department of Somme in Picardy.
The German invasion of Belgium and Northern France in 1914 led to significant territorial control.
The Battle of the Somme, the primary Allied offensive of 1916, occurred north of the Somme River, where British and French forces converged.
This extensive engagement lasted from July 1 to November 18.
The offensive was accelerated following the massive German assault on the French at Verdun.
The Somme region’s undulating terrain provided natural high points for the German defense system, placing the Allies at a distinct disadvantage in the lower areas.
Despite preliminary artillery bombardments, which had limited impact on the heavily fortified German redoubts, the battle commenced on July 1, 1916.
The Allied High Command initially underestimated the resilience of the German defenses, believing their troops could swiftly advance across wide front lines and capture the shattered enemy trenches.
However, upon launching the assault, they quickly realized that the German defenses had suffered minimal damage.
The subsequent weeks were characterized by a series of small victories followed by withdrawals, resulting in very slow progress—a stalemate that tragically cost the lives of thousands of men.
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, from September 15 to 22, marked a turning point in the Battle of the Somme.
The introduction of tanks, a then-new weapon, was a significant development!
Tanks were indeed deployed across the entire assault front, leading to impressive results.
Twice as much ground was recovered compared to the July 1 attack, with only half the number of casualties.
Schwaben Redoubt in Thiepval
The Thiepval Ridge Battle took place from September 26 to 28, 1916. It marked the largest and first offensive led by the British Reserve Army during the Battle of the Somme. Thiepval, situated to the north of the British front, was indeed a crucial German defense area.
The village sprawled across the top of a ridge, with marshes surrounding the land. This ridge afforded extensive views over the Ancre Valley and the surrounding countryside for kilometers around.
At the outset of the war, the Germans constructed an elaborate defense system, including highly fortified redoubts interconnected by trenches, dugouts, and deep tunnels.
Machine gun nests were strategically positioned halfway downhill and along a 2km line.
Over the following months, the Germans further fortified their defenses, even installing additional machine gun posts in the cellars of Thiepval’s houses, effectively transforming the village into an impregnable fortress.
The primary objective of the Battle of Thiepval Ridge was to dislodge the Germans from their entrenched positions, including the highly fortified redoubts situated farther down the hill.
Among these redoubts were notable fortifications such as the Zollern redoubt near the Mouquet Farm to the northwest, the Stuff and Leipzig redoubts to the south, and the Schwaben redoubt situated between the present-day Thiepval Memorial and Ulster Tower.
However, it was the Schwaben redoubt that stood out as the most formidable and heavily fortified of them all.
German troops from Swabia, a region in southwestern Germany, constructed it in early 1915, giving it the name Schwaben Schanze, meaning Swabia earthworks.
The Schwaben redoubt had deep galleries that connected it to the Zollern redoubt near the Mouquet Farm, the front-line trenches, and the village of Thiepval itself.
This sector of the German defense, known to the Allies as the ‘Leipzig Solent,’ held strategic significance in the battle.
Battle of Thiepval Ridge
The Thiepval Ridge Battle was preceded by three days of intensive bombardment, yet unfortunately, it had little effect on the highly fortified Schwaben Redoubt and Thiepval village.
Several Infantry Divisions launched the assault on September 26 at 12:35 pm, spanning a 2km wide front.
The Canadians attacked from Courcelette to the northeast, having already captured this fortified sector a few days earlier during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
Although they secured the base of Thiepval Ridge, their progress was halted at the formidable ‘Regina Trench,’ which extended from Courcelette almost all the way up to Thiepval. This assault tragically resulted in an enormous number of casualties among the Canadians.
Meanwhile, the 11th Northern Division initiated their assault near the Mouquet Farm, west of Courcelette, and advanced towards the Zollern redoubt. Despite suffering heavy casualties, they managed to establish their position at the edge of the redoubt.
The 18th Division, positioned farther west, conducted a systematic advance uphill on Thiepval, though they faced staunch resistance from German counterattacks.
Despite the obstacles, they managed to capture most of Thiepval in the early afternoon and subsequently neutralized the Zollern and Stuff Redoubts. By the following morning, they had established full control over Thiepval village.
The capture of the Schwaben Redoubt on September 28 marked the conclusion of the Battle of Thiepval Ridge.
While this offensive was successful and relatively swift, it came at a tremendous cost, resulting in an astronomical number of casualties.
Thiepval Memorial to the Missing – inauguration
Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing stands as an imposing tribute to the soldiers who fell in the Somme before March 20, 1918, and have no known grave.
Those who perished after that date are commemorated in the nearby town of Pozières.
In 1917, the six Commonwealth countries – Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom – collectively decided to establish a joint-funded War Graves Commission.
The aim was to commemorate all war dead individually and “in a uniform and equal fashion, irrespective of military or civil rank, race, or creed.”
Following World War I, Thiepval was chosen as the site for the construction of an imposing Memorial to the Missing. The land was acquired in the 1920s, and on August 1, 1932, the Prince of Wales, then president of the War Graves Commission, unveiled the memorial in a solemn ceremony.
The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing stands as the largest and most impressive among all memorials to the missing. It was also the first memorial of the Western Front Memorials to be unveiled.
During the unveiling ceremony, the Prince delivered his speech in both English and French, addressing the families of fallen soldiers and war veterans gathered there.
He referred to the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing as the “crowning stone” of the work of the CWGC and emphasized the significance of remembering the sacrifices made by those whose deaths secured our present freedom. There is much to reflect on when considering the profound impact of such memorials and the enduring legacy of those who gave their lives in service.
Thiepval Memorial to the Missing
We recommend once more beginning your visit to the Thiepval Memorial site through the Visitors Centre – Interpretative Centre.
This modern glass-fronted structure, inaugurated in September 2004, offers audiovisual presentations and an extensive display of photos, documents, and military maps related to WWI. There are two panoramic views of the area, one taken during the battle and the other more recently, providing valuable insight into troop movements during the attack.
A small path leads from the centre to the Memorial’s grounds via a large semi-circular area bordered with hedges. As you approach, the impressive arched silhouette of the memorial comes into view, dominating the top of the ridge. Its pillars are adorned with sculpted wreaths of laurels, engraved with the names of various battles of the Somme.
Each arch’s face is dedicated to a specific regiment and engraved, with the names of the Missing Soldiers engraved according to their rank within their regiment and in alphabetical order.
There were 73,357 names engraved when the memorial was unveiled on August 1, 1932. However, this number has since dropped to 72,116. Over 1,000 soldiers’ remains have indeed been identified since then, no longer classified as ‘missing.’ A few names that were initially overlooked in 1932 have been since added to the memorial.
Thiepval Memorial commemorates Commonwealth Missing Soldiers, excluding Canadians and Newfoundlanders, as they have their own memorials at Vimy Ridge Canadian National Memorial and Newfoundland Memorial Park in Beaumont Hamel.
The human loss, whether killed or missing, among French and Commonwealth troops during the Battle of the Somme, amounted to over 146,000 men, a staggering toll that underscores the magnitude of the sacrifice made during this pivotal moment in history.
Thiepval Memorial to the Missing – British-French Cemetery
The British-French Cemetery was established following the construction of the memorial, serving as a joint symbol of the losses endured by both nations.
This cemetery contains the graves of 300 Commonwealth soldiers and 300 French soldiers.
The majority of the Commonwealth soldiers interred here perished during the Battle of the Somme.
Some were relocated from field burials in Loos and Le Quesnel, further to the north.
Out of the 600 men buried in the cemetery, only 61 Commonwealth soldiers and 47 French soldiers have been identified.
Despite this, their sacrifice is commemorated with honor.
At the end of the central alley, facing the memorial, stands the Cross of Sacrifice, a poignant reminder of the courage and sacrifice of those laid to rest here.
The base is engraved with the following:
“That the world may remember the common sacrifice of two and a half million dead, here have been laid by side soldiers of France and of the British Empire in eternal comradeship”.
In 2006, on the occasion of the ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, the Prince of Wales laid a wreath in the presence of thousands of people, among whom was one of the few remaining Great War Veterans, Henry Allingham.
As you exit the Memorial grounds, you encounter an obelisk positioned at the end of a wide alley that cuts through Thiepval Wood near the main entrance.
This Obelisk Memorial to the 18th Division stands on the site where the men launched their assault on Thiepval village, serving as a poignant reminder of their bravery and sacrifice.
Department of Somme – Picardie – Hauts de France region
Coordinates: Lat50.050312 – Long 2.685653
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: British tank WW by Ernest Brooks (1878–1958) Public domain – Aerial bombardment on German lines by No 4 Squadron RFC Public domain – Aerial view of Mouquet Farm by assumed Royal Flying Corps Public domain – Attack on Schwaben Redoubt 1 July 1916 map by Gsl Public domain
