Battle of the Ancre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of the Ancre |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Battle of the Somme of the First World War | |||||||
 Battle of the Somme 1 July – 18 November 1916 |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom France |
 Germany |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Douglas Haig Hubert Gough Ferdinand Foch |
Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria Max von Gallwitz Fritz von Below |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 12 divisions, 1 brigade | 4 divisions | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| c. 22,000 | 1–18 November, c. 45,000 including 7,000 prisoners. | ||||||
The Battle of the Ancre was a major battle fought during World War I. It took place from 13 to 18 November 1916. This battle was the very last big attack by the British during the long and bloody Battle of the Somme.
The British Fifth Army, led by Lieutenant-General Hubert Gough, fought against the German 1st Army. The goal was to win a big victory. This would show everyone that the British were still strong and committed to the war. They also wanted to capture important places like Beaumont Hamel and Serre. These areas were important because the British had failed to take them earlier in the war.
The attack started after a huge seven-day bombardment. This was twice as powerful as the one used on 1 July. The British managed to surprise the Germans and win the battle. They captured Beaumont Hamel, St Pierre Divion, and Beaucourt. This victory put pressure on the Germans holding Serre further north. The British took over 7,000 German soldiers as prisoners.
Why the Battle Happened
Planning the Attack
After many discussions, the British commander, General Douglas Haig, decided to focus attacks near the Ancre river. The weather was very bad, with lots of rain and mud. This made it hard for soldiers to move and for supplies to reach the front lines. Because of the weather, the attack was delayed many times.
Finally, on 10 November, General Gough decided the attack would start on 13 November at 5:45 a.m. Haig agreed, hoping for a good outcome. The plan was to attack the German lines near the Ancre river.
Getting Ready for Battle
The British brought in more troops to the area north of the Ancre river. They also moved their front lines closer to the German positions. In some places, the space between the two armies was less than 250 yards.
The British artillery prepared to fire heavily on German defenses. They wanted to cut the barbed wire and destroy enemy trenches. They also planned to pretend to attack other areas to confuse the Germans. This was called a "simulated offensive."
On 12 November, the British even used gas bombs on Beaumont Hamel. They first fired tear gas to make German soldiers use their gas masks. Then, they fired a deadlier gas called Phosgene to try and kill them.
The British Plan
General Gough planned to attack on 13 November with five divisions. A division is a large group of soldiers. The main attack would be by V Corps, aiming for areas north of the Ancre river. These areas had not been attacked much since 1 July. The British hoped the Germans would be weaker there.
They set three main goals:
- The first goal was to capture Beaucourt Station, Beaumont Hamel, and parts of Redan Ridge. This meant advancing about 800 yards through several German trench lines.
- The second goal was 600 to 1,000 yards further forward.
- The final goal was to reach Beaucourt and the Puisieux road valley.
The British also planned a special artillery trick. Heavy guns would fire on German lines for an hour every morning before dawn. The idea was to make the Germans used to this routine. Then, when the real attack started at 5:45 a.m., they hoped the Germans wouldn't react quickly.
A few tanks were also available to help. The British also used a "machine-gun barrage." This meant firing many machine guns at German machine-gun nests behind Beaumont Hamel. This was a new tactic first used in September.
German Preparations
The Germans knew a British attack was coming. By 12 October, their commanders were warned. On 2 November, General Fritz von Below, who led the German 1st Army, expected an attack.
The Germans decided not to retreat from St Pierre Divion and Beaumont Hamel. They thought these high areas gave them a good view of the battlefield. They also brought in new troops and built more strong defensive positions.
However, the German soldiers were very tired from constant shelling and bad weather. Supplies were also hard to get. Many German units were under strength, meaning they didn't have enough soldiers.
The Battle Begins
British Attacks: 13–15 November
The seven-day bombardment worked well. It cut most of the German barbed wire and destroyed many defenses. However, the Germans had deep underground bunkers that protected them.
On 13 November, a thick mist covered the battlefield. This mist helped the British soldiers hide as they advanced. But it also made it hard for them to follow their own artillery fire. Soldiers struggled through deep mud.
- II Corps Attack: On the right, the 19th Division advanced. The mist helped them surprise the Germans. By 8:15 a.m., they reached their goal, partly along a sunken road called Lucky Way. The Germans did not counter-attack.
- 39th Division Attack: To the west, the 39th Division also attacked. Some battalions reached the Hansa line by 7:30 a.m. Others captured the station crossing and Beaucourt Mill by 10:00 a.m. One battalion attacked along the Ancre river and captured St Pierre Divion around 7:40 a.m. Three tanks were supposed to help, but two got stuck, and one fell into a dugout.
- 63rd Division Attack: In V Corps, the 63rd Division faced heavy German machine-gun fire. They captured German front trenches and Beaucourt Station, taking 400 prisoners. However, many soldiers were lost to machine-gun fire. By nightfall, they had linked up with the 51st Division.
- 51st Division Attack: The 51st Division attacked Beaumont Hamel. A large mine was blown up at Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt just before the attack. Some troops reached their first goal quickly. However, uncut wire and heavy machine-gun fire stopped others. Two tanks sent to help also got stuck.
- 2nd Division Attack: The 2nd Division advanced along Redan Ridge. Some troops reached Beaumont Trench but were too few to hold it. They had to fall back. The attack faced heavy fog and mud.
- 3rd Division Attack: The 3rd Division attacked Serre. The mud was waist-deep, making it very difficult. Some troops reached the German support line but had to fall back. All operations for this division were canceled by 4:30 p.m.
- 31st Division Attack: The 31st Division attacked to create a defensive flank. They easily took the German first line. However, German counter-attacks and the failure of the 3rd Division's attack forced them to retreat later that day.
On 15 November, the 39th Division finished capturing the Schwaben Redoubt. The 63rd Division continued its attack on Beaucourt Trench and entered Beaucourt, taking 500 prisoners. They also captured a strongpoint, where 400 Germans surrendered.
Air Operations
On 13 November, thick fog made it impossible for planes to see anything. But on 14 November, the mist cleared. British planes flew over the battlefield. They saw that Beaucourt and areas to the north-west had been captured.
Planes also helped direct artillery fire. They found 157 German artillery batteries, and many were silenced. British planes also attacked German soldiers from the air. They spotted 300 German troops in a ravine, who were then heavily shelled by British artillery.
During the night, British planes bombed German railway stations, trains, and roads. A German plane even followed two British planes back to their airfield and bombed it.
Good flying weather continued on 16 and 17 November. British planes helped artillery target German infantry in trenches. They destroyed a German artillery battery and damaged many others. British planes also fought German aircraft, shooting down several.
British Attacks: 15–17 November
On 15 November, the 39th Division completed capturing the Schwaben Redoubt. The 37th Division took over from the 63rd Division and pushed forward. They found some German trenches empty, except for mud.
Attacks by the 51st and 2nd divisions were caught in their own artillery fire. Many troops got lost in the mist. Some reached Frankfort Trench but had to return. The 37th Division pushed up Ancre Trench and set up new positions.
The Final Day: 18 November
General Gough decided to continue the attack for two more days. He wanted to push further down the Ancre river. The attack was delayed until 18 November to make sure everything was ready.
The first snow fell on the night of 17/18 November. The attack began at 6:10 a.m. in sleet, which turned to rain. Visibility was very bad.
- II Corps Attack: The 4th Canadian Division attacked south of Grandcourt. Some units faced a new German trench and heavy machine-gun fire. Others found little resistance and took 100 prisoners. They captured most of Desire Support Trench and took 620 German prisoners in total.
- 18th Division Attack: West of the Canadians, the 18th Division attacked. They captured Desire Trench. However, some battalions got lost in a gap where the 19th Division had veered off. German machine-gunners moved into this gap, causing many casualties.
- 19th Division Attack: The 19th Division attacked with two brigades. Some troops were cut off and captured. Others were stopped by uncut wire. However, some managed to push into the south-west part of Grandcourt. They also advanced along the railway and met troops from V Corps.
- V Corps Attack: North of the Ancre, the 37th Division pushed through Beaucourt. They established new posts and captured Puisieux Trench. They also met the 19th Division troops on the railway.
- 32nd Division Attack: The 32nd Division attacked Munich and Frankfort trenches. They faced heavy machine-gun fire. Some troops were cut off and captured. The British artillery barrage was sometimes too far forward, causing problems. Many soldiers were lost.
German Defense: 13–15 November
On the night of 12/13 November, it was quiet. Then, a thick mist formed. At 6:45 a.m., a huge bombardment began, and a mine exploded at Hawthorn Ridge.
Around Serre, the German 52nd Division defended the village. They had noticed British digging in the fog. Despite the confusion from the mist, they fought hard. The British got into the first two trenches north of Serre, but the Germans eventually recaptured them.
At Beaumont Hamel, German soldiers were surprised by the British attack. The mine explosion devastated their northern flank. British soldiers arrived in scattered groups, some even smoking cigarettes. The Germans fired signal rockets for their artillery, but the fog made them invisible.
After about two hours, the British attack slowed. Then, Germans saw British troops guarding a line of German soldiers in the mist. An unarmed German officer appeared, saying he was a prisoner and that the British had broken through their lines. The Germans in that trench surrendered.
Further south, the German 38th Division had to retreat to avoid being surrounded. This allowed the British to advance around St Pierre Divion and Beaucourt. The British took 2,000 prisoners in this area.
The Germans immediately tried to send reinforcements. However, the new troops were not very effective. The British bombardment was very accurate. The Germans lost about 2,000 meters of ground in the Ancre valley.
German Defense: 18 November
The British tried again to capture Serre. The Germans fought back fiercely, with great help from their artillery. The British attack was defeated by evening, and many British soldiers were captured.
In the Ancre valley, the British attack pushed forward 600 yards beyond Beaucourt. But they suffered many casualties from German machine-gun fire and counter-attacks. The German positions were broken in some areas.
South of Grandcourt, the German 173rd regiment was overrun. The British 8th North Staffordshire regiment pushed on but was cut off and eventually surrendered. By evening, the Germans held ground on either side of the road, stopping the British advance.
French Army Actions
The French army also fought south of the Somme. They captured Bois Kratz, Pressoir, and Ablaincourt. The Germans launched many counter-attacks, but the French defeated them.
North of the Somme, German attacks on the French Sixth Army were pushed back. French counter-attacks made progress in St Pierre Vaast Wood. French planes also fought German planes and bombed railway stations at night.
What Happened Next
Soldiers Lost
The Battle of the Ancre was very costly for both sides.
- The British 32nd Division lost 2,524 soldiers.
- The 37th Division lost 2,469 soldiers.
- The 51st (Highland) Division lost about 2,200 soldiers.
- The 2nd Division lost about 3,000 soldiers.
- The 3rd Division lost 2,400 soldiers.
- The 63rd Division lost about 3,500 soldiers.
In total, the British Fifth Army had 23,274 casualties from 11 to 24 November. The Germans lost about 45,000 soldiers, including 7,183 prisoners. This was a "particularly heavy blow" for the Germans.
After the Battle
On 19 November, the British 19th Division defeated a German counter-attack at Grandcourt. The Battle of the Somme officially ended on 18 November for the British.
Both the German and British armies settled down for the winter on the Somme. The British kept up pressure with artillery fire and air attacks. They also dropped propaganda leaflets. However, the terrible weather, with mud, icy winds, sleet, and rain, made life very hard for the soldiers. Many German troops became sick and exhausted.
British attacks started again in January 1917, continuing the fight on the Ancre.
Images for kids
-
Field kitchen of the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment near St Pierre Divion, November 1916 Q4605
-
A Padre helping a wounded German prisoner along (13 November 1916, near Aveluy Wood) Q4505
-
Map of the Beaumont-Hamel area (commune FR insee code 80753)
-
51st (Highland) Division objectives at Beaumont Hamel, November 1916
_Division_objectives_at_Beaumont_Hamel,_November_1916.png)
