Capture of Ovillers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Capture of Ovillers |
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| Part of the Battle of the Somme, of the First World War | |||||||
 Battle of the Somme 1 July – 18 November 1916 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Britain |
 Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Douglas Haig | Erich von Falkenhayn | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1 division | two regiments | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 July: 5,121 | 1 July: 315 | ||||||
The Capture of Ovillers was an important battle during the First World War. It took place from July 1 to July 16, 1916. British forces fought to capture the village of Ovillers-la-Boisselle, often called just Ovillers. This battle was part of the larger Battle of the Somme, a huge and long fight.
Ovillers is a small village in northern France, about 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Amiens. In 1916, the British called it Ovillers to avoid mixing it up with another nearby village, La Boisselle.
On July 1, 1916, the first day of the Somme battle, the British 8th Division attacked Ovillers. This attack did not go well. The division lost 5,121 soldiers. The German defenders had far fewer losses. Because of this, the 8th Division was replaced by the 12th (Eastern) Division. This new division continued the attack on July 3. They also faced heavy fighting and lost 4,721 soldiers. Finally, the 25th Division joined the fight. They kept attacking until the village was finally captured on the evening of July 16.
Contents
What Happened Before the Battle?
Ovillers in 1914
In 1914, Ovillers was a village north of a main road between Albert and Bapaume. To its southeast was La Boisselle. German troops moved into this area in late September 1914. They were trying to advance towards Amiens. However, French forces stopped them around Fricourt and La Boisselle.
The French tried to push the Germans back in November and December 1914. They used a lot of artillery and launched several attacks. These attacks were very costly for the French soldiers. They gained only a little bit of ground. For example, on December 24, French soldiers captured some houses in La Boisselle. But they faced strong German defenses and lost many men.
German Defenses in 1915
In January 1915, the German army decided to build very strong defenses. They wanted to hold their positions with fewer soldiers. They made their barbed wire fences much wider and taller. Instead of one trench, they dug three trenches, each about 150-200 yards apart. The first trench was for guards, the second for soldiers living there, and the third for local reserves.
They also dug deep underground shelters, called dugouts. These were 20-30 feet deep and could hold 25 men. About 1,000 yards behind the front line, they built a strong "intermediate line." A second main defense line was built even further back. This was designed to be out of reach of Allied artillery. This meant attackers would have to move their big guns forward to attack it.
German Defenses in 1916
After another big battle in 1915, the Germans started building a third defense line in February 1916. This new line was about 3,000 yards behind the second one. It was almost finished when the Battle of the Somme began. The Germans also set up a strong telephone system. This connected their front lines to their artillery, allowing them to quickly call for fire.
However, the German defenses had some weaknesses. Their front trenches were on a forward slope, which meant British observers could easily see them. Also, many German soldiers were crowded into the front lines and deep dugouts. This made them easy targets for a large artillery attack.
By mid-June 1916, German commanders expected a big attack on their front. They saw more railway activity and new digging by the British. On June 24, a British prisoner even told them about a five-day bombardment that would start on June 26. Despite these warnings, the Germans did not send many extra troops to the Somme area until July 1.
Preparing for the British Attack
British Attack Plans
The British forces, led by Lieutenant-General William Pulteney, held the front line near Ovillers. Their positions were on a low ridge, giving them a good view of the German lines. The Germans had distinct white chalk trenches on higher ground. The area between the two armies, called no man's land, was up to 800 yards wide.
The British had a lot of artillery for this attack. They had 98 heavy guns and howitzers, plus some French artillery. This meant they had one heavy gun for every 40 yards of front line. The artillery was also supported by planes from the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to help spot targets. During the bombing before the attack, some British shells did not work properly. Many fell short or were duds (unexploded).
The British planned to use their heavy artillery to move from one German defense line to the next. Field artillery would create a moving wall of explosions, called a barrage. This barrage would move slowly forward, ahead of the infantry. The plan was for the infantry to advance about 2 miles (3.2 km) in 107 minutes.
If the German defenses broke, the British had cavalry and reserve divisions ready to push through. The 34th Division was tasked with capturing German positions on the Fricourt Spur and La Boisselle. They would need to capture a fortified village and six German trench lines. The 8th Division would attack Ovillers itself. They planned to attack with all three of their brigades.
German Defensive Preparations
Behind the front line at Ovillers, the Germans had several layers of defenses. These included intermediate lines and a second main position. All these trenches were on a forward slope, making them easy to see and bombard. However, the hills and valleys in the area were good for defense.
The German 26th Reserve Division took over the Ovillers area in early June. They found the defenses to be good but needed some improvements. They immediately started working on them. The area had deep barbed wire fields, machine-gun posts, and many communication trenches. These trenches allowed quick movement and could help stop any British breakthrough.
The German soldiers were in deep dugouts, which protected them well from the British bombardment. Even though the heavy shells caused a lot of damage to the trenches, the dugouts held up. Losses from the bombing were surprisingly low. At 4:45 a.m. on July 1, the German army headquarters sent a message that the British attack was about to begin.
The Battle for Ovillers
July 1: The First Attack
Just before the main attack at 7:30 a.m. on July 1, British mortars fired many bombs at the German front line. The leading British infantry then crept forward into no man's land. As soon as they left their trenches, German machine guns opened fire. When the main attack began, the British guns lifted their fire to the next target. The infantry then stood up and advanced in lines.
German machine-gun fire from La Boisselle, Ovillers, and the second trench became very intense. The British soldiers moved forward over open ground with no cover. Many were hit quickly. Some groups reached the German front trench. On the 23rd Brigade's front, some soldiers even got to the second trench. But crossfire from the sides stopped their advance. About 70 survivors held out for two hours before retreating.
German soldiers in their deep dugouts quickly came out and took up positions. They used rockets and flags to signal their artillery, which then fired heavily on no man's land and the British trenches. The British attack broke down in many places. Small parties who got beyond the front line were met with strong counter-attacks from the sides. The German soldiers were well-trained in these tactics.
On the 25th Brigade front, British infantry faced a similar fate. Some small groups reached the front trench but found it too damaged for cover. They were forced out by German fire and counter-attacks. Many soldiers were lost trying to cross no man's land. Only after nightfall could the survivors return. The German defenders, even though their trenches were damaged, managed to hold their ground. They used machine guns and artillery to stop any British attempts to reinforce.
July 2–3: Renewed Attacks
Despite the heavy losses on July 1, the British high command ordered the attack to continue. The 12th (Eastern) Division was sent to replace the exhausted 8th Division. However, it took so long to move the new division into place that they could not attack at dawn on July 2.
The 12th (Eastern) Division finally attacked at 3:15 a.m. on July 3, after an hour of artillery bombing. The British had dug new trenches closer to the Germans, which shortened no man's land. As the British attacked, the Germans immediately fired red rockets to call for their own artillery. This caused heavy shelling on the British trenches.
The British attacking battalions found gaps in the German wire and entered the front trench. Some even reached the third trench. But German infantry came out of their dugouts in the first line and attacked them from behind. As dawn broke, dust and smoke made it hard to see. Many British soldiers who reached the German lines were overwhelmed when they ran out of grenades and ammunition. It was too dangerous for carriers to bring more supplies across no man's land. The attack was a failure, and the British lost their small foothold on the edge of Ovillers. The 12th Division suffered 2,400 casualties.
July 7–9: Slow Progress
After some changes in command, the British X Corps took over the Ovillers sector. Attacks were delayed by a German counter-attack. On July 8, the British attacked again with a moving barrage. They quickly took the first three German trenches. Many German prisoners were captured in their dugouts, surprised by the speed of the British advance. The Germans withdrew to their second trench and into the middle of the village.
In the early hours of July 9, British soldiers tried to push further into the village. They struggled through deep mud. They advanced about 200 yards into the village. Later that day, another British attack advanced stealthily and took another trench. Before dawn, the 14th Brigade (32nd Division) relieved the 12th (Eastern) Division, which had lost 4,721 soldiers since July 1. The German defenders used the ruined village, trenches, and shell-holes to stay close to British positions. This made it hard for British artillery to hit them.
July 10–17: Final Push
British attacks continued from different directions. Soldiers advanced along trenches and faced several German counter-attacks. On the night of July 12/13, two battalions attacked from the southeast and south, gaining a short distance and taking prisoners. On the night of July 13/14, more attacks continued. Some British units managed small advances on the west side of the village.
On July 14, a British daylight attack on Ovillers was stopped by machine-gun fire. Another attack at 11:00 p.m. captured its target, but the British had so many losses that they had to pull back. At 2:00 a.m. on July 15, the 25th Division attacked Ovillers again from several sides, but the German defenders fought them off.
Finally, at 1:00 a.m. on July 16, new British brigades attacked from the northeast, east, and south. During the evening, the last German soldiers in Ovillers surrendered. 128 German soldiers were taken prisoner. On July 17, another 300 yards of trench were captured, completing the capture of the village.
Aftermath
Casualties
The fighting for Ovillers was very costly. On July 1 alone, the British 8th Division suffered 5,121 casualties. The German Infantry Regiment 180 lost 83 soldiers killed, 184 wounded, and 13 missing. The 12th (Eastern) Division, which fought from July 1 until it was relieved, had 4,721 casualties.
Later Events
Ovillers was recaptured by the Germans on March 25, 1918, during their Spring Offensive. However, it was not held for long. On August 24, 1918, during the Second Battle of Bapaume, British forces bypassed the village. The German soldiers in Ovillers retreated before they could be surrounded.
Images for kids
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Diagram of the 26th (Württemberg) Reserve Division and the 28th (Baden) Reserve Division attacks towards Albert, late September 1914
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Bassin de la Somme
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Anglo-French objectives, north bank of the Somme, 1 July 1916
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Ovillers sector (in upper half), 1 July 1916
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Modern map of Ovillers and vicinity (commune FR insee code 80615)
