Capture of Trônes Wood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Capture of Trônes Wood
Part of The Battle of the Somme of the First World War
Map of the Battle of the Somme, 1916
Date 8–14 July 1916 Location Trônes Wood, France 50°0′40.87″N 2°48′25.23″E / 50.0113528°N 2.8070083°E / 50.0113528; 2.8070083 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  France	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Douglas Haig Ferdinand Foch Henry Rawlinson Émile Fayolle	Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria Fritz von Below
Strength
3 divisions	elements of 4 divisions
Casualties and losses
c.  3,827

The Capture of Trônes Wood was an important battle during the First World War. It took place from 8 to 14 July 1916. British and German armies fought for control of Trônes Wood, a forest in France.

Trônes Wood was a key location. It sat on a ridge and overlooked important areas. A small railway line also ran through the middle of the wood. The forest was thick with trees and bushes. During the battle, many trees were destroyed by bombs. This made it very hard for soldiers to move around. The British wanted to capture the wood. This would help them prepare for a bigger attack later. The German army wanted to hold the wood at all costs. They fought hard to stop the British advance.

Why Trônes Wood Was Important

On 1 July, the British and French armies attacked German positions. This was part of the Battle of the Somme. The attack went well in some areas. The German army was pushed back. British troops gained control of Montauban village. This gave them a good view of the nearby areas.

After this success, the British army wanted to keep attacking. But there were problems with moving supplies. Roads were busy, which slowed things down. British planes also saw that German defenses were strong. The German army quickly sent more soldiers to the area.

British commanders decided to focus their attacks. They wanted to capture Trônes Wood and Mametz Wood. Officers on the front lines felt that the Germans were weak. They thought it was important to attack quickly. They worried that delays would give the Germans time to recover.

Getting Ready for Battle

British Plans and Preparations

German dugout steps, Bernafay Wood, Somme 1916

On 2 July, British patrols found that Bernafay Wood was empty. They captured some German soldiers who had left the area. The British then moved into Bernafay Wood. On 3 July, British soldiers also took control of Caterpillar Wood. They entered Marlboro' Wood without a fight on 4 July.

British leaders knew Trônes Wood was important. They wanted to capture it quickly. They also got more ammunition for their guns. French heavy guns were also loaned to the British. The attack was planned for 8 July.

The British planned to attack Trônes Wood from the south. They would also try to capture Maltz Horn Farm. This farm was near the wood. The British troops would attack after a heavy bombing. They hoped to surprise the Germans.

German Plans and Preparations

After some early attacks failed, the German army set up new defenses. They created a strong new line of trenches. They also brought in more planes. These planes helped them watch the British and French armies.

By 5 July, the German commander thought the worst was over. He believed they had stopped the first British attacks. He decided not to counter-attack right away. Instead, he waited for more British attacks.

German soldiers faced heavy bombing from British artillery. This caused many casualties. It also cut off their communication lines. More German heavy guns were sent to the Somme front. German leaders knew they had to hold Trônes Wood. It was a key point for any future counter-attacks.

The Battle for Trônes Wood

Fighting on 8–9 July

The British attack started at 8:00 a.m. on 8 July. They first bombed Trônes Wood. British soldiers then moved towards the wood. But they faced heavy machine-gun fire from the Germans. Many soldiers were hurt. The British had to pull back.

Later that day, the British attacked again. This time, their bombs drove the Germans out of a trench. British troops entered the wood. They also captured Maltz Horn Farm. The Germans tried to counter-attack, but they were stopped.

On 9 July, British soldiers continued to advance. They captured a key trench in the middle of the wood. By 8:00 a.m., they had taken most of Trônes Wood. However, the Germans started bombing the wood heavily. The British soldiers had to retreat from some parts of the wood.

In the afternoon, German soldiers counter-attacked. They moved through the thick wood. They pushed the British back to the west side of the wood. By evening, the Germans had retaken most of Trônes Wood.

Fighting on 10–11 July

On 10 July, British soldiers attacked again. They moved into the wood in small groups. Some got lost, but others found the wood empty. They captured a German strong point. The Germans had pulled back to the east side of the wood.

Later, the Germans counter-attacked again. They pushed the British out of the eastern edge of the wood. Fighting continued all morning. By noon, more German soldiers arrived. They took control of the north end of the wood.

By evening, the Germans held the western edge and most of the south of the wood. They had strong positions in the middle. The British tried to attack again, but they faced heavy German fire. The German attack was delayed by British bombs.

Fighting on 12–13 July

On 12 July, the Germans planned a big attack. They wanted to push the British out of the south end of the wood. They even planned to use flame-throwers. But British planes spotted the German troop movements. British artillery then fired on the Germans. This caused many casualties and stopped the attack.

On 13 July, fresh British troops took over. They launched another attack at 7:00 p.m. British soldiers tried to bomb their way through trenches. But they only got very close. Inside the wood, British troops got lost in the thick trees. They ran into German positions and fought at close range.

More German soldiers arrived to defend the wood. British attacks from the west side of the wood also failed. They faced heavy machine-gun fire. By midnight, the British still did not fully control the wood.

Final Attack on 14 July

Military artist drawing of battles in Trônes Wood: 14 July 1916

Just after midnight on 14 July, the British prepared for another attack. They had little time to plan. The commander decided on a simple plan: attack from south to north.

At 4:30 a.m., British soldiers moved across open ground. They faced German bombs. They entered the south-western side of the wood. By 6:00 a.m., they captured a German strong point. They continued to advance.

The British reached the eastern edge of the wood. They thought it was the northern end. They set up defenses. The second British battalion entered the wood at 8:00 a.m.

British soldiers pushed north through the wood. They used a compass to keep direction. They fired into the thick bushes. They pushed the Germans back. The last German soldiers left the wood at 9:00 a.m. They retreated to a nearby station. The British finally reached the true northern point of the wood at 9:30 a.m. They had captured Trônes Wood.

Aftermath

Casualties

The battle for Trônes Wood was very costly. The British 30th Division lost about 3,000 soldiers. Later, they lost another 2,300 men. The 18th (Eastern) Division lost about 3,400 men. Their final attack cost another 1,527 casualties. The Germans also suffered heavy losses.

Later Events

By the end of the battle, all the trees in Trônes Wood were destroyed. Only low stumps remained. The ground was covered with tree trunks, barbed wire, and human remains. It was easy for Germans to see into the wood from their positions.

Later, the wood was used as a base for attacks on nearby villages. It was also used for soldier housing.

Commemoration

Memorials

Today, an obelisk stands at the south side of Trônes Wood. It is a memorial to the 18th (Eastern) Division. Some old German dug-outs (underground shelters) can still be seen near the road.