On this day in Yorkshire 1916: Battle of the Somme

“The ground is now being entirely ploughed up on the whole of the Allies’ front on both banks of the Somme by heavy artillery.

These are the words of an officer just arrived from the neighbourhood of Chaulnes.

On the northern bank of the river, he said, thoe bombardment slackened somewhat yesterday in order to allow the Franco- British troops to deliver a joint attack south of the Somme.

There was a most violent cannonade all day to-day. French batteries of all calibres are methodically destroying enemy’s entrenchments and works, and not a single German formation is being spared by the long-range guns.

The new attack of the Allies was delivered on a front of about 10 kilometres. While certain elements of a corps were clearing the north-eastern part of Hem Wood (where the last German detachments had been able to hold out), and making progress further east in the direction the Peronne-Chaulnes narrow gauge railway, the British troops, acting in complete collaboration with the French batteries and one French regiment, wero vigorously attacking the village of Guillemont, which was held by the 5th Braudenburg Division.

The battle was of the most sanguinary nature, especially in the north-east. Six hours of tho most fearful hand-to-hand fighting passed before the British were able progress towards the first houses of the village.

During that time the French were pressing hard the German contingents established south-west of Guillemont, and finally captured all the German works road from the village to Maurepas.

Thus, towards night, the village of Guillemont was menaced both from the south, north-west, and west at the same time, the situation of the Germans in the village was critical.

Copenhagen, Wednesday.

The well-known German war correspondent Herr Scheuermann, reports that the town of Peronne is burning as the result of the violent French bombardment.

A large part of the town is burned down, and it will be very difficult save the old famous wood houses of the fifteenth century.

The museum, containing Flemish and Italian paintings and other treasures, has been completely destroyed. One street after another has fallen in ruins.

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