Battles - The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, 1916 A subsidiary attack
of the Somme Offensive, and having captured Mametz Wood on 12
July, the British moved onwards toward High Wood in a
continuation of the push through German lines. The Battle of
Bazentin Ridge, which ran from 14-17 July 1916 and comprised
part of the second phase of the Somme Offensive, was launched
primarily by Reserve Army (twelve battalions) with Rawlinson's
Fourth Army providing a further battalion, on a front extending
from Longueval to Bazentin-le-Petit Wood. Opened at dawn on the
14th (unusually so; Douglas Haig, the British Commander-in-
Chief, was suspicious of night attacks), and preceded by a short
sharp five minute artillery bombardment - just enough time to
send exposed German defenders to their dugouts - the infantry
moved forward. A notable success, Bazentin-le-Grand and
Bazentin-le-Petit were secured within a matter of hours, with
Longueval (skirting Delville Wood) following shortly afterwards.
Having established a position at Baze