To the north towards Ovillers, La Boiselle commanded a valley known at the time as ‘Mash Valley’, whilst to the south it commanded a valley known as ‘Sausage Valley’. The reason ‘Sausage Valley’ was so named was after a German observation balloon which hung over the area – the name ‘Mash’ for the adjoining valley was an obvious choice.
The Albert to Bapaume road bordered La Boiselle and formed a division between the two valleys.
At La Boiselle the British and German trenches were not more than about 50 yards apart. It was an area of many overlapping mine craters where bitter hand-to-hand fighting had taken place continuously when it had been held by the French.
- The village of La Boiselle is situated 3.5km northeast of Albert on the D929 Albert to Bapaume road.
- Usna Hill is situated 1km west of the village, to the north of the D929.
- Tara Hill is situated 1km southwest of the village to the south of the D929.
- Mash Valley is north of La Boiselle.
- Sausage Valley is south of La Boiselle and the Lochnagar Crater.
