Dramatic Advance

In what was initially a dramatic advance they were successful in that they overran some five miles of the German second line.

Starting out from the northern edge of Mametz Wood the troops turned east and captured the woods that protected the villages of Bazentin-le-Grand and Bazentin-le-Petit in as many hours as it had taken days to capture Mametz Wood.

The village of Bazentin-le-Petit was easily cleared such that by 09.00 all was quiet.

The British continued to advance cautiously discovering as they did that the German had retreated not just from the village but also from the country right up to and beyond High Wood.

Biggest Blunder?

In what must have been one of the biggest blunders of the entire battle this information was not acted on and the Germans were given the time to reoccupy High Wood.  It then took some of the most vicious fighting of the battle to dislodge then for a second time.

During the course of the fighting to re-capture High Wood, Bazentin Wood was used extensively to shelter troops on their way to the fighting.

Location

Bazentin-le-Petit is situated 9km northeast of Albert, north of the D20 Contalmaison to Longueval road