Editing Battle of the Somme (section)

==== Battle of Bazentin Ridge, 14–17 July ====
{{Main|Battle of Bazentin Ridge}}

[[File:Bazentin le Petit 14 July 1916 map.png|thumb|The [[21st Division (United Kingdom)|British 21st Division]] attack on Bazentin le Petit, 14 July 1916.]]
[[File:The Battle of the Somme, July-november 1916 Q4417.jpg|thumb|Soldiers digging a communication trench through Delville Wood]]
The Fourth Army attacked the German second defensive position from the Somme past [[Guillemont]] and [[Ginchy]], north-west along the crest of the ridge to [[Pozières]] on the Albert–Bapaume road. The objectives of the attack were the villages of [[Bazentin le Petit]], [[Bazentin le Grand]] and [[Longueval]] which was adjacent to [[Delville Wood]], with [[High Wood]] on the ridge beyond. The attack was made by four divisions on a front of {{convert|6000|yd|km|abbr=on}} at {{nowrap|3:25 a.m.}} after a five-minute [[hurricane bombardment|hurricane artillery bombardment]]. Field artillery fired a creeping barrage and the attacking waves pushed up close behind it in no man's land, leaving them only a short distance to cross when the barrage lifted from the German front trench. Most of the objective was captured and the German defence south of the Albert–Bapaume road put under great strain but the attack was not followed up due to British communication failures, casualties and disorganisation.{{sfn|Sheffield|2003|pp = 79–85}}