when they carried the German line on the Vaux-Chapitre Wood-Le Chenois
front to a length of 1,000 yards, taking 250 prisoners and ten guns.

In the second week of September, 1916, the French and British forces
made important gains in the Somme region. On September 9, 1916,
British forces advancing on a front of 6,000 yards occupied Falfemont
Farm, Leuze Wood, Guillemont, and Ginchy, the area gained being more
than four square miles. The bravery displayed by the Irish troops from
Connaught, Leinster, and Munster in connection with the capture of
Guillemont was especially commended by headquarters. The same troops
fought with distinction in the capture of Ginchy, a village only in
name, for shell fire had reduced it to mere heaps of rubble and dust.

In an assault on the French front September 9, 1916, between
Belloy-en-Santerre and Barleux the Germans by using jets of flame
obtained a temporary footing in the French trenches, but were driven
out by a vigorous counterattack with the loss of four machine guns. On
the night of September 11, 1916, French forces north of the Somme took
the offensive and drove a broad wedge right in between the powerfully
defended German positions of Combles on the north and Peronne to the
south. Continuing their advance on the following day, in less than
half an hour they carried the German first line and, taking Hill 145
by the way, pressed on to the Bapaume road south of Rancourt, and held
it as far south as Bouchavesnes village which was captured by a
brilliant dash early in the evening. On September 13, 1916, the French
again advanced, carrying several positions and occupying in this
region the German third line. They also captured a trench system south
of Combles. In the two days' fighting 2,300 German prisoners were
captured.

On the night of Thursday, September 13, 1916, the British forces won
German trenches to the southeast of Thiepval and a heavily fortified
place known as Wunderwerk. This was the prelude to a series of
brilliant victories won by the British troops which had not been
surpassed during the entire fighting in the Somme area. At 6 a. m. on
September 15, 1916, the British attacked on a front of about six
miles, extending from Bouleaux Wood east of Guillemont to the north of
the Albert-Bapaume road. A tremendous bombardment of the enemy
positions continued for twenty minutes before the infantry advanced to
attack. The Germans were believed to have 1,000 guns concentrate