The Hawthorn Ridge crater is one of the most spectacular sights on the Somme battlefields. An 18 ton mine was detonated under the German trenches on the first day of the battle. The crater is 40 m across and 18 m deep. It is also the subject of one of the first pieces of military photo journalism as a picture was taken at the exact moment of detonation from the allied positions.
High Wood, or Bois des Fourcaux, was a major battleground during the Somme and was only finally taken by the British during mid-September 1916 having first been attacked on July 14. High Wood still remains and is a copse of trees on a elevated piece of land. Because of the vast number of men who lost their lives at this point, several memorials have bee erected to different regiments.
The fight for this small village in northern France was a critical moment in the battle of the Somme. It was captured by the British in early September. It was heavily bombarded before and during the battle so little is left of the original village, although evidence remains of the battle. The memorial to those who died here is a few miles north of the village and contains the grave of Lt. Raymond Asquith, son of Herbert Asquith who was British prime minister at the time.
Like many areas of the Somme, little remains of the battle that took place apart from shell holes and filled-in trenches, but Delville Wood has significance because it was South African soldiers who took this strategic position. The memorial itself is one of the most spectacular in the area. After taking the position, the South African troops had to repel numerous German counterattacks before backup arrived.
The largest mine to be detonated on the first day of the battle was at La Boisselle and is now called the Lochnager Crater. The mine was 26.8 tons and made a crater 90 feet deep.
This is a general name given to numerous Australian attacks that took place during August and September in the area. The farm itself is situated between Pozieres and Thiepval. Over a month, a similar number of Australians lost their lives as did during the eight-month battle for Gallipoli.
This fortified village behind German lines was one of the primary targets from the first day of the battle of the Somme, but was not taken until the end on Nov. 13. It is situated near Reden Ridge and the Newfoundland Memorial Park, sites of other major battles.
