The recapture of Mouquet Farm on 26 September 1916 secured a key German strongpoint during the Battle of Thiepval Ridge on the Somme.
Key Facts
- Fighting began
- 23 July 1916
- First Allied capture
- 16 September 1916 by 3rd Canadian Division
- Final recapture date
- 26 September 1916
- Unit completing capture
- 11th (Northern) Division
- Final action
- No. 16 Section, 6th Bn East Yorkshire Regt (Pioneers)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Battle of the Somme in 1916, Mouquet Farm served as a fortified German position of tactical importance. British and Allied forces of the Reserve Army sought to dislodge German defenders in a series of costly assaults beginning on 23 July 1916, as part of broader efforts to break German lines in northern France.
The 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Corps captured Mouquet Farm on 16 September 1916, but a German counter-attack retook it shortly after. On 26 September, during the Battle of Thiepval Ridge, the 11th (Northern) Division recaptured the farm. The last German defenders were smoked out by No. 16 Section of the 6th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment (Pioneers).
The final capture of Mouquet Farm on 26 September 1916 removed a persistent German strongpoint and contributed to Allied gains during the Battle of Thiepval Ridge. The prolonged fighting demonstrated the difficulty of reducing fortified farm positions and the cost of incremental advances on the Somme battlefield.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent