The important village of Miraumont, situated to the south-east of the Dovecot on both banks of the River Ancre, and strongly held by the enemy, was the next objective. Its fall would force the Germans to abandon the line of the Ancre, so a stiff resistance was expected. On the night of the 23rd-24th August the 21st Division on the right had crossed the Ancre further south and obtained a footing upon Thiepval Ridge. On the morning of the 24th the British were above Miraumont on three sides, and about midday the 126th and 127th Brigades fought their way round the outskirts from the north and south respectively until they met on the eastern side. The river was low and there was little difficulty in finding fordable passages. To the south these were secured by patrols of the 6th and 7th Manchesters, while the 5th East Lancashires and the 10th Manchesters turned the position from the north. The capture of this place was a noteworthy example of well-planned and well-carried out co-operation between the artillery and infantry of the Division. Heavy guns pumped shells into the centre of the village; field-guns smothered the outer circumference with shrapnel to keep down the enemy machine-gun fire, while the two infantry brigades worked round outside. When the two columns met on the farther side the guns ceased fire, and at noon infantry patrols entered the town from all sides and “mopped up.” Some snipers had to be disposed of, and there were a few house-to-house chases, but the majority of those who had been unable to withdraw before the completion of the encircling movement, were found ready, and indeed anxious, to surrender to any one. A stretcher-bearer of the 127th Brigade, who had fallen into German hands when searching for wounded in the mist of the early morning, proudly conducted about twenty of his now docile captors to meet the advancing patrols. A column of about 300 Germans, waving white flags, marched east out of Miraumont and surrendered. Many other prisoners, a complete battery of 5·9-inch howitzers, some 4·2-inch guns, and many machine-guns were captured. Our casualties were light in proportion to the success attained and to the loss inflicted on the enemy. The stretcher-bearers carried the wounded long distances over badly torn-up ground, in great heat, and under artillery and machine-gun fire. [Sidenote: _Capture of Pys and Warlencourt_]