[Illustration] The Turning and Capture of Thiepval Plateau West of the lines of the 4th British Array, and dominating the valley of the Ancre, the powerfully fortified Thiepval Plateau still remained un-captured. This very strong system of defences comprised the village, Mouquet Farm, and the Zollern, Schwaben and Stuff Redoubts. In July, the British had gained a footing in the Leipzig Redoubt, which formed the first enemy positions south of the Plateau. In August, Pozières had been carried by the Australians. On September 15, the British captured Martinpuich and Courcelette, and progressed beyond the plateau to the east. The Attack of September 26 On September 26, the day Combles was taken, an attack was made against this formidable plateau. Mouquet Farm and Zollern Redoubt fell, and on the 27th, Thiepval was captured _(see p. 48)_. The British carried the trenches connecting the Schwaben and Stuff Redoubts, but the enemy still clung to the northern slopes of the plateau which descends towards the Ancre. The Attack of November 13 The German lines now formed a sharp salient on the Ancre. To reduce this salient and complete the capture of Thiepval Plateau, the British attacked on both sides of the river. The attack was delivered in a thick fog, on the 13th, when St. Pierre-Divion and Beaumont-Hamel fell; the same evening Beaucourt village was encircled, to be captured on the morrow. On the following days, the assailants successfully resisted numerous counter-attacks. From the 13th to the 19th, 7,000 prisoners were taken, and the whole of Thiepval Plateau was captured. [Illustration] [Illustration] The Advance towards the Main Objectives (Bapaume--Péronne) _Towards Bapaume._--The British advance on the two wings--Thiepval to the west and Gueudecourt to the east--forced the German centre back on the Le Sars-Eaucourt line. Continuing to press the enemy, the British carried Destremont Farm, in front of Le Sars, on September 29, while on October 3, the village of Eaucourt-l'Abbaye was taken. On the 7th, a further advance was made along the spur which forms a salient in front of Le Transloy village, and Le Sars village was carried the same day. A single line of heights only now separated the British Army from Bapaume, 6 km. distant from Le Sars. This line consisted chiefly of Warlencourt Ridge, which dominates the country all round, and which had been turned by the Germans into an apparently impregnable fortress. Although the bad weather and the mud now forced the Allies to suspend their offensive, sharp fighting continued. From December to the end of January the British raided the enemy's trenches unceasingly.