Battle of Albert (1916) - 2 To 13 July

2 To 13 July

The "fog of war" meant that it took time for much information on the extent of failure, the few successes and lessons to be learned to get back to the British high command and for changes to be implemented. They were hence slow to attempt to exploit the only success of 1 July, the capture of Mametz and Montauban south of the Albert-Bapaume road.

However, General Farndale asserts that "It was clear by last light on 1 July, where it had been used, the creeping barrage was a success" and hence there was enough tactical information available to provide the British with some optimism for future operations.

For the remainder of this period the British carried out numerous small assaults while they digested the results of the first major attack. On 9 July the artillery order for the next phase of the battle was signed, and this still left responsibility for details to individual Corps BGRAs, and perpetuated the loose rather than tight coordination of artillery and infantry which had contributed to the failures of 1 July.

The French attack astride and south of the Somme was far more successful than that of the British north of the Somme. However, the British failure to advance meant the French XX Corps north of the Somme could not continue its advance as it needed to protect its left flank. Opposite the French sector the geography was less favorable to defenders, German trenches and dugouts were not as strong as those further north, and there had been greater turnover of defending German units. The French 6th Army advanced as far as 10 km at points along a 20 km front and occupied the entire Flaucourt plateau (which constituted the principal defence of Péronne) while taking 12,000 prisoners, 85 cannons, 26 minenwerfers, 100 machine guns, and other assorted materials, all with relatively minimal losses.

On 11 July the British bombarded and attacked Trones Wood (between Montauban and Guillemont), which was considered necessary to be held before the next stage of the battle, the attack on the German second position towards Guillemont and Longeval, could be launched. The British occupied Trones and part of the wood by the 12th but could not capture the entire wood until the 14th.