Extremely Heavy English Losses at the Thiepval-Guillemont Front, July 25, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 24, Official

Western Theater of War

A wickerwork barricade in a
German trench in the West
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

Apparently, the English attacks at the Thiepval-Guillemont Front reported yesterday were carried out by parts of 11 English divisions, several of whom were hastily called in from other Fronts. The enemy was only able to achieve one advantage along the entire line - the capture of several houses in Pozières - by suffering extremely heavy and bloody losses. As yet we have not been able to oust them. The heavy counterblow dealt to the enemy in Longueval was in glorious rememberance of the Brandenburg Grenadiers of Douaumont. To the south-west of Guillemont, we captured 3 officers and 141 men from a gravel pit in which the enemy had temporarily settled.

To the south of the Somme, minor French operations at Soyecourt and to the west of Vermandovillers failed in our fire.

The artillery battles are abating intermittently. According to current information, we have been able to capture 68 machine guns since July 15.

To the right of the Maas, artillery battle on both sides has increased several times to enormous intensity. There was no infantry activity here.

The English Setback in Delville Wood, July 24, 1916

The English Setback in Delville Wood

!! Kopenhagen July 21

King Ludwig of Bavaria and the German Crown Prince yesterday inspected an honorary unit (western theater of war)
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

The "National Tidende" reported from Paris: The Germans were well prepared for the new joint French-English attack that commenced with artillery fire in the afternoon of the day before yesterday. Since yesterday, the infantry has also been involved. The Germans preempted the Allies' new advance by aiming a heavy attack against the English's right-hand wing. The place of attack was extremely wisely chosen as it was the point where the English and the French were consolidated. The Germans attacked only one position from 2 kilometers, with massive artillery fire. The result was that the English had to withdraw, but the Germans were not able to continue their advance.

In today's "Times", the English setback on the right-hand wing in Delville Wood is admitted quite openly and the high number of victims that the minimum advance at Boisselle and Ovillers has cost has also been reported.

The English Lists of Casualities from July 1 to July 18 have named altogether 8,421 officers and 42,740 men, including non-commissioned officers, as dead, wounded and missing.

Numerous Waves Attack Near Pozières, July 22, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 21, Official

Western Theater of War

German machine gun division and infantry in
Pozières defend the entrance to a street
Original drawing: G. Müller-Münster
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

The English attack reported yesterday in the area of Fromelles on July 19 was, it appears, carried out by two strong divisions. The brave Bavarian divisions, on whose section of the Front it struck, counted more than 2000 bodies of enemy soldiers in the forefield and have, up to now, delivered 481 prisoners, including 10 officers, as well as 16 machine guns.

As expected, the enemy yesterday struck back on both banks of the Somme in a heavy attack. It failed. Following substantial preparations, the attacks were started in numerous waves along a front stretching across almost 40 kilometers, from the south of Pozières to the west of Vermandovillers. More than 17 divisions with over 200,000 men took part. The meager result for the enemy is that the first line of a German division located about 3 kilometers from Hardecourt was pushed out of the foremost trench lying in the 800 meters behind the village and that enemy units penetrated the forest protruding to the north-west of Vermandovillers.

Along the rest of the Front, the raging attacks broke up thanks to our troops' fearless devotion to duty with extreme losses for the enemy. Even the unexpected deployment of English cavalry on horseback in trench warfare was unable to change the situation. Up to now, 17 officers and around 1200 men have been taken prisoner.

No significant events took place at the rest of the Front.

Artillery and trench mortar activity increased to the south of the canal of La Bassee and to the north-west of Lens, as well as in the Argonne and both sides of the Maas.

To the north-west of Vendresse (Aisne) minor French divisions advanced following unsuccessful blasting and were repulsed. We occupied the crater.

The wreck of an enemy plane shot down in aerial combat is lying to the south of Pozières, another has been captured by us to the north-east of Bapaume.

The English Attack at Fromelles and Delville Wood, July 21, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 20, Official

Western Theater of War

Entrance to the village of Fromelles in the area of
the English offensive in the West, where the Bavarians
repelled heavy English attacks on July 19, 1916
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges, 1914/1916)

Between the ocean and the Ancre, frequent lively fire and numerous patrol operations.

The English attacked our positions with considerable force to the north and west of Fromelles. They were repelled and where they were successful in penetrating, they were repulsed in counter-attacks. We were able to capture more than 300 prisoners, including a number of officers.

Fierce new battles are raging on both sides of the Somme. To the north of the river, they started yesterday afternoon with heavy English attacks against Longueval and Delville Wood, which the enemy once again infiltrated. They had to give way to our counter-attack. They still hold parts of the village and the forest.

This morning, the French attacks started along the entire Front, from Foureaux Wood to the Somme. The first heavy storm attack was broken. To the south of the river, the French attacked twice unsuccessfully in the area of Belloy and were pushed back three times this morning in the section Estrees-Soyecourt with heavy losses. They were repulsed from an overhanging trench near Soyecourt in bayonet combat. The artillery is deploying maximum force on both banks of the Somme.

Longueval and Delville Farm Recaptured from the English, July 20, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 19, Official

Western Theater of War

German storm troops march past the German Kaiser and
Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges, 1914/1916)

At the Somme, the Magdeburg Infantry Regiment Nr. 26 and the Altenburg Regiment last night recaptured the village of Longueval and the farm of Delville, which borders on the village to the east, from the English.

In a fierce battle with heavy losses, we captured 8 officers, 280 men and a considerable number of machine guns. Enemy attacks against our position to the north of Pozières were suppressed by barrage fire and were not in the least successful at any point.

To the south of the Somme, French attacks to the north of Barleux and at Bolloy failed; at other points, they did not progress beyond their initial attempts.

To the right of the Maas, the enemy continued their unsuccessful efforts against our line at the "Kalte Erde". To the north of Ban de Sapt, a German patrol operation was successful.

Heavy Attacks Against Pozières and Soyecourt, July 19, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 18, Official

Western Theater of War

French soldiers taken prisoner at the Somme are given
bread and butter with coffee in the courtyard of the castle
in Ham in northern France
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges, 1914/1916)

Enemy patrols were repelled before our barriers at several points along the northern part of the Front. One of our patrols took 1 officer, 4 non-commissioned officers and 11 men prisoner in the English trench east of Vermelles.

On both sides of the Somme, our opponents used the day to prepare for fire. Heavy attacks in the evening and during the night, directed at Pozières and the positions to the east of it at Biaches, Maisonette, Barleux and Soyecourt were scuppered everywhere with heavy losses to the enemy.


In the area of the Maas, intermittent lively fire and minor hand grenade skirmishes.

The Kaiser at the Somme, July 18, 1916

The Battles in the West

The Kaiser in the Battle Zone of the Somme

(Own Telegraphic Report)

Trench in the Vosges, 40 meters from the enemy
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges,1914/1916)

Central Headquarters, July 16, evening (Official).

His Majesty the Kaiser once again spent time in the battle zone at the Somme. He accepted the messages regarding previous operations from the Commander-in-Chief of the army and had a meeting with the Head of the General Staff of the Field Army en route.








During his visits to the field hospitals, the Kaiser awarded severely wounded soldiers the Iron Cross.

As he has done so often in his visits to the battles at the Maas in recent times, he also expressed at the Somme his recognition and thanks to the brave troops.

Fighting Breaks Down at Bazentin, July 17, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 16, Official

Western Theater of War

German Planes Over Belfort
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

Heavy artillery activity on both sides of the Somme. During the afternoon, four major English attacks completely broke down in the section Ovillers-Bazentin-Le Petit before our lines, following the breakdown of an enemy attack started in the morning to the east of Bazentin.

To the south of the Somme, a lively battle near and to the south of Beaches came to an end. We have once again occupied a part of the village. More than 100 men were taken prisoner.

French attacks were repelled at Barleux, as well as in the area of Estrees and to the west of it in barrage fire. The enemy suffered heavy losses.

To the east of the Maas, the French started heavy attacks at Kalte Erde Hill and Fleury. These were unsuccessful. They repeated the attempts in the evening and penetrated small parts of our foremost line to the south-west of Fort Thiaumont, where fighting continues.

At other parts of the Front, enemy patrol activity to the north of Oulches-Craenelle as well as attacks by larger divisions have been defeated. To the north of Chilly, a German patrol captured 24 French and 1 machine gun.

To the west of Loos, an enemy plane was shot down by infantry. It crashed in our barriers. A bi-plane damaged by defensive fire fell into our hands at Nesle.

Mametz: Soldiers Have to Fight for Every Tree, July 15, 1916

The World War

An English Opinion on the Latest Battles in the West

(Own Telegraphic Report)

English soldiers build a road through the rubble of Contalmaison,
which has been completely buried by shelling
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

London, July 13. The "Times" reports from France that over the last few days, the fighting at Mametz, in Trones Forest and at Contalmaison has been particularly severe. The Germans have transformed the entire route between the first and second lines into a labyrinth of communication trenches cutting into each other, exploiting every subsidence of ground and every hill.

In Mametz Wood, the enemy has laid extended barbed wire fences, set up numerous machine guns and constructed fortified positions. Although the English artillery bombarded the entire wood with the utmost intensity for several days, the soldiers still had to fight for every tree.

German Patrols Reach La Bassee and La Fille Morte, July 14, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 13, Official

Western Theater of War

French Flamethrower
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

To the north of the Somme, the English succeeded in gaining ground in Contalmaison. Artillery fire is being continued with heavy intensity. The French did not have any success yesterday with their attacks to the south of the Somme, which they implemented several times on both sides of Barleux and both in and to the west of Estrees. For the most part, they had to turn back due to our effective barrage fire, with much bloody sacrifice.

To the east of the Maas, artillery battle was still very lively. The captured infantry positions were improved. The number of prisoners increased from 17 officers, 243 men to 56 officers and 2349 men.

German patrols reached Frelinghien at the canal of La Bassee, the Hill La Fille Morte and to the east of Badonviller, as well as near Hirzbach.

To the north of Soissons, a French bi-plane was forced to land in our lines.

Other News: Submarine Attacks an English Port, July 13, 1916

61 Commercial Vessels Lost 
WTB. Berlin, July 12, (Official)


In the month of June, 61 enemy commercial vessels with around 101,000 gross register tons have been sunk by Central Powers' submarines, or have been lost due to mines.

The first commercial submarine "Deutschland" in 1916.
The "Deutschland" is 65 meters long, her longest width is 8.9 meters,
draught 4.5 meters, water displacement 1900 tons, bearing capacity
750-800 tons. The cargo was several million tons. The crew consists of
29 men, all of whom are in the merchant navy.
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

A Submarine Attacks an English Port
Haag, June 12. Reuter reports officially from London: At 10:30 yesterday, a German submarine appeared before the small, unfortified port of Seaham (County Durham) and fired 30 shots at several hundred meters' distance. A woman was severely injured and died this morning, while a house was hit by an artillery shell. Otherwise there were no losses and no damages (French newspaper).

Unsuccessful Gas Attacks, Heavy Fighting at Mametz Wood, July 12, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 11, Official

Western Theater of War

An English gas attack on German trenches at the Somme
(according to an English picture)
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/1916)

Between Ancre and Somme, the English implemented heavy attacks on both sides of the Bapaume-Albert road during the afternoon and the night. To the north-west of the road, they were shot down before close combat occurred. To the east of the road, heavy fighting is taking place at the southern edge of the village of Contalmaison and in Mametz Wood.

The enemy's repeated attempts to capture Trones Forest failed, resulting for them in very heavy loss of life and our capture of 100 prisoners. To the south of the Somme, the French-African [sic] storming of La Maisonette Hill was met with overwhelming fire. Some French-African troops who managed to penetrate our lines fell to German bayonets or were captured.



We captured 5 officers and 147 men in the counter-attack on Barleux that was reported yesterday.

Artillery activity was substantial in the entire combat sector. Our barrage fire prevented any chances of attack by the enemy between Belloy and Somecourt [sic: Sommecourt].

Extremely lively artillery battles took place in the area of the Maas.

Increased fire and several unsuccessful gas attacks occurred at several points along the rest of the Front. There was a lot of activity by the enemy's patrol and reconnaissance divisions.They were repelled everywhere.

In Leintrey in Lorraine, a German division penetrated the heavily damaged French trenches following extensive blasting and took 60 men prisoner. A patrol of prisoners was also taken south of Lousse.

As a result of very lively aerial activity, numerous aerial battles took place,  in which the enemy lost two planes at the Somme and to the west of Vouziers. In addition, an English bi-plane was brought down at Courcelette on the Bapaume-Albert road.

Continuous Man-to-Man Fighting in Ovillers, July 11, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 10, Official

Western Theater of War

Mametz, north of the Somme,
shot to a heap of rubble by the English
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges, 1914/1916)

Heavy fighting is continuing on both sides of the Somme. Again and again, our troops have repelled the attackers back to their storm trenches, and where they had to temporarily yield ground to close waves of successive attacks, they drove the enemy out again in rapid advances. Thus Trones Forest has once again been wrested from the English troops that had penetrated it, the farmstead of La Maisonette and the village of Barleux taken back from the French in a storming operation and the groundwork prepared against the enemy in Hardecourt. Continuous man-to-man fighting is taking place around Ovillers. The French have gained a foothold in the village of Biaches. Between Barleux and Bolly [sic: Belloy], their valiant attacks have completely collapsed with extremely heavy losses. Further to the west, barrage fire has prevented them from leaving their trenches.

Combat has intermittently flared up between the ocean and the Ancre, in areas of the Aisne, in Champagne and to the east of the Maas. Infantry activity occurred to the west of Warneton, to the west of Armentières, in the area of Tahure and on the western edge of the Argonne, where advances by French divisions were repelled. At Hulluch and Givenchy, our bombing attacks have been successful.

Aerial combat has been very lively on both sides.  Our pilots shot down 5 enemy planes (one at Nieuport-Bahn-Bad, two at Canleri, two at Bapaume, and two captive balloons, one at the Somme and one at the Maas). Oberleutnant Walz and Oberleutnant Gerlich put their 4th opponents out of action, Leutnant Lusters his 5th, and Leutnant Parschau his 8th. His Majesty the Kaiser awarded Leutnant Parschau the medal "Pour le merite" for his outstanding services.

Attacks Continue at Ovillers, Mametz Wood and Hardecourt, July 10, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 9, Official

Western Theater of War

German troops in Hayingen, Lorraine, 1916

The English-French attacks continue to the north-east of the Somme. They have all been repelled with very  heavy losses at the Ovillers/Mametz Wood Front, as well as both sides of Hardecourt. The enemy stormed Trones Wood six times in vain. They succeeded in penetrating the village of Hardecourt. To the south of the Somme, the French stepped up their artillery fire to the highest intensity. Partial advances failed.

At other points along the Front, lively close fire combat, gas attacks by the enemy and patrol battles took place. In the latter, we took several prisoners east of Armentières, in Aprement Forest and to the west of Markirch.

Leutnant Mulzer shot down an English large combat aircraft at Miraumont. His Majesty the Kaiser presented the well-deserved air force officer the medal "Pour le merite" in recognition of his accomplishment. An enemy aircraft was brought down south-east of Arras by defensive fire. Another was destroyed by artillery fire after crashing on the other side of enemy lines following aerial combat to the south-west of Arras.

Losses in Aerial Combat in June at the Somme, July 8, 1916

The English-French Offensive Continues

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 7, Official

Western Theater of War

Shot down French combat biplane with two engines
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges, 1914/1916)

Lively battles at the Somme continued during the night, with unfavorable outcomes for us. The battles mainly took place in the area south of Contalmaison, Hem and Estrees.


To the east of the Maas, heavy attacks across a broad section of the Front, instigated by the French against our trenches on the "Kalte Erde" ridge as well as in the forest south-west of Fort Vaux failed with considerable losses for the enemy.

Multiple patrol skirmishes across the rest of the Front.



To the south-west of Valenciennes, we captured a French plane. At Peronne and to the south-west of Vouziers, enemy planes in aerial combat were forced to land.

Result of aerial combat in June:

German losses:
in aerial combat                              2 planes
shot down from the ground          1 plane
missing                                              4 planes
                                                          -------------
                                          total:        7 planes

French and English losses:
in aerial combat                              23 planes
due to involuntary landing
   within our lines                              9 planes
shot down from the ground         10 planes
at landing for the purpose of
   eliminating spies                          1 plane
                                                        --------------
                                         total:       37 planes

Of these, 22 are in our possession.