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.