Courcelette

Population 1914:

Population 2004: 138

Location: 

First Attacked: 15th September 1916
Captured: 15th September 1916

Site Links

ADANAC Cemetery

Courcelette British Cemetery

Regina Trench Cemetery

Canadian Memorial

External Links

Canada on the Somme 1916

History

Courcelette is roughly in the centre of the Somme battlefields, and sited on rising ground just north of the main Albert-Bapaume road. To the north is an extension of the Thiepval Ridge, and to the south a large sugar factory. There were three chateaus in the village, the largest of which was used by the Germans as a Dressing Station (and later called 'Red Chateau' by the Canadians): nearby was a cemetery of more than 2,000 German graves. It was captured by units of the Canadian Corps, assisted by tanks, on 15th September 1916; the village was cleared by French Canadians from the 22nd Battalion ('Van Doos'). The fighting then moved to Regina Trench where wave after wave of Canadian assault was wiped out until the trench - the longest German trench on the Western Front - finally fell in November 1916. The last action was at Desire Trench on 18th November, when snow fell on the battlefield. By this stage the Canadians had suffered 24,000 casualties at Courcelette, more than 8,500 of which were killed in action; making it the greatest place of Canadian sacrifice from either World War. During the winter of 1916/17 many British units were in the village, and there was an action at nearby Boom Ravine on 17th February 1917. The village was completely destroyed by 1918; the photo above shows what was left in 1919 as the villagers began to return.