At the end of The Promenades take the G.C. 10, on the right. The road passes through the villages of Thilloy and Ligny-Thilloy—a single "commune," which likewise includes the village of Barque.
It was at and around Ligny-Thilloy that on January 3, 1871, was fought the battle of Bapaume. This unavailing victory of General Faidherbe's forced the Germans to evacuate Bapaume and begin their retreat towards the Somme. In October, 1914, during the fighting which took place near Thilloy, the Germans "compelled a group of some ten women and children to stand before them and face the French positions, then, kneeling behind them, they opened fire on the French troops" (Report of the Commission of Enquiry).
In 1917, the fighting in this region was again in favour of the Allies, as on February 27-28, after a feeble resistance, the villages of Barque, Ligny and Thilloy were captured by the British.
The industrial and agricultural "Commune" of Ligny-Thilloy, which had already suffered severely during the war of 1871, was completely ruined by the late War.
One kilometre beyond Ligny, there is a mine-crater on the right of the road.
At the crossing with the Gueudecourt road stands a large cross, erected to the memory of the New Zealanders who fell around there. Keep straight on to Flers—completely ruined. In May, 1919, two damaged tanks were still to be seen at the entrance to the village.
This was one of the villages captured by the British during their offensive of September 15, 1916.
BRITISH CROSS.
See above sketch-map.