The Franco-British offensive of August 8, the objective of which was to reduce the Amiens Salient, cleared the Somme Valley as far as the outskirts of Bray, where the Germans resisted strongly.
However, on August 22, General Rawlinson's Army, in a fresh effort, succeeded in carrying Hill 107—an observation-post which dominated the country to the north-east. On the night of the 23rd, Australian troops, slipping along the river, entered Bray and captured a large number of prisoners.
BRAY-SUR-SOMME. CHURCH AND PLACE DE LA LIBERTÉ.
The town which, until 1918, had practically escaped damage, suffered severely in the subsequent bombardments, and was moreover thoroughly pillaged by the German troops during their occupation. In this they complied with the instructions of the High Command, who ordered all the churches and chapels in the region of the Somme to be carefully searched, not excepting the "altars, confessionals and other parts of the church, access to which is reserved by ecclesiastical rules to the priests only." In pursuance of this decree, dated May 20, 1918, the church of Bray-sur-Somme was despoiled of its furnishings. A magistrate-member of the Enquiry Commission, visiting the church a few days after the Germans had left, reported: "A large number of bottles were lying on the floor. The baptismal font was fouled with urine. The door of the Holy of Holies, which bore traces of having been forced, was twisted and the iron-work torn off."
The church itself (Hist. Mon.), dated from the 13th and 15th centuries. It was greatly damaged by the bombardments. The spire collapsed, the façade was pierced with numerous shell-holes, while the timber work and roofing were partly destroyed.
The church is reached by the Rue des Massacres.
After visiting the church, proceed to the bottom of the square, where, on the right, turn to the left into the Rue de Cappy. Pass a Merovingian cemetery, then follow the marshy Valley of the Somme to Cappy (3 km. from Bray).
CAPPY. THE VILLAGE AND BRIDGE OVER THE CANAL.