Cappy, lost on March 26, 1918, was reconquered exactly five months later by the British. The Germans had a dump in the village for all the sacred articles stolen in the district. This depôt was installed in the yard of the billet occupied by the "officer in charge of the booty," opposite a building which, according to a notice posted up by the Germans, was the meeting-place of the "detachments for the collection of the booty." The sudden arrival of the British did not leave them time to carry away the booty, which included three bells, a quantity of metallic objects, chandeliers, candlesticks, crucifixes, and "six greatly damaged ecclesiastical ornaments."
THE CANAL NEAR THE LOCK. WOUNDED ON THEIR WAY TO THE DRESSING-STATION.
The church has a massive fourteenth century fortified belfry, the upper story of which comprises four watch-towers resting on the corner abutments. Two of these towers were destroyed by the bombardment.
FRISE CHURCH IN JULY, 1916 (see pp. [71]-72).
Near the Church, take the road which runs parallel to the Somme canal. On leaving Cappy there is a large Franco-British cemetery on the left.
Eclusier (3 km. beyond Cappy) is next reached; it is the principal portion of the "commune" of Vaux-Eclusier. Vaux, which forms the other portion of it, lies on the northern bank.
On July 1, 1916, the French first lines, passing through the eastern outskirts of Vaux-Eclusier, barred the Valley of the Somme with a continuous line of small posts established in the middle of marshes, thus connecting the organisations on solid ground on the northern bank with those of the southern bank.
There is a French military cemetery on the right, before entering Eclusier.