COMBLES CHURCH.
On the right: Guillemont road; on the left: impassable road to Hardecourt.
Bouleaux Wood was carried by the British on September 15, 1916. The attack coinciding with a German counter-attack, gave rise to an exceedingly violent encounter. After capturing an important redoubt, east of the wood, the British gradually outflanked the enemy on the wings, and pressing hard from all sides, forcing them to retreat one kilometre northwards at the end of the day.
Leuze Wood was also carried by assault.
The village of Guillemont (2 km. beyond Combles) is next reached.
Guillemont (razed to the ground) was entirely captured by the British on September 3, 1916. No trace whatever remains of the houses, the sites of which are now indistinguishable from the surrounding fields. The whole area was devastated and is now overrun with rank vegetation. After its capture it was strewn with wreckage of all kinds—stones, bricks, beams, agricultural implements, and household furniture from the shattered farms and houses. The fine modern church, Gothic in style, which stood in the centre of the village, has entirely disappeared.
1 km. 500 beyond Guillemont is Trônes Wood, to reach which, take the Montauban road (G.C. 64) on the left at the fork of the village.
GUILLEMONT. SITE OF THE DESTROYED VILLAGE.