Location 2 – Serre Road CWGC Cemetery No 2

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Directions – To reach Serre Road No 2 Cemetery drive back down the track leading to Sheffield Memorial Park and turn right. You will pass a French Memorial Chapel on the left and a French National Cemetery on the right (a reminder of the high price the French Army had already paid for Picardy in 1914 and 1915) as well as the CWGC Cemetery, Serre Road No 1. Within a couple of minutes the massive Serre Road Cemetery No 2 comes into view on the left. Park by the entrance.

Historical Notes – With 7,139 graves, Serre Road No 2 Cemetery is the largest on the Somme. A concentration cemetery, it was begun by V Corps following the German retreat from the area to their pre-prepared Hindenburg Line positions further to the east in early 1917. Remains were recovered from right across the northern part of the battlefield and interred here together, later, with others killed during the fighting on the Somme in 1918. It should, therefore, come as no surprise that 4,844 of the graves are unknown.

The cemetery was built on the site of a key German strongpoint, known as the "Heidenkopf", which stood proud from the frontline which ran from where the cemetery now stands across the road and back towards the Sheffield Memorial Park. The assaulting division here was the 4th Division, which was made up largely of regulars. They had slightly more success than their "new army" comrades opposite Serre largely due to repeated bombardment of the German wire and the use of two Russian Saps, which allowed a pincer movement to enter the position. Unfortunately, however, as with elsewhere along the front, failure on both flanks led to the advances being temporary and follow-up troops being caught in enfilading fire as they moved up in support.