tern fringe, and in the
northern corner of the wood. These positions afforded them little
advantage while Saillisel and the southwest fringe of the wood were
firmly held by French troops.

South of the Somme from Ablaincourt to Chaulnes Wood, a distance of
two and a half miles, the Germans pounded the French positions almost
unceasingly for forty-eight hours. At 6 o'clock in the morning of
November 15, 1916, the Germans after a final shower of tear shells
endeavored to drive in their wedge. The main efforts of the attacking
contingent were concentrated on Ablaincourt and Pressoir. The French
were quite prepared for the onslaught and the oncoming waves of German
troops wavered and broke under the fiery storm of French shells.
Despite their heavy losses the Germans after repeated failures
succeeded about noonday in rushing the eastern portion of Pressoir.
Renewing the attack after a short interval, other portions of the
place were occupied by them. During the night, the small force of
French troops which had held the village all day against overwhelming
odds was reenforced, and in the early hours of November 16, 1916, by a
brilliant counterattack the Germans were swept out of the village and
the French line was once more solidified. The Germans during two days'
fighting had displayed conspicuous courage, but the twelve attacks
they made on Pressoir, where they gained a temporary advantage, cost
them heavily. Certain regiments, among others the One Hundred and
Eleventh Prussian, lost 60 per cent. of their effectives.

On November 15 and 16, 1916, the British continued to make gains north
of the Ancre. One division advanced a mile, and took over 1,000
prisoners at a cost of about 450 casualties. On November 16, 1916, Sir
Douglas Haig reported that in twenty-four hours the British had taken
six German officers and 297 of other ranks. In the afternoon of this
date the Germans launched a vigorous counterattack, and forced the
British to relinquish a part of the ground east of the Butte de
Warlencourt, which had been won on November 14, 1916. During the week
the British aeroplanes were constantly active and some important
successes were won over enemy aircraft. On November 16, 1916, two
junctions on the German lines of communication were bombed, and
railways and aerodromes were attacked with bombs and machine-gun fire
by day and night. German aircraft, which had displayed considerable
activity at this period, fought a number