At the top of the Ancre Valley is the village of Thiepval. On the slopes is Authuille. Both were hugely important in the battles of the Somme. The men were cut down in their thousands as they advanced up the steep slope. It’s only when you get there that you appreciate the task they had and the distances involved.

The Germans had machine guns raining fire down on the men as they struggled up the hill. We arrived on a crisp, foggy morning, and as usual the correlation between the history and the place today was unimaginable.

Authuille

Authuille

Authuille

Authuille

Mill Road cemetery

Thiepval Wood