Leipzig salient

The Leipzig Salient lies South-West of the Thiepval Memorial. A grass path leads across the fields with trenches. A clumb of trees and bushes marks the location of center of the Leipzig-Redoubt, a strong point with a lot of machine guns.

On July the 1st 1916 the 32nd Division attacked this place. Men of the 17/Highland Light Infantry crept forward at 7.23 a.m., even before the British barrage had ended. They advanced to within about 40 yards of the German front line, and when the barrage did lift, at 7.30 a.m. the Highlanders rushed forwards and took the Leipzig Redoubt, catching the Germans in their dugouts in the quarry at the centre of the Redoubt. They then pressed on to the next objective, but were forced back to the Leipzig Redoubt, where they consolidated with help from troops of the 2/Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

Later they were joined there by men from the 11/Border Regiment, 1/Dorsets, and 19/Lancashire Fusiliers (3rd Salford Pals) but further advance from the Leipzig Redoubt proved impossible. The small advances made here, in taking the Redoubt, were the only success for the 32nd Division that day. The position was strengthened and held against several German counter-attacks.

German strong points
The schwaben redoubt was not the only strong point the Germans made on the battlefield of the Somme.
 * Glatz redoubt
 * Pommiers redoubt
 * Schwaben Redoubt
 * Wonder work