Combles: Somme

Combles lies on the eastern edge of the Somme battlefield. It was elaborately fortified by the Germans, utilizing the extensive catacombs and cellars of the town's church and chateau. The position was anchored on either side by Faffemont Farm and Leuze Woods, site of the grave of Cedric Dickens, grandson of Charles.Stoutly defended by the Germans, among them the author Ernst Junger, the British captured the position in September, 1917. Subsequently used as a railway depot by the British, the approaches to the town were concealed by a series of long canvas screens. These screens are depicted in one of the most famous paintings of the First World War, Sir William Orpen's The Great Camouflage, Combles.In familiar Battleground Europe style, all of the units, personalities and events of the 1916, 1917 and 1918 battles at Combles are covered in full detail, with numerous charts and maps. Also included is a guide to the battlefield and local accommodations as they exist today, and an extensive guide for further reading.