Battle of Hébuterne

The Battle of Hébuterne, (La Bataille de Toutvent, La 2e Bataille d'Hébuterne, La bataille de Serre-Hébuterne) took place from 7 to 13 June 1915 on the Western Front in Picardy, during the First World War. The French Second Army (General Noël de Castelnau) conducted the attack as part of a general action by several French armies, to hinder the movement of German reserves to Vimy Ridge, during the decisive action of the Tenth Army in the Second Battle of Artois (9 May – 18 June).

The village of Hébuterne is north of Albert and south of Gommecourt. After the fighting of 1914, the French and German lines ran between the village and Serre-lès-Puisieux (Serre) to the east, a village on the D 919 road, north of Beaumont-Hamel. About halfway from Hébuterne to Serre was Ferme Toutvent (Windy Farm) just inside a bulge in the German front line.

After several weather delays, the Second Army attacked on 7 June, overran the German first and second lines on a 3,900 ft (1,200 m) front and captured Toutvent Farm. From 7 to 13 June, both sides attacked and counter-attacked but the initial French gains were held and the new positions were consolidated. The French suffered 10,351 casualties and the Germans about 4,000. Two German trenches jutting into the new French position were fortified and called the Heidenkopf (pagan's head; Quadrilateral to the British).