From la Boisselle, travel south via Bécourt to Bécordel-Bécourt. There take the D938 east to Maricourt, and beyond Péronne. The road moves directly south of Fricourt and Mametz, before dropping southeast past Devonshire Cemetery. 10km beyond Maricourt the D938 reaches Péronne and the Historial de la Grande Guerre.
The ‘L’-shaped sector around Fricourt and Mametz literally marked a turning point for the British on 1 July. From Bécourt to the junction with the French line, despite heavy losses, impressive gains were made. Although Fricourt was not taken until 2 July, Mametz and Montauban fell on the first day. Success here meant that between 2 July and 15 September several key thrusts were made by the British from this area.
Behind British lines, Dartmoor Cemetery in Bécordel-Bécourt was used from August 1915. Alan Lloyd’s body was brought here for burial on 5 August 1916. Immediately south of Fricourt, east of the road to the Point 110 Military Cemeteries, was the infamous Bois Français. It was here that Robert Graves and Siegfried Sassoon’s close friend, David Thomas, was killed in March 1916 and Sassoon won his Military Cross in May.
On 10 August 1916, King George V came to Fricourt to view the fighting around Pozières. Together with the
Prince of Wales and other senior officers, the King climbed over Point 110, later known as King George’s Hill, east of Bois Français to reach a vantage point on its northern slopes. This area can best be seen today looking back from the D938 as it curves round between Fricourt and Mametz.
A short distance beyond is Devonshire Cemetery, where 161 men of the 8th and 9th Battalions, the Devonshire Regiment lie buried in the trench from which they attacked on 1 July.
