Regrouped for a final assault, the Germans approached from > 2 directions. One force drove at the house from the front, while a second > group advanced stealthily along a hedgerow. Recognizing the threat, S/Sgt. > Schaefer fired rapidly at the enemy before him, killing or wounding all 6; > then, with no cover whatever, dashed to the hedgerow and poured deadly > accurate shots into the second group, killing 5, wounding 2 others, and > forcing the enemy to withdraw.
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November 13 saw repeated Bolshevik attacks on the bridge, all unsuccessful. The Bolshevik forces continued their bombardment, averaging one shell every 15 seconds, a heavy bombardment even by the standards of the western front of World War I. The Allied commanders decided that their only hope for victory was a counterattack. In the early morning of November 14, the American forces, led by Lieutenant John Cudahy advanced stealthily to the woods near Upper Tulgas, where the Bolshevik troops were encamped. The Americans attacked, making as much noise as possible to make it seem like they had been reinforced.
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Preparatory artillery bombardments began on 11 July and on the night of British troops advanced stealthily across no man's land, which in parts was wide, to within of the German front line and then crept forward. At the hurricane bombardment began and the British began to run forward. On the right flank, the 18th (Eastern) Division (Major-General Ivor Maxse), captured Trônes Wood in a subsidiary operation and the 9th (Scottish) Division (Major-General William Furse) was repulsed from Waterlot Farm but on the left got into Delville Wood. The 21st, 7th and 3rd Division on the left (northern) flank, took most of their objectives.
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IR 186, II Battalion, Guard Fusiliers and Recruit Battalion 180 lost and withdrew to the second German trench behind outposts and into the middle of the village. In the early hours of 9 July, the 36th Brigade was reinforced by two battalions and tried to bomb forward but was impeded by deep mud. The attackers struggled forward into the village and the 74th Brigade bombed up communication trenches south-west of the village, reaching the church. At the 74th Brigade attacked again and a battalion advanced stealthily to reach the next trench by surprise, then advanced another by mistake and found itself under a British barrage, until the artillery-fire was stopped and both trenches consolidated.
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At the 74th Brigade attacked again and a battalion advanced stealthily to reach the next trench by surprise, then advanced another by mistake and found itself under a British barrage, until the artillery-fire was stopped and both trenches consolidated. Before dawn, the 14th Brigade of the 32nd Division relieved the 12th Division, which had lost since 1 July. The divisions of X Corps continued the attack on Ovillers, making slow progress against determined German defenders, who took advantage of the maze of ruins, trenches, dug-outs and shell-holes, to keep close British positions and avoid artillery-fire, which passed beyond them. From 9 to 10 July, three battalions of the 14th Brigade managed to advance a short distance on the left side of the village and on 10 July, a battalion of the 75th Brigade of the 25th Division attacked from the south, as the 7th Brigade tried to get forward from the Albert–Bapaume road, along a trench which led behind the village, against several counter-attacks which were repulsed.
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