Editing First day on the Somme (section)

====XXXV Corps====
[[File:Map commune FR insee code 80513.png|thumb|{{centre|Modern map of Maricourt and vicinity (commune FR insee code 80513)}}]]
South of the river, the [[35th Army Corps (France)|XXXV Corps]] (the [[51st Infantry Division (France)|51st]], [[61st Infantry Division (France)|61st]] and [[121st Infantry Division (France)|121st]] Divisions, backed by {{nowrap|20 batteries}} of heavy artillery) attacked two hours after the offensive began on the north bank. The 61st Division was right-flank guard for the I Colonial Corps near the river.{{sfn|Sheldon|2006|pp=170–171}} A French attack of any great size on the south bank had been considered impossible by the German command and after the [[10th Bavarian Infantry Division (German Empire)|10th Bavarian Division]] was transferred north of the river to reinforce the [[XIV Reserve Corps (German Empire)|XIV Reserve Corps]], divisional frontages were made even wider on the south side of the river, the three remaining divisions of XVII Corps using their third regiment to fill the gap at the cost of having no reserve. The French preliminary bombardment caused the Germans many casualties and destroyed many machine-guns and mortars.{{sfn|Sheldon|2006|pp=170–171}}

When the attack began, concealed by mist, the German defenders were surprised and overrun. The French artillery had {{circa|10 }} heavy batteries per {{cvt|1|km|order=flip}} of front, {{nowrap|18 observation}} balloons were opposite the German [[11th Division (German Empire)|11th Division]] alone and French artillery observation aircraft were flown so low by their pilots over [[Estrées-Deniécourt|Estrées]] that German soldiers could see the faces of the crews. The division had only two field artillery regiments and part of one regiment sent as reinforcement, with no heavy guns for counter-battery fire, except for periodic support from a small number of heavy guns covering all of the south side of the river.{{sfn|Sheldon|2006|pp=170–171}}

The German artillery group around Estrées, [[Soyécourt]] and [[Fay, Somme|Fay]], attempted a systematic bombardment of the French front line on 30 June. The French replied with {{nowrap|2,000 heavy}} shells on one German field regiment alone, that knocked out three guns. By the time of the attack of 1 July, German artillery on the south bank had been hit by {{nowrap|15,000 shells}} and had almost been silenced by {{nowrap|11:00 a.m.}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2006|pp=170–171}} Only eight heavy batteries were available to the Germans on the south bank; at {{nowrap|9:30 a.m.,}} the French barrage lifted off the German front line and three mines were blown under a redoubt at the village of Fay. A measure of surprise was gained, despite losses to German flanking fire from beyond the southern flank of the attack.{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|pp=342–343}} Grenadier Regiment 10 had been subjected to a "torrent" of fire overnight, which had forced the German infantry to shelter in mine galleries. A gas bombardment was synchronised with the French infantry attack and the mine explosions at {{nowrap|10:00 a.m.}} killed many of the sheltering troops. By {{nowrap|2:00 p.m.}} the German defences had been overwhelmed and the garrisons killed or captured; such reinforcements as existed were moved forward to occupy the second position south of [[Assevillers]].{{sfn|Sheldon|2006|pp=173–174}}