Editing First day on the Somme (section)

====XX Corps====
[[File:Map commune FR insee code 80231.png|thumb|{{centre|Modern map of Curlu and vicinity (commune FR insee code 80231)}}]]
North of the Somme, the French XX Corps consisted of the [[11th Division (France)|11th]], [[39th Division (France)|39th]], [[72nd Infantry Division (France)|72nd]] and [[153rd Infantry Division (France)|153rd]] divisions, with {{nowrap|32 batteries}} of heavy artillery. The 11th and 39th divisions attacked at {{nowrap|7.30 a.m.,}} the commanders of the 1st [[Liverpool Pals]] (part of the [[30th Division (United Kingdom)|30th Division]] (XIII Corps) and the French 153rd Infantry Regiment advancing together.{{sfn|Edmonds|1993|pp=342–343}} At {{lang|fr| Bois Y}}, north-west of [[Curlu]], which contained many machine-guns and was protected by Menuisiers Trench {{cvt|200|m|yd|order=flip}} further forward, the attack went "like clockwork". The 79th Regiment, whose final objective was {{cvt|1500|m|yd|order=flip}} beyond the start line, found that the French bombardment had destroyed much of the German fortifications and that the creeping barrage kept the Germans under cover. Only at {{lang|fr|Bois Favière}} (in the 39th Division area, where part of the wood was held by the Germans for several days) and at Curlu (in the 11th Division area on the north bank) were the Germans able to conduct an organised defence.{{sfn|Philpott|2009|pp=176–178}}

The 37th Regiment (11th Division) attacked Curlu and received massed small-arms fire; the regiment was repulsed from the western fringe of the village before attacks were suspended for a re-bombardment, by which time the village was outflanked on both sides. Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment 6 (BRIR 6) recorded the first attack at {{nowrap|9:00 a.m.,}} after drumfire (so many shells exploding that the reports merged into a rumble) which began at {{nowrap|6:00 a.m.,}} followed by two more until drumfire fell again at {{nowrap|4:00 p.m.}} and the remaining garrison was ordered to retire. Most of BRIR 6 was thrown in piecemeal from the river Somme to Montauban and destroyed, suffering {{nowrap|1,809 casualties.}}{{sfn|Sheldon|2006|p=168}} The French did not exploit their success, because the British did not advance to their second objective beyond Montauban. Four counter-attacks from Hardecourt were repulsed and by mid-morning {{nowrap|2,500 prisoners}} had been taken and an advance of {{cvt|1.5|km|order=flip}} had been achieved.{{sfnm|1a1=Philpott|1y=2009|1pp=183–184|2a1=Doughty|2y=2005|2p=293}}