Although Gough’s men had got into Beaumont Hamel and Beaucourt on the north side of the Ancre, the German defence of Redan Ridge prevented any wholesale breakthrough in the final days of the battle. As the campaign on the Somme petered out in mid-November it was not surprising that the last scrappy, hurriedly planned and limited attacks in awful weather achieved next to nothing. Tanks could not be used in the conditions, movement was hampered and guns were becoming more and more ineffective. On 18th November Haig headed a conference where he laid down the policy now for the coming winter months. If his men were attacked, they would stand their ground, and they would try to maintain some semblance of pressure on the enemy to prevent him regrouping after a three-and-a-half-month ordeal. In the longer term, plans had already been started for a new offensive in the spring. The Battle of the Somme was over.