|
Operations On The Ancre, January–March 1917
Operations on the Ancre took place from between the British Fifth Army and the German 1st Army, on the Somme front during the First World War. After the Battle of the Ancre (13–18 November 1916), British attacks on the Somme front stopped for the winter. Until early January 1917, both sides were reduced to surviving the rain, snow, fog, mud fields, waterlogged trenches and shell-holes. British preparations for the Battle of Arras, due in the spring of 1917, continued. The Fifth Army was instructed by the commander in chief of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, to make systematic attacks to capture portions of the German defences to pin down German troops. Short advances could progressively uncover the remaining German positions in the Ancre valley to ground observation, threaten the German hold on the village of Serre to the north and bring German positions beyond into view. Artillery-fire could be directed with greater accuracy by grou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fighting occurring throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and parts of Asia. An estimated 9 million soldiers were killed in combat, plus another 23 million wounded, while 5 million civilians died as a result of military action, hunger, and disease. Millions more died in genocides within the Ottoman Empire and in the 1918 influenza pandemic, which was exacerbated by the movement of combatants during the war. Prior to 1914, the European great powers were divided between the Triple Entente (comprising France, Russia, and Britain) and the Triple Alliance (containing Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy). Tensions in the Balkans came to a head on 28 June 1914, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdina ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Expeditionary Force (World War I)
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the six-divisions the British Army sent to the Western Front during the First World War. Planning for a British Expeditionary Force began with the 1906–1912 Haldane reforms of the British Army carried out by the Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War (1899–1902). The term ''British Expeditionary Force'' is often used to refer only to the forces present in France prior to the end of the First Battle of Ypres on 22 November 1914. By the end of 1914—after the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Aisne and Ypres—the existent BEF had been almost exhausted, although it helped stop the German advance.Chandler (2003), p. 211 An alternative endpoint of the BEF was 26 December 1914, when it was divided into the First and Second Armies (a Third, Fourth and Fifth being created later in the war). "British Expeditionary Force" remained the official name of the British armies in France and Flanders thro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Achiet-le-Petit
Achiet-le-Petit () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. Geography A farming village located 13 miles (21 km) south of Arras, at the D27 and D9 road junction. History * In 1700, Charles Jacques Adrien de Mullet, seigneur of Wancquetin demolished the remains of the small castle, knocking down the motte and filling in most of the moat. He then built a chateau, using white bricks and stones, enclosed by large garden walls. * In 1749 the castle was completed by the laying out of a wide terrace (500' long by 40' wide) on which there were two guns donated by Louis XV. During the French Revolution, the cannons were melted down and thrown down a well. In the 19th century, they were found and returned to the Diesbach family. * In 1789, the castle was looted and destroyed during the Revolution, leaving no trace of the edifice. The stones and bricks of the castle were used by the locals to construct homes which were in turn destroyed during World War I. * In t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bucquoy
Bucquoy () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. The grounds, property of the Lords of Bucquoy, became a county in 1666 by request of Charles II. Geography A farming village located 12 miles (19 km) south of Arras on the D919 road, at the junction with the D8. Population Sights * The church of St. Pierre, rebuilt, like most of the village, after destruction during World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ..., * The ruins of a 13th-century château. * Queens Cemetery, for First World War allied casualties Commonwealth Wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monchy-au-Bois
Monchy-au-Bois () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography Monchy-au-Bois is situated south-southwest of Arras, at the junction of the D3 and the D2 roads. Population Places of interest * The church of St.Pierre, rebuilt along with much of the village, after World War I. See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department The following is a list of the 890 communes of the Pas-de-Calais department of France. The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2020):Website of the commune of Monchy-au-Bois [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gommecourt, Pas-de-Calais
Gommecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography A small farming village situated south of Arras, on the D6 road. History Formerly within the ancient County of Artois, the village was redesignated within the new Department of the Pas de Calais after the French Revolution. World War I During most of the period of hostilities between 1914 and 1918 (World War I) Gommecourt was in the front line of the Western Front, occupied by the Imperial German Army, and was virtually destroyed as a result of the violence to which it was exposed. The neighbouring villages of Hebuterne and Foncquevillers 800 yards or so to the west, being conversely in Allied forces occupation, were used as bases for an unsuccessful assault on Gommecourt carried out by the British Army on 1 July 1916, as a part of the Battle of the Somme offensive. The German troops who defended the village during the battle were the 52nd Infantry Division fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Beaumont-Hamel
Beaumont-Hamel () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. During the First World War, Beaumont-Hamel was close to the front line, near many attacks, especially during the Battle of the Somme, one of the largest allied offensives of the war. By 1918, the village had been almost totally destroyed. The banks of white chalk at Beaumont Hamel led to a sector of British trenches being nicknamed "White City". To the west of the village was Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt, one of the sites of the mines exploded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. On 1 July 1916, the 29th Division assaulted the German front line in an attempt to capture the village as part of the Somme Offensive. Included in this Division was the Newfoundland Regiment. Newfoundland commemorates this event as Memorial Day on 1 July each year. Notable sights As there was heavy fighting in this area during the Great War, there are many cemeteries and monuments, among which: * A num ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Operation Alberich
Operation Alberich (german: Unternehmen Alberich) was the code name of a German military operation in France during the First World War. Two salients had been formed during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 between Arras and Saint-Quentin and from Saint-Quentin to Noyon. was planned as a strategic withdrawal to new positions on the shorter and more easily defended Hindenburg Line (german: links=no, Siegfriedstellung). General Erich Ludendorff was reluctant to order the withdrawal and hesitated until the last moment. The retirement took place between 9 February and 20 March 1917, after months of preparation. The German retreat shortened the Western front by . The retirement to the chord of the Bapaume and Noyon salients shortened the Western Front, providing 13 to 14 extra divisions for the German strategic reserve being assembled to defend the Aisne front against the Franco-British Nivelle Offensive, preparations for which were barely concealed. Background Winter 1916–1917 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (German: , Siegfried Position) was a German defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne. In 1916, the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme left the German western armies () exhausted and on the Eastern Front, the Brusilov Offensive had inflicted huge losses on the Austro-Hungarian armies and forced the Germans to take over more of the front. The declaration of war by Romania had placed additional strain on the German army and war economy. The Hindenburg Line, built behind the Noyon Salient, was to replace the old front line as a precaution against a resumption of the Battle of the Somme in 1917. By wasting the intervening ground, the Germans could delay a spring offensive in 1917. A shortened front could be held with fewer troops and with tactical dispersal, reverse-slope positions, defence in depth and camouflage, Germ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saint-Léger, Pas-de-Calais
Saint-Léger () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography Saint-Léger lies south of Arras, at the junction of the D12, D9 and D36E roads. The A1 autoroute passes by half a mile to the east of the commune. Population Places of interest * The church of St.Leger, rebuilt, as was all of the village, after the First World War. * The Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves and places of commemoration of Commonwealth of Nations m ... cemetery. See also Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department References External links The CWGC military cemetery Saintleger {{Arras-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arras
Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of regions, reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a Baroque town square, Arras is in Northern France at the confluence of the rivers Scarpe (river), Scarpe and Crinchon. The Arras plain is on a large chalk plateau bordered on the north by the Marqueffles fault, on the southwest by the Artois and Ternois hills, and on the south by the slopes of Beaufort-Blavincourt. On the east it is connected to the Scarpe valley. Established during the Iron Age by the Gauls, the town of Arras was first known as ''Nemetocenna'', which is believed to have originated from the Celtic word ''nemeton'', meaning 'sacred space.' Saint Vedast (or St. Vaast) was the first Catholic bishop in the year 499 a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battle Of The Somme
The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the Somme, a river in France. The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies. More than three million men fought in the battle of whom one million were wounded or killed, making it one of the deadliest battles in human history. The French and British had committed themselves to an offensive on the Somme during the Chantilly Conference in December 1915. The Allies agreed upon a strategy of combined offensives against the Central Powers in 1916 by the French, Russian, British and Italian armies, with the Somme offensive as the Franco-British contribution. Initial plans called for the French army to undertake the main part of the Somme offensive, supported on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Operations On The Ancre, January–March 1917")
.png "Click for more on -> Beaumont-Hamel")
