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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 gro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting took place mainly in European theatre of World War I, Europe and the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I, Middle East, as well as in parts of African theatre of World War I, Africa and the Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I, Asia-Pacific, and in Europe was characterised by trench warfare; the widespread use of Artillery of World War I, artillery, machine guns, and Chemical weapons in World War I, chemical weapons (gas); and the introductions of Tanks in World War I, tanks and Aviation in World War I, aircraft. World War I was one of the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflicts in history, resulting in an estimated World War I casualties, 10 million military dead and more than 20 million wounded, plus some 10 million civilian de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
British Expeditionary Force (World War I)
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the formation of British army on the Western Front during World War I. They were sent by Britain to France in 1914 to aid in resisting the German invasion. Originally sent as six divisions the British Army 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.An alternative endpoint of the BEF was 26 December 1914, when it was divided into the First and Second Armies (a Third, Fourth and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
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. * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
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 * The ruins of a 13th-century château * Queens Cemetery, for First World War allied casualties Commonwealth War Graves Commission See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais d ...
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Monchy-au-Bois
Monchy-au-Bois () is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of France south-southwest of Arras. Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department References External links Website of the commune of Monchy-au-Bois Communes of Pas-de-Calais, Monchyaubois {{Arras-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
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 Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department The following is a list of the 887 communes of the Pas-de-Calais department of France. The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2025): References External links The CWGC cemetery [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Beaumont-Hamel
Beaumont-Hamel () is a Communes of France, commune in the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. During the World War I, 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. On 1 July 1916, the First Day of the Somme, the 29th Division (United Kingdom), 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 Royal Newfoundland Regiment, Newfoundland Regiment. Newfoundland commemorates this event as Memorial Day on 1 July each year. Its Capture of Beaumont-Hamel, capture by the 51st (Highland) Division on 18 November 1916 marked the end of the Battle of the Somme. Fought over for many years, by 1918, the village had been almost totally destroyed. The banks of white chalk at Beaumont-Hamel led to a sector of Bri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Operation Alberich
Operation 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 (). 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 withdrawal to the chord of the Bapaume and Noyon salients provided 13 to 14 extra divisions for the German strategic reserve, that was being assembled to defend the Aisne front against the Franco-British Nivelle Offensive, preparations for which were barely concealed. Background Winter 1916–1917 Soon after taking over from Erich von Falkenhayn as head of the Supreme Army Comma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line (, Siegfried Position) was a German Defense line, defensive position built during the winter of 1916–1917 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the First World War. The line ran from Arras to Laffaux, near Soissons on the Aisne River, Aisne. In 1916, the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme left the German western armies () exhausted and on the Eastern Front (World War I), 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 during World War I, Romania had placed additional strain on the German army and war economy. The Hindenburg Line, built behind the Noyon Salient (territory), Salient, was to replace the old front line as a precaution against a resumption of the Battle of the Somme in 1917. By devastating the intervening ground, the Germans could delay a spring offensive in 1917. A shorte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Saint-Léger, Pas-de-Calais
Saint-Léger () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais The Pas-de-Calais (, ' strait of Calais'; ; ) is a department in northern France named after the French designation of the Strait of Dover, which it borders. It has the most communes of all the departments of France, with 890, and is the ... 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 cemetery. See also Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department References External links The CWGC military cemetery Communes of Pas-de-Calais, Saintleger {{Arras-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Arras
Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the 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 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. Saint Vedast (or St. Vaast) was the first Catholic bishop in the year 499 and tried to eliminate paganism among the Franks. By 843, Arras was seat of the County of Artois which became part of the Royal domain in 1191. The first mention of the name ''Arras'' appeared in the 12th century. Some hypothesize it is a contraction of '' Atrebates'', a Belgic tribe of Gaul and Britain that u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Battle Of The Somme
The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the 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 river Somme (river), Somme in France. The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies of World War I, Allies. More than three million men fought in the battle, of whom more than one million were either wounded or killed, making it one of the List of battles by casualties, deadliest battles in human history. The French and British had planned an offensive on the Somme during the Chantilly Conferences, 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. The French army was to undertake the m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
