Medicine: WW1 - The Western Fron - trenches

Question 1

What were the 7 battles on the Western Front, in order

Answer 1

1. First battle of Ypres
2. Battle on the Hill
3. Second Battle of Ypres
4. The Somme
5. Arras
6. Third battle of Ypres
7. Cambrai

Question 2

What was the reason for the 1st Battle of Ypres

Answer 2

• British managed to hold onto Ypres
• it was vital in maintaining access to English Channel ports
• ***Oct - Nov 1914 : Prevent germans advancement towards sea

Question 3

What was the outcome of the 1st Battle of Ypres

Answer 3

• 50,000 British soldiers lost
• British held onto Ypres + still controlled English Channel ports
• Germans extended control to edge of Ypres

Question 4

What was the importance of the 1st Battle of Ypres?

Answer 4

• British kept control of English Channel ports :
  
  • continue providing supplies + reinforcements
  • german isolated fron England —> harder to attack

Question 5

Events of the Battle on Hill 60

Answer 5

• ** British captured Hill-60** (man-made hill, south-east of Ypres) —> **height advantage **
• tunnelled into + under hill, explode 5 mines from tunnel —> took the hill

Question 6

Events of the 2nd battle of Ypres

Answer 6

• germans made slight advancement - 2 miles
• 1st Chlorine gas attack used by Germans

Question 7

What was the importance of the Battle of the Somme

Answer 7

1. the creeping barrage: strategies used by British - artillery launched from trenches towards German lines, but ahead of British Infantry as they advanced forwards
2. first use of tanks in warfare - but many technical problems —> not very successful

Question 8

Key details of the Battle of the Somme 1916

Answer 8

• extremely high casualties on both sides:
  
  • 1st day: Brit causalities = >57,0000 + 20,000 deaths
• by end of battle, Nov 1914: Brit = ~ 400,000 casualties

Question 9

What was the importance of Arras, April- May, 1917

Answer 9

Area around Arras was very chalky —> easy to tunnel through:
- 1916: Brits linked + expanded underground tunnels quarries, caves —> underground network acting as shelter + movement for troops
- Up to 25,000 men could be stationed in tunnels: contained light, running water, hospitals railway

Question 10

How were the tunnels used during the battle in Arras

Answer 10

• April 1917: 24,000 men hiding in tunnels near Germans attacked
• initially successful but advancement slowed + little progress
• high no. Of casualties on both sides

Question 11

Key details + importance of 3rd battle of Ypres

Answer 11

• Bris used creeping barrage —> made small gains aim to break out of Ypres (remove German adv of having higher ground)
• 31st July : awful weather = rain = ground waterlogged = many drowned + died

Question 12

Importance of Battle of Cambrai 1917

Answer 12

• 1st large scale use of tanks:
  
  • nearly 500 used
  • v. Effective —> easily moved over barbed wire

Question 13

Finish trench system pg 24 / 146