The Western Front - Battles Flashcards
First Battle of Ypres
October 1914
The British managed to hold onto Ypres in Belgium - preventing Germany reaching the sea. However, Germany attacked their positions in the autumn.
The British lost 50, 000 but held onto Ypres, keeping control of the English Channel ports.
Second Battle of Ypres
1915 - straight after the Battle on Hill 60.
The Germans made very slight gains towards Ypres - by the end they had advanced 2 miles closer to Ypres.
The first time the Germans used chlorine gas.
The British lost 59, 000 men.
Battle On Hill 60
1915
The British tunnelled into and under the hill and exploded five mines from the tunnels, which enabled them to take the hill.
Battle of the Somme
1916
British army bombarded the German trenches with heavy artillery, but this only warned them of upcoming attacks and gave them plenty of time to prepare.
German dugouts were well made and defended.
The bombardment had churned up the ground and made it difficult for the British to advance.
57, 000 British casualties and 20, 000 deaths on the first day.
400, 000 British casualties by the end of the battle.
First use of tanks.
Notable for extremely high casualties on both sides.
Arras
1917
Contained tunnels - British linked them to create 2.5 miles of tunnels which could hold 25, 000 men - electrical lights, railways and fully functioning hospitals.
The tunnels were initially used to launch the battle but ended with little progress and high casualties on both sides - 160, 000 British and Canadian casualties.
Third Battle of Ypres
1917
The British used a creeping barrage to make small gains to break out of the Ypres salient… the aim was to remove the German advantage of having the higher ground.
Awful weather = ground waterlogged and many drowned - 245, 000 casualties.
Cambrai
1917
First large-scale use of tanks (500).
They proved very effective as terrain and enemy fire wasn’t a problem and they had very powerful machine guns.
