Western Front

Question 1

23 Aug 1914

Answer 1

British Expeditionary Force meet German forces at Battle of Mons.

Question 2

Sept 1914

Answer 2

Battle of the Marne: The BEF stopped the German advance and ‘saved’ Paris.

Question 3

Oct 1914

Answer 3

The first Battle of Ypres: ‘The Race to the Sea’ to control the coastline begins.

Question 4

Nov 1914

Answer 4

The War reached stalemate as both sides dug in defensive positions.

Question 5

Mar 1915

Answer 5

Battle of Neuve Chapelle - attempt to break the stalemate fails despite early successes.

Question 6

Apr 1915

Answer 6

Second Battle of Ypres: Germans used poison gas for the first time.

Question 7

Sept 1915

Answer 7

Battle of Loos: 5,100 gas cylinders released by British to

overwhelm German gas masks. Much blew back to Br trenches

Question 8

Feb 1916

Answer 8

Germans begin battle to capture strategic forts at Verdun. General Falkenhayn’s tactic of attrition was to ‘bleed France white’.

Question 9

1 July 1916

Answer 9

Haig launched attack at the Somme to relieve French at Verdun.
First day resulted in 57,000 Br casualties.
British used the tank for the first time.

Question 10

Nov 1916

Answer 10

Battle of the Somme ends with loss of 1.25 million men.

Question 11

Apr 1917

Answer 11

Battle of Vimy Ridge: Canadian troops capture strategic high position from Germans.
Nivelle Offensive – disaster for the French – led to mutinies in the French Army and removal of French C-in-C Robert Nivelle.
America declares war on Germany.

Question 12

Jul 1917

Answer 12

Third Battle of Passchendaele: heavy rain and drainage
destroyed by artillery led to the battlefield becoming a muddy quagmire. Over 300,000 Allied troops lost with very little gain.

Question 13

Nov 1917

Answer 13

Battle of Cambrai: British attach - 476 tanks are used along the entire line