Battles

• 1 ) 1914 - Battles of Ypres

  • BEF based
  • 12th October - 11th November
  • lost 50,000 held onto Ypres
  • -british remained in control of channels
• 2 ) Battle of Hill 60

  • south-east
  • german captured in dec 1914
  • British dug tunnels under hill setting off 5 mines
  • took back control in April 1915
• 3 ) 1915 : Second Battle of Ypres

  • series of battles from April 1915 -> May 1917
  • first time Germans used chlorine gas ( 2 miles ahead )
  • British lost 59,000 men
• 4 ) 1916 : Battle of Somme

  • started 1st July 1916 -> November 1916
  • first day , British casualties = 57,000
  • 20,000 mean lost

  New strategies :

  • Creeping barrage -> artillery launched from back of trenches
  • Tanks -> slow , not very successful
  • 400,000 casualties at the end
  • British gained 6 miles
• 5 ) 1917 : Battle of Arras

  • April 1917 - 24,000 men hiding in arras tunnels
  • gains 8 miles in first few days
  • ended May 1917 , 160,000 British and canadian casualties
• 6 ) 1917 : Thrid battle of Ypres

  • Break out of Ypres salient , 2 miles ahead
  • weather conditions bad : rain , trenches waterlogged , many drowned
  • British moved 7 miles more
• 7 ) 1917 : Battle of Cambrai

  • launched November - December 1917
  • artillery barrage change : less warning
  • first large scale use of tanks
  • able to move more easily over barbed wire