HIST 1301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Pals Battalion, Attacks On High Wood, Trench Foot
Document Summary
Location: western front france. (north of the somme river between arras and albert) Goal of aggressor: to drain the german forces of reserves, but territorial gain was a secondary aim. Aggressor"s weapons: 1,500 british guns, together with a similar number of french guns, were employed in the bombardment. Aggressor strategy: the bombardment would entirely destroy all forward german defenses, enabling the attacking british troops to go through no man"s land and take possession of the. Aggressor tactics: creeping barrage would precede the advancing infantry to the german front line, and onwards to the second and third trench lines. Fourth army, in addition to 1 corps of general allenby"s third army, attempted a complete breakthrough, with cavalry standing by to exploit the resultant gap in the german lines. Defenders strategy: german troops sought shelter in such bunkers, emerging only with the ceasing of the british artillery bombardment, when the german machine guns were manned to great effect.
