"Backs to the Wall" Order: The special Army Order issued 12 April, 1918, by Earl Haig at the crisis of the great German "Push." It ran: "Every position must be held to the last man. There must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall, and believing in the justice of our cause, each one of us must fight to the end." American official statistics show that the German superiority over the Allies on the Western Front in rifle-strength amounted to 324,000 rifles on 1 April, 1918. The Allies did not attain superiority in rifle strength until the end of June; and then came the turn of the tide.[1]
References / notes
- ↑ Edward Fraser and John Gibbons (1925). Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases. Routledge, London p.13.
Glossary of words and phrases
The above term is listed in our glossary of words and phrases of the Armed Forces of Great Britain during the Great War. Included are trench slang, service terms, expressions in everyday use, nicknames, the titles and origins of British and Commonwealth Regiments, and warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary to the war, which is reflected in the language used. They have been transcribed from three primary sources (see Contents). Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.
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