The Year 1915 Illustrated/The Advance in Artois and Champagne: Difference between revisions

 

The British part in the advance was south of [[La Bassée]], where the German line was pierced on a front of five miles to a depth of four thousand yards. The village of [[Loos]] was captured and also the western outskirts of [[Hulluch]], whilst the British line of [[trench]]es was advanced to the base of [[Hill 70]]. The fighting in this great battle of Loos took place in the midst of the mining district where the enemy had made use of every point of vantage in the rough and uneven nature of the ground for the construction of field fortresses and redoubts. Two of the most famous of the redoubts were captured and occupied by the British, although in the case of the [[Hohenzollern redoubt]], in a counter attack which the Germans afterwards made, a portion was lost. On the front generally the British have been able to consolidate and maintain their positions. The captures from the enemy included over two thousand prisoners, besides guns and much other material.

 

In a long dispatch from Sir John French, issued on [[2 November|November 2nd]], further details were published of the units taking part in the offensive. The main attack was delivered by the First and Fourth Army Corps of the First Army, under [[Sir Douglas Haig]], Magnificent work was done by the 47th London Territorial Division, which dashed into Loos, occupied its southern exits, captured the cemetery, enclosures and chalk pits south of the village, and formed a strong defensive [[flank]] on the south. Sir John French gives well-earned praise to the deeds of these gallant men. The 15th Highland Division of the [[New Army|New Armies]] is also commended for most daring and successful work. This [[division]] cleared the rest of Loos, over-ran Hill 70 a mile to the east, and got beyond it. Unhappily, the lack of reserves prevented this attack bearing the full fruit that was anticipated.

 

The main German counter-attack was made on the afternoon of [[8 October|October 8th]]. "At all parts of the line except two the Germans were repulsed with tremendous loss, and it is computed on reliable authority that they left some eight to nine thousand dead lying on the battlefield in front of the British and French trenches." Sir John French pays a high tribute to the work of the [[artillery]]. "The efficiency of the artillery of the New Armies has exceeded all expectations." The nature of the siege warfare on the Western Front is indicated by the fact that the advance of the British was preceded by a prolonged [[bombardment]] of the German trenches lasting over a period of five weeks.

 

===The French advance===

 

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