The Story of the Great War, Volume 7: American Food and Ships; Palestine; Italy invaded; Great German Offensive; Americans in Picardy; Americans on the Marne; Foch's Counteroffensive. — John Shaqi
The Story of the Great War, Volume 7: American Food and Ships; Palestine; Italy invaded; Great German Offensive; Americans in Picardy; Americans on the Marne; Foch's Counteroffensive.
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume 7: American Food and Ships; Palestine; Italy invaded; Great German Offensive; Americans in Picardy; Americans on the Marne; Foch's Counteroffensive.
World War, 1914-1918
The capture of Dead Man Hill by the French troops was an especially
notable achievement, for its system of underground defenses made it as
nearly impregnable as human ingenuity could devise. That it could be
captured in a single day was owing to the ceaseless activity of the
French gunners, who had ravaged the stronghold with explosives so
thoroughly that it seemed impossible that anything human could survive,
however hidden underground. There were a hundred deserters to the French
lines, and the Germans surrendered in squads with their noncommissioned
officers. The whole garrison of Dead Man Tunnel, which included two
battalion commanders, were also made prisoners. When it is considered
that the Germans had 400 batteries in action back of their front lines
during the two days' advance it will be understood that the French
fighting man was heartened up and could look with confidence to the
future.
The British resumed the offensive in the morning of August 22, 1917,
east and northeast of Ypres along the Ypres-Menin road, capturing a
series of fortified farms and strong points in front of their positions
and gaining in the advance a third of a mile of territory.
Further to the north the British carried forward their lines about half
a mile over a front of two and a half miles. Owing to the fierce
character of the fighting encountered in the forward push the number of
prisoners taken was out of all proportion to the total losses inflicted
on the enemy. Since the offensive began in the morning of August 15,
1917, the British had taken 1,378 men, including officers. In the same
period they captured thirty-one machine guns and twenty-one trench
mortars.
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