The Battles of Arras: North

The Battles of Arras: North PDF

Author: Jon Cooksey

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2019-06-30

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 1473893054

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

A guidebook for those planning a tour of this key battleground of the First World War. The First World War battlefields to the north of Arras—including Vimy Ridge—are among the most famous and most visited sites on the Western Front, rivaled only by those around Ypres and the Somme, and this clearly written, highly illustrated guide is the ideal introduction to them. Visitors can trace for themselves the course of each battle across the modern landscape and gain a fascinating insight into the nature of the fighting in the area—and the wider conflict across the Western Front—throughout the war. The book covers the key battles fought in the northern sector of the Arras front, including the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge and battles at Villers au Bois, Oppy Wood, and Gavrelle. Expert guides Jon Cooksey and Jerry Murland have devised a series of routes that can be walked, biked, or driven, explaining the fighting that occurred at each place in vivid detail. They record what happened, where it happened, and why, and point out the sights that remain for the visitor to see. Their guidebook is essential reading for visitors who wish to enhance their understanding of the war on the Western Front.

Visiting the Fallen: Arras North

Visiting the Fallen: Arras North PDF

Author: Peter Hughes

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2015-05-30

Total Pages: 371

ISBN-13: 1473861047

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Like Ypres, Arras was a front line town throughout the Great War. From March 1916 it became home to the British Army and it remained so until the Advance to Victory was well under way. In 1917 the Battle of Arras came and went. It occupied barely half a season, but was then largely forgotten; the periods before and after it have been virtually ignored, and yet the Arras sector was always important and holding it was never easy or without incident; death, of course, was never far away. The area around Arras is as rich in Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries as anywhere else on the Western Front, including the Somme and Ypres, and yet these quiet redoubts with their headstones proudly on parade still remain largely unvisited. This book is the story of the men who fell and who are now buried in those cemeteries; and the telling of their story is the telling of what it was like to be a soldier on the Western Front. 'Arras-North' is the first of three books by the same author. This volume contains in depth coverage of almost sixty Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries and is a veritable 'Who's Who' of officers and other ranks who fell on this part of the Western Front. It provides comprehensive details of gallantry awards and citations and describes many minor operations, raids and other actions, as well as the events that took place in April and May 1917. It is the story of warfare on the Western Front as illustrated through the lives of those who fought and died on the battlefields of Arras.There are many unsung heroes and personal tragedies, including a young man who went out into no man's land to rescue his brother, an uncle and nephew killed by the same shell, a suicide in the trenches and a young soldier killed by a random shell whilst celebrating his birthday with his comrades. There is an unexpected connection to Ulster dating back to the days of Oliver Cromwell and William of Orange, a link to Sinn Fein and an assassination, a descendant of Sir Isaac Newton, as well as a conjuror, a friend of P.G. Wodehouse, a young officer said to have been 'thrilled' to lead his platoon into the trenches for the first time, only to be killed three hours later, and a man whose headstone still awaits the addition of his Military Medal after almost a century, despite having been involved in one of the most daring rescues of the war. This is a superb reference guide for anyone visiting Arras and its battlefields.

A Battle Too Far

A Battle Too Far PDF

Author: Don Farr

Publisher:

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781912174928

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Fought in support of a French offensive intended to win the war, the Battle of Arras resulted in heavy losses for little gain after a promising start.

The German Army in the Spring Offensives 1917

The German Army in the Spring Offensives 1917 PDF

Author: Jack Sheldon

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2015-09-21

Total Pages: 459

ISBN-13: 1473872863

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

“A detailed and vivid account of the battles on three deadly fronts. The research is breathtaking, the assembly of the story is masterful.”—The Long, Long Trail After the great battles of 1916, the Allied Armies planned to launch massive attacks North and South of the Somme. The German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917 forced the new French CinC General Nivelle to rethink and the French embarked on a major attack in the Aisne area and along the Chemin des Dames, with the British conducting large-scale diversionary operations around Arras. The French suffered disastrously and, rendered incapable of further offensive operations, it fell to the British to step up the pressure, which they did albeit at a terrible price. This latest work by expert Jack Sheldon describes the event of Spring 1917 from the defenders’ perspective. In particular it reveals the methods the Germans used to smash the French attacks and Oberst Fritz von Lossberg’s transformation of the defenses in the Arras front. Actions described in detail are the bitter battles around Monchy Le Preun, the Roeux Chemical works and Bullecourt as well as the capture of Vimy Ridge. “This volume of Jack Sheldon’s highly detailed series of books on the German Army in the Great War follows his usual effective model—employing the clear writing and knowledge learned from dogged, detailed research . . . It would be impossible to offer other than the highest recommendation for this book.”—Stand To! The Western Front Association “Incredibly moving and powerful.”—Pennant

The Battle of the Lys, 1918

The Battle of the Lys, 1918 PDF

Author: Chris Baker

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Published: 2018-04-30

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 1526717026

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The second of two Battelground Europe titles covering this highly significant battle of spring 1918.The German offensive in Flanders in April 1918 came close to catastrophe for the British Armies, but ultimately ended in strategic defeat for the Kaisers men. Following close on the heels of the devastating Operation Michael attack in March, which had been aimed against the British front on the Somme and Arras, this offensive, Operation Georgette, was aimed at strangling the vital railways and roads that supplied the British at Ypres and threatening the vital logistics links with the Channel Ports.Having assembled an overwhelming numerical advantage, the Germans attacked in thick fog on 9 April 1918. By days end, the Germans had succeeded in gaining a crossing of the River Lys and were well on their way to the railway junctions at Hazebrouck. Next day, they extended the attacked front northwards and advanced to the very gates of Ypres, forcing a British retirement from the bloodily won advances during the Third Battle of Ypres. Messines Ridge, captured so spectacularly by the British in June 1917, was soon in German hands and fighting inched towards Mont Kemmel, which dominated the Ypres front. Once this fell, the way was open for the capture of the main supply roads into Ypres.To find sufficient reserves to counter the German attack, the British took the heart-breaking decision to abandon the ground won so dearly in the Passchendaele offensive in the summer and autumn of 1917. Gradually, fresher British and French reserves arrived and held their ground. With disappointing results, mounting casualties and a diminishing return for their efforts, the Germans paused to regroup. Late in the month they unleashed a rapid, unstoppable attack that captured Kemmel from the French forces that had been rushed north to reinforce the threatened line and which had been holding the summit: one of the finest military feats of the Great War.Behind the scenes, however, the Germans were already calling off a continuation of the offensive and so, by a seeming miracle, the bastion that was Ypres remained in British hands.What the British call The Battle of the Lys 1918 is a fascinating yet curiously neglected period of military history. Chris Baker examines this major battle from the strategic down to the platoon level, highlighting the key events, characters and acts of enormous bravery on both sides, both in historical narrative and in a series of tours of the area.This volume concentrates on the northern half of the battlefield; nearly all of the actions described in this volume took place in Belgium.

The Battles of Arras: South

The Battles of Arras: South PDF

Author: Jon Cooksey

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2020-02-19

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1526742403

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

An illustrated and informative guide to the WWI battlefields south of Arras, France, including some of the most significant battles of 1917. Some of the most famous and frequently visited battlefields on the Western Front are just to the south of the Arras. These sites include Battery Valley and Observation Ridge, Telegraph Hill, Monchy-le-Preux, Wancourt, and Bullecourt. And this clearly written, highly illustrated guide is the ideal introduction to them. Expert guides Jon Cooksey and Jerry Murland have devised a series of routes that can be walked, biked or driven, explaining the fighting that occurred at each place in vivid detail. They record what happened, where it happened and why, pointing out the sights that remain for the visitor to see. The featured itineraries allow visitors to trace the course of each battle across the modern landscape, gaining visceral insight into the nature of combat throughout the war.

Arras 1914-1918. Part 2: Arras North

Arras 1914-1918. Part 2: Arras North PDF

Author: Jim Smithson

Publisher:

Published: 2018-12-19

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781912390625

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Arras is known by some as the forgotten battle, because of this it's not one of the most written about or visited First World War areas on the Western Front; in fact, it lacks the general awareness levels when compared to the iconic battlefields of the Somme or Passchendaele. Nevertheless, The Arras battlefields hold much to interest both the seasoned and curious visitor alike, with many visual reminders of the war over 100 years on. This guide is designed to both educate and guide the visitor around four years of conflict that the city of Arras and its surrounding area endured. Organised geographically in sectors to aid the visitor, all the major engagements of the war in the Arras area are described and locations chosen to enable the visitor to gain a greater understanding of the battle; from the French on the Lorette Ridge in 1914 & 1915, the British from 1916-18 and the Canadians on Vimy Ridge in 1917, north of the city, to the Australians at Bullecourt in the south, the visitor will find the battlefield described in detail. The guide uses key observation points to ensure that the visitor is correctly orientated to get a fuller understanding of the battles and the ground they were fought over. The visitor can for example stand on Observation Ridge, look towards the city of Arras and using the description of the battle and the detailed maps and photographs taken from that key location, gain a full understanding of the attack of 12th Division on the morning of the 9th April. A detailed modern map then allows the visitor to turn and move to one of the many cemeteries in the area and again be able to read a detailed description of what he or she can see. This is not a guide that will tell you where to go or give prescribed routes but by clearly marked key locations will allow the visitor to plan their own itinerary according to time, interest or inclination. Each location has photographs and a clear description of what can be seen and what happened at key moments of the war at that place. Advice is also given as to the accessibility (car, bicycle or on foot) for each location to aid the visitor when planning. Lavishly provided with maps and photographs, this guide will be the essential companion to anyone visiting the Arras battlefields and hopefully bring them back to the area again and again. This volume deals with the area south of the River Scarpe where the British attacked in April and May 1917, the Germans in March 1918 and then the Anglo-Canadian offensive leading to the end of the war.

Lanterna Rally - Theme by Grace Themes