Part 5 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: SCHERPENBERG HILL]

=The German Offensive of 1918=

The front was quiet during the winter of 1917--1918, but 1918 opened darkly for the Allies.

The Treaty of Brest-Litowsk had sealed the defection of Russia, while Roumania, reduced to her own resources, was forced to sign the Treaty of Bukarest. Lastly, invaded Italy was only just recovering from the disaster at Caporetto. Already, in spite of the terms of the Brest-Litowsk Treaty, huge ma.s.ses of troops, guns and stores were being despatched to the Western Front. The blow fell on March 21, 1918.

The objectives, three in number, were the smas.h.i.+ng of the British right wing at its junction with the French; the separation of the two Allied army groups; the driving back to the Channel coast of the two British armies, after they had been surrounded on the south. The long-coveted road ”_Nach Paris_” would then at last be open.

But in spite of their colossal efforts the Germans were held.

By March 31, the German Imperial forces were exhausted, and General Foch was able to say: ”_The wave has spent itself on the beach._” The peril seemed to be averted.

But the respite was only a short one. The German attack before Amiens was scarcely stayed (April 6) when the battle suddenly broke out again.

From the Arras sector to La Ba.s.see the whole line was ablaze as far as the Lys. While, in the first German offensive the British right had suffered severely, it was against the left wing of the same army that the new blow was struck.

The new offensive, although quickly prepared, was even more violent than the first.

On April 9, when the attack began, the German battle-front between the Lys and La Ba.s.see was held by twenty-one divisions in line and six in reserve, under the command of Von Quast (VIth Army).

Of these twenty-seven divisions only seven were in line on March 28.

Ten divisions were hurriedly brought up from the Belgian front (IVth Army--Von Arnim), which was holding the sector from the Lys to the Channel. Five others were despatched from the Artois front, and, lastly, five divisions were taken from General Ludendorff's general reserve.

FOOTNOTE:

[Footnote 1: French: troupes des comtes = county regiments.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ON APRIL 9--20, 1918, THE GERMANS BROKE THROUGH THE ALLIES' FRONT, SOUTH OF YPRES, AND ADVANCED TO NIEPPE FOREST AND THE CHAIN OF THE FLANDERS HILLS]

=THE BATTLE OF THE FLANDERS HILLS=

=The Break-Through= (_April 9, 1918._)

The Germans began the attack on the morning of April 9, after an intense bombardment with gas sh.e.l.ls, and under cover of a dense fog reached the first machine-guns. The sector was held by Portuguese troops, wedged in between the British, from Bois-Grenier to Neuve-Chapelle.

On the whole length of front attacked, between La Ba.s.see and Armentieres, in the Plain of Flanders, the only natural obstacles are the rivers and ca.n.a.ls. From the beginning of the battle the Portuguese were thrown into disorder by the extreme violence of the attack.

The twenty-one German shock divisions attacked in five columns: to the south, the first column in the direction of Givenchy; the second (General Kraevel), in front of Festubert; the third (Von Bernhardi) marched against La Couture and Richebourg-St.-Waast; the Carlowitz Corps, forming the fourth column, advanced against Estaires in the direction of Laventie; further north, the fifth column attacked in the direction of Fleurbaix, outflanking Bois Grenier and Armentieres on the west.

Under the pressure of the attack, a depression was formed in the line.

Fleurbaix, Laventie, Richebourg-St.-Waast and Neuve-Chapelle were lost, and the Germans reached the Lys between Estaires and the St. Maur Ferry.

To the north of the pocket the Allies resisted successfully at Fleurbaix; to the south, Givenchy, after a desperate struggle, remained in the hands of the British.

On the following day the German troops, continuing the push towards the centre, succeeded in crossing the Lys between Estaires and the St. Maur Ferry.