First battle of Arras

April 9th, 1917, WESTERN FACE , FRANCE .

The Britanniques open the battle of Arras in the objective to force the Germans to withdraw their troops of the sector of the Aisne, on the Western face, that the French forces of the general Robert Nivelle, are on the point of attacking. Three British armies are committed in the operation. With the center, around Arras, IIIe is held armed with the general to sir Edmund Allenby, which will direct the offensive. In north the IE armed with the general to sir Henry Horne, including/understanding the Canadian body of the general to sir Julian Byng, must attack the peak of Vimy. In the south of Allenby, Ve armed with the general to sir Hugh Gough must attack the Ligne Hindenburg auour of Bullecourt. In front of them the soldiers are held of the German Life armed with the general Ludwig von Falkenhausen.

The British open their attack by a five days bombardment. They gain a considerable ground the first day, especially the Canadian body of IIIe armed, whose daring attacks make it possible to seize the peak of Vimy, and the 17th body which advances 6km. However, Gough progresses little.

The pilots of the air force essuient heavy losses because of the inferiority of their apparatuses vis-a-vis the German Albatros D.III and their tactic of attack in dive. Some 33% of the British pilots are cut down during April.

The British continue on April 11th the battle of Arras vis-a-vis the increased resistance of the German Life armed with the general Ludwig von Falkenhausen who received reinforcements. The 37ème British division seizes the village of Monchy-the-Valiant knight and of the elements of Ve armed with the general to sir Hugh Gough carry out an opening in the Ligne Hindenburg, with Bullecourt, the next day. However, the battle starts with enliser.

The British commander-in-chief, the marshal to sir Douglas Haig, decides to continue the offensive of Arras until mid-May, and the engagements concentrate on Bellecourt. The decision of Haig is partly justified by the will to move away the Germans from the sectors of the Western face held by the French, of which the armies are in rout after large the Mutinerie S. At the end of the offensive, the British losses rise with 150.000 killed men, wounded or made captive. The German losses reach 100.000 men.

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