As History World War One Fighting Course

Front 1

Number of men in mons by 20/08/16

Back 1

80,000

Front 2

Beginning war professional soldiers

Back 2

250,000

Veterans used to colonial wars

Front 3

Voluntary recruitment first 16 months

Back 3

2.5 million men

Front 4

German attack plan

Back 4

Schlieffen plan

French attack well armed border they ring around through Belgium and attack rear

Front 5

Early war battle m&m

Back 5

Mons BEF success but had retreat protect French

River Marne Fr & BEF counter attack

Start trench warfare

Front 6

Lord Kitchenor august 1914

Back 6

WAR MINISTER

thought war 3 years

Front 7

Territorial forces

Back 7

Used while waiting for new armies six divisions and Canadian one March and April 1915

Front 8

New Armies

Back 8

From volunteers form own battalions first arrived France May 1915

Front 9

Divisions in BEF Jan 1916

Back 9

38 infantry

5 cavalry

By summer extra 19 divisions

BEF divided into 5 armies

Front 10

Commander in Chief

Back 10

Till December 1915 John French then Douglas Haig

Front 11

Size BEF 1917

Back 11

Comprised 5 armies each bigger than original BEF

BUT.. 1914 18/19 (1000) were infantry by 1918 strength nearer 1600

Front 12

Trench system

Back 12

From October 1914 initial diggings joined form continuous system were 7 foot deep where possible strong points and barbed wire at the front

Front 13

Defence in depth

Back 13

3 lines linked by communication trenches support reserve artillery emplacements spread out slowed and weakened attacks

Front 14

2 weapons both sides used

Back 14

Machine guns 500-600 rounds/min

Barbed wire cheap quick and easy set up

Front 15

German Trenches

Back 15

Better than British set on high ground eg Vimy ridge and Passchendale ridge defendable dry

Front 16

Why was surprise attacks difficult

Back 16

Normally artillery and mortar bombardment first warning

Front 17

What was army lacking till 1917 in terms artillery?

Back 17

Lacked Sufficient heavy guns and right sort shells to cut barbed wire 1916 most too small calibre or failed to explode

Front 18

Two types historian opinion on failings on army

Back 18

1.those who attribute all blame to British high command ineptitude

2.factors outside army- new weapons tactics and quality German troops and commanders

Front 19

When were tanks first used?

Back 19

In fresh attacks 15th September 1917 onwards in Somme mixed success broke down often

Front 20

The Somme geographically/army positioning and why fight

Back 20

French and British forces border joint offensive take pressure off French after feb attack Verdun

BEF lead Somme

Front 21

1 July 1916 Somme who?

Back 21

By fourth army of Rawlison 17 divisions available mainly kitchenors new armies & pal battalions

12.5 miles long

Front 22

Course first day somme

Back 22

5 day prelim bombardment 1500 guns last 65 mins 224,221 shells fired

Front 23

What time Somme begin and why most German defences untouched?

Back 23

7:30. Only 200 heavy guns not enough to destroy barbed wire

Front 24

When was creeping barrage first used

Back 24

In Somme just ahead approaching infantry

Front 25

What % shells failed to explode Somme bombardment

Back 25

30%

Front 26

How many casualties by 8:30 Somme 1st July

Back 26

30,000

End day 60,000

19,240 dead

Front 27

What was achieved in Somme

Back 27

Germans pushed back but 420,000 GB casualties

German between 4-600,000

Taught how to fight good by end

Front 28

Effect Somme on German strategy

Back 28

Unrestricted submarine warfare Ludendorff stop another Somme brought USA into war

Massive expansion German war production

Front 29

Improvements following the Somme

Back 29

Munitions developed more precise, need use more accurately and leaders developed strategies for co ordinating creeping barrage

Front 30

Result Germans new tactics

Back 30

Food shortages in GB but also Germany undermining support and bring USA into war

Front 31

Disagreement Haig and DLG

Back 31

Haig wanted try and fight at channel ports and attack German using Belgian ports for submarine warfare

LG wanted in Italy middle east win fewer casualties

Front 32

Passchendale

Back 32

July-November 1917 near Ypres forms part third battle Ypres

Front 33

1917 arras April

Back 33

Seizure Vimy ridge after cost 4000 lives/day no further progress French even worse with mutinies

Front 34

Third Ypres June 1917

Back 34

Began victory Messines ridge giant mines under trenches more than 2000 artillery pieces used 200+ tanks

First day 2.5 mile advance

Front 35

Post first day third ypres

Back 35

2/7/17 weather changes for worst muddy hell tanks sunk people drowned continued sept and Oct amid rain continue GB capture Passchendale ridge cost both sides about 250000

Front 36

How did British break through German lines? Cambrai

Back 36

5 miles

Surprise

Quick formidable bombardment

Tanks

Front 37

German storm troopers

Back 37

Take weakest line resistance elite units small groups heavily armed light machine guns & 2 flame throwers bypass tough resistance penetrate deeply defence system

Front 38

Cambrai what helped GB break through German lines?

Back 38

To depth 5miles

Surprise, quick and formidable bombardment and tanks But reserves too far back and German counterattacked using storm troopers

Front 39

German counterattack at Cambrai

Back 39

Reserves were too far back

Used tactic newish storm troopers

Front 40

Casualties in third Ypres

Back 40

BEF- 310,000

German- 260,000

Front 41

When did Russia surrender and sign peace treaty

Back 41

March 1918

By 21st March 1918 German transferred 44 divisions to western front

Front 42

US declaration war

Back 42

April 1917

Front 43

German spring offensive 1918 ( 1st and 2nd)

Back 43

First German offensive nearly reached Amiens but ran out steam

Second- April south Ypres recaptured ground lost 1917 but failed break GB lines

Front 44

Third offensive

Back 44

May threatened Paris held 56 miles.

Front 45

German failures 1918

Back 45

3 major offensives then two minor attacks achieved little weakened 800,000+ casualties wider front 240 to 320 miles

Front 46

Changed nature BEF 1918

Back 46

Haig let 88,000 troops on leave didn't think Germans would attack infantry reduced in size but firepower increased vast expansion artillery losses equipment more than replaced by new equipment

Front 47

Amiens (British offensive 1918)

Back 47

Start 8 August 1918 (German black day)

On Somme Rawlinson

Took 18,000 400 field guns

Front 48

Capture Hindenburg line

Back 48

29 September by 46 north midland division nearly million shells fired in last 24 hours on 9km front

Front 49

How many time the 1915 value was the no. Guns produced 1918?

Back 49

Three

BEF better equipped than ever German industrial production had fallen and increasingly unequipped

Front 50

Other volunteer facts

Back 50

Kitchener wanted million man army about half men who joined up were volunteers army recruiters financially rewarded