Wikipedia

Battle of Loos

See also:Third Battle of ArtoisandSecond Battle of Champagne

TheBattle of Loostook place from25 September to 8 October1915 in France on theWestern Front,during theFirst World War.It was the biggest British attack of 1915, the first time that the British usedpoison gasand the first mass engagement ofNew Armyunits. The French and British tried to break through the German defences inArtoisin the north andChampagneat the south end of the Noyon Salient and restore a war of movement.

Battle of Loos
Part of theWestern Frontof theFirst World War

Battle of Loos
Date25 September – 8 October 1915
Location
Loos,France
50°27′30″N02°47′39″E/ 50.45833°N 2.79417°E/50.45833; 2.79417
Result German victory
Belligerents

British Empire

German Empire
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandJohn French
United Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandDouglas Haig		 German EmpireRupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria
German EmpireFriedrich Bertram Sixt von Armin
Strength
6 divisions 3 divisions
Casualties and losses
59,247 c. 26,000

Despite improved methods, more ammunition, better equipment and gas, the Franco-British attacks were contained by the Germans, except for local losses of ground. The British gas attack failed sufficiently to neutralise the defenders and the artillery bombardment was too short to destroy barbed wire and machine gun nests. German defensive fortifications and tactics could not be overcome by the British who were still assembling a mass army suitable for Western Front conditions.

Background

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Strategic developments

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The battle was the British part of theThird Battle of Artois,a Franco-British offensive (known to the Germans as theHerbstschlacht(Autumn Battle). Field Marshal SirJohn FrenchandDouglas Haig(GOCFirst Army), regarded the ground south of La Bassée Canal, which was overlooked by German-held slag heaps and colliery towers, as unsuitable for an attack, particularly given the discovery in July that the Germans were building a second defensive position behind the front position. At the Frévent Conference on 27 July, Field Marshal French failed to persuadeFerdinand Fochthat an attack further north offered greater prospects for success. The debate continued into August, with Joffre siding with Foch and the British commanders being over-ruled byHerbert Kitchener,the BritishSecretary of State for War,on 21 August.[1]On 3 May, the British had decided to use poison gas in military operations in France. At a conference on 6 September, Haig announced to his subordinates that extensive use of chlorine gas might facilitate an advance on a line towards Douai and Valenciennes, despite the terrain, as long as the French and British were able to keep the attack secret.[2]

Prelude

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British offensive preparations

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The battle was the third time that specialistRoyal Engineer tunnelling companieswere used to dig under no-man's-land, to plantminesunder the parapets of the German front line trenches, ready to be detonated at zero hour.[3]

British plan

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Battle of Loos, 1915

French decided to keep a reserve consisting of theCavalry Corps,theIndian Cavalry CorpsandXI Corps(Lieutenant-GeneralRichard Haking), which consisted of theGuards Divisionand the New Army21st Divisionand24th Division,recently arrived in France and a corps staff (some of whom had never worked together or served on a staff before).Archibald Murray,the DeputyChief of the Imperial General Staff(DCIGS) advised French that as recently-trained troops, they were suited for the long marches of an exploitation rather than for trench warfare. French was doubtful that a breakthrough would be achieved. Haig and Foch, commander of thegroupe des armées du nord(Northern Army Group), wanted the reserves closer, to exploit a breakthrough on the first day. French agreed to move the reserves nearer to the front but still thought they should not be committed until the second day.[4]

Haig was hampered by the shortage ofartilleryammunition, which meant the preliminary bombardment, essential for success in trench warfare, was insufficient. With only 533 guns and a shortage of shells to cover 11,200 yd (6.4 mi; 10.2 km) front with two German trench lines to bombard, the British would probably be attacking positions that had not been disrupted enough to be broken through and reliant on the success of the gas attack.[5]The British commanders did not grasp that German defensive tactics included placing the second line of machine gun nests on the reverse slopes of hills; destroying them would need howitzers and high explosive shells.[6]Prior to the British attack, about 140 long tons (140 t) of chlorine gas was released, with mixed results; in places the gas was blown back onto British trenches, while in others it caused the Germans considerable difficulty.[7]Due to the inefficiency of contemporary gas masks, many soldiers removed them as they could not see through the fogged-up eyepieces or could barely breathe with them on, which led to some being affected by their gas. Wanting to be closer to the battle, French had moved to a forward command post at Lilliers, less than 20 mi (32 km) behind the First Army front. He left most of his staff behind at GHQ and had no direct telephone to the army HQ, which attacked at6:30 a.m.on 25 September, sending an officer by car to request the release of the reserves at7:00 a.m.[8]

Battle

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See also:Hohenzollern Redoubt

25 September

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Map, Hohenzollern Redoubt, October 1915

In many places British artillery had failed to cut the German wire.[9]The engineers manning the chlorine gas cylinders warned against their use, because of the weakness and unpredictability of the wind but they were overruled by General SirHubert Gough.In some places the gas drifted back into the British lines and caused more British than German casualties.[10][11]Advancing over open fields, within range of German machine-guns and artillery, the British infantry suffered many casualties.[12]The British were able to break through the weaker German defences and capture the village ofLoos-en-Gohelle,mainly due to numerical superiority. Supply and communications problems, combined with the late arrival of reserves, meant that the breakthrough could not be exploited. Haig did not hear until10:00 a.m.that the divisions were moving up to the front. French visited Haig from11:00 to 11:30 a.m.and agreed that Haig could have the reserve but rather than using the telephone he drove to Haking's headquarters and gave the order at12:10 p.m.Haig then heard from Haking at1:20 p.m.that the reserves were moving forward.[8]French had not understood the state of the roads the reserves would have to use and had not constructed new ones. Most of the reserve divisions had to march through the day and night in single file up the only accessible roads.[13]

26–28 September

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When the battle resumed the following day, the Germans had recovered and improved their defensive positions. Much of the barbed wire, in some places 30 ft (9.1 m) deep, remained uncut and the British had used their stock of chlorine gas.[13]British attempts to continue the advance with the reserves were repulsed.[14]The British preparatory bombardment, which amounted to desultory fire for about twenty minutes, apparently inflicted no casualties.[15]German machine gunners reported being "nauseated" from the sight of so many corpses and ceased firing so that the British could retreat with their wounded.[16]French told Foch on 28 September, that a gap could be "rushed" just north of Hill 70, although Foch felt that this would be difficult to co-ordinate and Haig told him that the First Army was in no position for further attacks.[17]A lull fell on 28 September, with the British back on their start lines, having suffered more than20,000 casualties,including three major-generals.[18][a]

Air operations

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TheRoyal Flying Corps(RFC) came under the command of Brigadier-GeneralHugh Trenchard.[19]The1st, 2nd and 3rdwings under ColonelsEdward Ashmore,John SalmondandSefton Branckerparticipated. As the British were short of artillery ammunition, the RFC flew target identification sorties prior to the battle, to ensure that shells were not wasted.[20]During the first few days of the attack, target-marking squadrons equipped with better wireless transmitters, helped to direct British artillery onto German targets.[21]Later in the battle, pilots carried out atactical bombingoperation for the first time in history. Aircraft of the2nd and 3rdwings dropped many 100 lb (45 kg) bombs on German troops, trains, rail lines and marshalling yards.[22]As the land offensive stalled, British pilots and observers flew low over German positions, providing target information to the artillery.[23]

Aftermath

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Analysis

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British infantry advancing through gas atLoos,25 September 1915.

Rawlinson wrote to the King's adviserArthur Bigge(28 September)

From what I can ascertain, some of the divisions did actually reach the enemy's trenches, for their bodies can now be seen on the barbed wire.

— Rawlinson[8]

Major-General Richard Hilton, at that time a Forward Observation Officer, said of the battle,

A great deal of nonsense has been written about Loos. The real tragedy of that battle was its nearness to complete success. Most of us who reached the crest of Hill 70, and survived, were firmly convinced that we had broken through on that Sunday, 26th September 1915. There seemed to be nothing ahead of us, but an unoccupied and incomplete trench system. The only two things that prevented our advancing into the suburbs of Lens were, firstly, the exhaustion of the "Jocks" themselves (for they had undergone a bellyfull [sic] of marching and fighting that day) and, secondly, the flanking fire of numerous German machine-guns, which swept that bare hill from some factory buildings in Cite St. Auguste to the south of us. All that we needed was more artillery ammunition to blast those clearly-located machine-guns, plus some fresh infantry to take over from the weary and depleted "Jocks". But, alas, neither ammunition nor reinforcements were immediately available, and the great opportunity passed.

— Richard Hilton[24]
A London Irish at Loos(Elizabeth Thompson)
Shows Rifleman Frank Edwards leading the charge while kicking a football.[25]

French had been criticised before the battle and lost his remaining support in the government and army due to the British failure and a belief that he handled poorly the reserve divisions.[26]French was replaced by Haig asCommander-in-Chief(C-in-C) of theBritish Expeditionary Force(BEF) on 15 December 1915.[27]Though Haig and Gough committed too many of their forces on the first day, they largely escaped blame for the debacle. French's combination of poor tactical planning, lack of knowledge of the conditions and poor execution in releasing the reserves was blamed for the British failure by John Keegan in 1998.[6]

Casualties

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British casualties suffered in the main attack were48,367 andthey suffered10,880 morein the subsidiary attack, a total of59,247of the285,107 Britishcasualties on the Western Front in 1915.[28]James Edmonds,the British official historian, gave German losses in the period21 September – 10 Octoberasc. 26,000ofc. 141,000 casualtieson the Western Front during the autumn offensives in Artois and Champagne.[29]InDer Weltkrieg,the German official account,6th Armycasualties are given as29,657 to21 September; by the end of October losses had risen to51,100 andtotal German casualties for the autumn battle (Herbstschlacht) in Artois and Champagne, were given as150,000 men.[30]About 26,000 of the German casualties were attributable to the Battle of Loos.[16]

Fifty-four Commonwealth commanding officers were killed or wounded in the battle.[31]

Subsequent operations

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3–13 October

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Main article:Actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt

The Germans made several attempts to recapture theHohenzollern Redoubt,which they accomplished on 3 October.[32]On 8 October, the Germans attempted to recapture much of the remaining lost ground by attacking with five regiments around Loos and against part of the 7th Division on the left flank. Foggy weather inhibited observation, the artillery preparation was inadequate and the British and French defenders were well prepared behind intact wire. The German attack was repulsed with3,000 casualtiesbut managed to disrupt British attack preparations, causing a delay until the night of12/13 October.[33][34]The British made a final attack on 13 October, which failed due to a lack of hand grenades.[35]Haig thought it might be possible to launch another attack on 7 November but the combination of heavy rain and accurate German shelling during the second half of October persuaded him to abandon the attempt.[36]

Commemoration

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Dud Corner Cemetery

TheLoos Memorialcommemorates over20,000 soldiersof Britain and the Commonwealth who fell in the battle and have no known grave.[37]The community ofLoosinBritish Columbia,changed its name from Crescent Island to commemorate the battle and several participants wrote of their experiences,Robert Gravesdescribed the battle and succeeding days in his war memoirGood-Bye to All That(1929),Patrick MacGill,who served as a stretcher-bearer in the London Irish and was wounded at Loos in October 1915, described the battle in his autobiographical novelThe Great Push(1916) andJ. N. Hallrelated his experiences in the British Army at Loos inKitchener's Mob(1916).[38][39][40]

Victoria Cross awards

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Main article:Lists of Victoria Cross recipients

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^George Thesiger,9th (Scottish) Division,Thompson Capper,7th DivisionandFrederick Wing12th (Eastern) Division.[18]

Footnotes

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  1. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 120–129.
  2. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 151–154.
  3. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 162, 252–263.
  4. ^Holmes 2005,pp. 300–302.
  5. ^Hart 2014,p. 153.
  6. ^abKeegan 1998,p. 202.
  7. ^Sheldon 2012,pp. 210–215.
  8. ^abcHolmes 2005,pp. 302–305.
  9. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 163–167.
  10. ^Herwig 2014,p. 171.
  11. ^Hochschild 2011,p. 163.
  12. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 191, 207, 223, 258, 261, 264.
  13. ^abHochschild 2011,p. 164.
  14. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 304–307.
  15. ^Sheldon 2012,p. 230.
  16. ^abMeyer 2006,p. 353.
  17. ^Holmes 2005,pp. 305–306.
  18. ^abSheldon 2012,p. 136.
  19. ^Jones 2002,p. 124.
  20. ^Jones 2002,p. 125.
  21. ^Jones 2002,pp. 129–130.
  22. ^Jones 2002,pp. 127–128.
  23. ^Boyle 1962,pp. 148–150.
  24. ^Warner 2000,pp. 1–2.
  25. ^Edwards 2021.
  26. ^Holmes 2005,pp. 306–310.
  27. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 409.
  28. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 392–393.
  29. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 392.
  30. ^Humphries & Maker 2010,pp. 308, 320, 329.
  31. ^Hodgkinson, P.E. (28 September 2015),Loos 25 Sept to 15 Oct 1915: A Bloody Battle for COs,The Battle of Loos was an extraordinarily bloody battle for infantry battalion COs. 28 were killed and 26 wounded (one further CO being captured).
  32. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 369–370.
  33. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 372–375.
  34. ^Humphries & Maker 2010,p. 319.
  35. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 380–387.
  36. ^Edmonds 1928,pp. 389–391.
  37. ^CWGC 2013.
  38. ^Graves 1980,pp. 141–172.
  39. ^MacGill 1916,pp. 118–168.
  40. ^Hall 1916,pp. 146–168.
  41. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 194.
  42. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 205.
  43. ^abcdEdmonds 1928,p. 214.
  44. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 231.
  45. ^abEdmonds 1928,p. 261.
  46. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 264.
  47. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 327.
  48. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 333.
  49. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 336.
  50. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 353.
  51. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 354.
  52. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 361.
  53. ^abEdmonds 1928,p. 369.
  54. ^Edmonds 1928,p. 374.
  55. ^abEdmonds 1928,p. 387.

References

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Books

Journals

Websites

Further reading

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Books

Theses

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