trench warfare

Tag

(41)

1914

September

12
- Key eventBattle of the Aisne beginsOn 12 September 1914 the British and French, pursuing the Germans after the Marne, reached the Aisne. The Germans dug in on the heights beyond the river.
15
- Battle of the Aisne endsBy the British reckoning the Battle of the Aisne ended on 15 September 1914. The Allies failed to drive the Germans off the heights and both sides dug in.

December

18
- Fighting begins on the Rawka and the BzuraOn 18 December 1914 the Germans attacked new Russian positions on the Rawka and the Bzura, opening fighting that became trench warfare lasting until July 1915.

1915

January

08
- Key eventStart of the battle of SoissonsOn 8 January 1915 the French attacked German trenches on the heights above the Aisne north of Soissons. Moroccan tirailleurs took Hill 132 in minutes.

February

26
- First flamethrower attackOn 26 February 1915, in the Malancourt wood near Verdun, Bernhard Reddemann's German detachment attacked French trenches with flamethrowers.

March

13
- End of the battle of Neuve ChapelleOn 13 March 1915 Haig halted the attack at Neuve Chapelle. The British held the village but did not reach Aubers Ridge. Shells had also run short.

April

17
- Key eventBritish capture Hill 60On 17 April 1915 the British blew mines under Hill 60 south of Ypres and took it within minutes. Over the following days they beat off counter-attacks.

May

25
- End of the Battle of FestubertOn 25 May 1915 the London 47th Division took a German trench at Festubert and French decided to halt the offensive. Ten days of fighting cost 16,600 men.

July

August

10
- End of the Second Battle of the IsonzoThe Austro-Hungarian official history ends the Second Battle of the Isonzo on 10 August 1915. After Italy's 3 August order, the Karst fighting went on a week.

October

18
- Start of the Third Battle of the IsonzoAt noon on 18 October 1915 more than a thousand Italian guns opened fire along the whole Isonzo front. The infantry was to go over to the assault on 21 October.

November

December

10
- End of the Fourth Battle of the IsonzoThe British chronology ends the Fourth Battle of the Isonzo on 10 December 1915. A day earlier the last major Italian attack on Monte San Michele had collapsed.

1916

March

May

21
- German attack on Vimy RidgeOn 21 May 1916, after a massive bombardment, the Germans took British trenches on Vimy Ridge and the mine shaft entrances. The British lost about 2,500 men.

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

18
- Key eventEnd of the Battle of VerdunOn 18 December 1916 Zouaves retook Les Chambrettes farm, ending Mangin's December attack and the Battle of Verdun, under way since February, the war's longest.

1917

May

12
- Start of the tenth battle of the IsonzoAt dawn on 12 May 1917 the Italian artillery opened fire from Tolmin to the Adriatic. The Tenth Battle of the Isonzo, Cadorna's largest offensive, had begun.

June

05
- End of the Tenth Battle of the IsonzoOn 5 June 1917 the Austro-Hungarian counter-attack on the Karst died down. The Italians lost most of their gains at Hermada; the Tenth Isonzo battle ended.

August

December

15
- End of the Second Offensive Battle of VerdunOn 15 December 1917, by French nomenclature, the Second Offensive Battle of Verdun ended. By autumn the fighting was only for positions on the right bank.