Wednesday August 7th, 1918
Much as usual. Field training morning.
Momentum
While Frank and the Battalion are mired in the routine of the training and work, the Allies are preparing for battle.
The Second Battle of the Marne was effectively the last foray of the German Spring Offensive. It began on July 15th and had been devised as a diversionary tactic by Ludendorff. His primary ambition was to attack the British Expeditionary Force through Flanders in Operation Hagen. The Germans made good progress initially, but three days later General Foch coordinated an Allied counter-attack. This inflicted severe casualties on the Germans and the Allies regained much of the lost territory. The German efforts petered out and formally ended yesterday. All-in-all the battle proved a great encouragement for the Allies and cemented Foch’s leadership.
Conditions were shifting in favour of the Allies. The Spring Offensive, while delivering territorial and morale-boosting gains, had ultimately failed strategically. The Germans and Allies had suffered similar casualties. However, the German battle tactics had sacrificed some of their crack units. All losses were difficult to replace.
However the Allies were able to replenish their forces more easily. The British Expeditionary Force is reinforcing itself by combing out the able-bodied from civilian reserved roles and non-fighting troops; new recruits through changes in conscription; and redirecting battalions from other fronts, including Salonika. The American Expeditionary Force is arriving in significant numbers and has been blooded by some early successes. See chart for comparison between Allied and German riflemen numbers on the Western Front from April to November 1918.*
Hundred Days Offensive
Consequently, tomorrow, the Allies will launch the first of a series of attacks. The battle site chosen for the start of the offensive was, once again, the Somme. Both the British and French troops knew it, the ground was suitable for tanks. Furthermore, the German Army located there was relatively weak and had been worn down by the continual raiding actions of the Australians.
Although not part of a unified strategy, collectively these battles will become known as the Hundred Days Offensive. By the end of August, Ludendorff will be forced to recognize that Operation Hagen will never happen. Instead the Germans will be forced to retreat out of France and then beyond the Hindenburg Line. All of this will contribute to the ending of the War.
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 7th August 1918 – Haudricourt
Training etc as per programme. 1 OR having rejoined is taken on strength from 6-8-18.
References & Further Reading
¹‘Hundred Days Offensive’ Wikipedia
² Hundred Days Offensive Encyclopedia 1914-1918
³ ‘Hundred Days Offensive’, History of War
* ‘The war with Germany: a statistical summary‘, edited by LP Ayers, 1919, Govt. Printing Office, Washington DC, USA from Wikimedia