![\"Fromelles](\"http:\/\/fffaif.files.wordpress.com\/2009\/07\/fromelles-map-1_sml.jpg\" "\\"Fromelles")
<\/a><\/p>\nMap 1: Location of the Western Front 15 December 1914<\/p>\n
Source: Official History of the Great War: Military Operations: France and Belgium 1914, Volume 2 Map 40 <\/em>[extract from The Western Front Association: Mapping the Front in association with the Imperial War Museum<\/em>]<\/p>\n One of the lessons of the fighting on the Western Front in 1914 was that while infantry positions could be improved by means of trenches and defensive positions, nothing could replace or compensate for the tactical advantage of high ground for steady and continuous artillery observation of the enemy’s position. Strategically, in the campaign planning for 1915, the capture of Lille, the fourth largest town in France (and identified on the map below), was regarded as a necessary prelude to any significant advance by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).<\/p>\n Source: Official History of the Great War: Military Operations: France and Belgium 1914, Volume 2 Map 40 <\/em>[extract from The Western Front Association: Mapping the Front in association with the Imperial War Museum<\/em>]<\/p>\n As Aubers Ridge provided direct observation of the railway lines leading from the east and southeast of Lille and on the town itself, the capture of Aubers Ridge was of great strategic importance. In addition, an offensive against Aubers Ridge could be co-ordinated with and receive support from the prospective French 10th<\/sup> Army offensive on the Artois plateau further south (Vimy Ridge) and together the two attacks would threaten the rail, road and canal junction of La Bassee from north and south. On 15 February 1915, Sir John French, Commander-in-Chief asked General Haig to draft schemes for an offensive by the First Army with Le Bassee and Aubers Ridge as its objectives.<\/p>\n Sources: Google Earth & Official History of the Great War: Military Operations: France and Belgium 1915 <\/em><\/p>\n The battle of Neuve Chapelle commenced on 10 March 1915 with a short bombardment by 350 artillery pieces in support of 4 British and Indian divisions, along a 4,000 yard front. This was the first time that an artillery \u201cbarrage\u201d was ordered and the first time a timetable was issued giving each battery a purpose and target for each phase of the bombardment. It was also the first time \u201cobjective maps\u201d were prepared with a \u201cred line objective\u201d and \u201cblue line objective\u201d etc. These became standard practice for all subsequent battles of the war. Further to the north, opposite Fromelles, the line was held by the Canadian Division. Neuve Chapelle was captured and the British line advanced more than half a mile (1,000 yards) before German counter attacks stabilised the front. Despite British casualties totalling 11,500 men by the end of the offensive on 13 March, the British Command concluded that success in trench warfare was dependent upon artillery fire.<\/p>\n Source: Official History of the Great War: Military Operations: France and Belgium 1915, Volume 1 Map 1 <\/em>[extract from The Western Front Association: Mapping the Front in association with the Imperial War Museum<\/em>]<\/p>\n A second attack on Aubers Ridge on either side of Neuve Chapelle was made from 9 May 1915. At Fromelles in the north, the British 8th<\/sup> Division attacked the 6th<\/sup> Bavarian Reserve Infantry Division that had taken over part of the front line in March. This Division included the 21st<\/sup>, 16th<\/sup> and 17th<\/sup> Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiments (BRIR) that opposed the Australian 5th<\/sup> Division and British 61st<\/sup> Division 14 months later. To the south of Neuve Chapelle, the 1st<\/sup> Division Commanded by Lt. General Sir Richard Haking attacked the 13th<\/sup> and 14th<\/sup> Divisions. The British I Corps, IV Corps and Indian Corps (Lahore and Meerut Divisions) attack was timed to coincide with a major French attack in the second battle of Artois, attacking Vimy Ridge. The attack was preceded by a significant artillery bombardment on defences that were then described as \u201cwell-developed\u201d. The barrage did little to undermine the German defences and there was concern over the quality and quantity of shells provided for the artillery (which contributed to the fall of the Asquith Government and Lloyd George becoming Prime Minister). The attack made little progress and ground to a halt the next day with British casualties amounting to 11,600 men. The French campaign, further to the south, also proved costly with high casualties.<\/p>\n Source: Official History of the Great War: Military Operations: France and Belgium 1916, Volume 2 Map 2 <\/em><\/p>\n A few days later the Battle of Festubert commenced on 15 May about 3 miles to the south of Neuve Chapelle in the first night attack of the war and continued for 10 days with 16,000 casualties. The attack was again carried out by the British First Army commanded by Sir Douglas Haig and included the British 2nd<\/sup> and 7th<\/sup> Divisions and Indian Meerut Division.<\/p>\n Later, in September, the Battle of Loos commenced with 6 Divisions of the British First Army (2nd<\/sup>, 9th<\/sup>, 7th<\/sup>, 1st<\/sup>, 15th<\/sup> and 47th<\/sup> Divisions between 5 and 10 miles to the south of Neuve Chapelle. Commanded by Sir Douglas Haig, the offensive commenced on 25 September and after counter attacks and renewed attacks, finished on 18 October with 50,000 casualties.<\/p>\n Lille and the Aubers Ridge remained in German hands at the end of 1916.<\/p>\n Compiled by<\/strong> Jim Munro, Vice President, Families and Friends of the First AIF<\/em>.<\/p>\n Sources: Edmonds J. E., Wynne G. C. and Becke A. F., The History of the Great War: Based on Official Document: Military Operations France and Belgium 1915<\/em>, Macmillan & Co, London, 1927, pps 63-64, 70, 84<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The meeting of the British War Council of 13 January 1915 made 2 decisions that would have profound impacts upon the Australian Imperial Force and families in Australia. The War Council established a sub-Committee, chaired by Lord Kitchener, to consider … Continue reading ![\"Fromelles](\"http:\/\/fffaif.files.wordpress.com\/2009\/07\/fromelles-map-1a_sml.jpg\" "\\"Fromelles")
<\/a>Map 1a: Location of the Western Front 15 December 1914<\/p>\n![\"Fromelles](\"http:\/\/fffaif.files.wordpress.com\/2009\/07\/fromelles-map-2_sml-aubers-ridge.jpg\" "\\"Fromelles")
<\/a>\u00a0Map 2: The Battle of Aubers Ridge \u2013 Location map showing topography with River Layes lowlands overlooked by Aubers Ridge.<\/p>\n![\"Fromelles](\"http:\/\/fffaif.files.wordpress.com\/2009\/07\/fromelles-map-3_sml-battle-of-neuve-chapelle.jpg\" "\\"Fromelles")
<\/a>Map 3: Battle of Neuve Chapelle, 10 March 1915<\/p>\n![\"Fromelles](\"http:\/\/fffaif.files.wordpress.com\/2009\/07\/fromelles-map-4_sml-the-battle-of-aubers-ridge.jpg\" "\\"Fromelles")
<\/a>\u00a0Map 4: The Battle of Aubers Ridge, 9 May 1916.<\/p>\n
\nBean C. E. W., Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918 Volume 3,<\/em> The AIF in France 1916,<\/em> Chapters 12 & 13 The Battle of Fromelles. Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1934<\/p>\n