Douglas Haig

Haig commands I Corps in the Ypres salient.

Royal Flying Corps aircraft support preparatory operations by attacking German observation balloons.

Haig directs the opening Somme phase as British armies attack across the Albert sector.

Commands the British Expeditionary Force as the Somme attack opens after a week of bombardment.

The British attack opens on the Somme, causing 57,470 British casualties on the first day.

British tanks are used in battle for the first time during the Somme offensive.

Orders the Somme offensive to continue as tanks are used in battle for the first time.

British Fourth Army attacks Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs while French forces move toward Combles and Rancourt.

The First Battle of Passchendaele, on 12 October 1917 began with a further Allied attempt by 5 British and 3 ANZAC divisions (the New Zealand Division and the Australian 3rd and 4th Divisions) to gain ground around Poelcappelle. The Allied troops were fought-out, and morale was suffering, against the well-prepared German defences, the gains were minimal and there were 13,000 Allied casualties

The four divisions of the Canadian Corps were transferred to the Ypres Salient and to make additional advances on Passchendaele

At a conference in Chantilly in November 1916, and a series of subsequent meetings, the Entente agreed on an offensive strategy where they would overwhelm the Central Powers by means of attacks on the Western, Eastern and Italian Fronts

In December 1916, at the conclusion of the Battle of the Somme, Haig identified Flanders as the most promising theatre for a British offensive of 1917 and by January 1917 the idea of a Flanders offensive had met with the approval of the British Cabinet

The idea of a Flanders offensive had been in the mind of British commander Sir Douglas Haig for some time before the Battle of Passchendaele began. Orders plans to be drawn up for an attack in the area, and this attack might well have happened had the Germans not launched the Battle of Verdun

Launches the Arras offensive to support wider Allied operations on the Western Front.

British Fifth Army advances against villages near the Hindenburg Line during the wider Arras operations.

Haig launches the Third Battle of Ypres.

Approves the plan for the offensive on the plain of Cambrai

Haig decides to capture Passchendaele

Orders the Canadian Corps to capure the Pascendale Ridge

1st day of the Passchendaele Offensive

The Passchandale Offensive ceases after only advancing half a mile in 12 days

Although inflicting irreplaceable casualties on the Germans, the Allies had captured a mere 5 miles (8 km) of new territory at a cost of 140,000 combat deaths.

The Battle consisted of a series of Bite and Hold attacks to capture critical terrain and wear down the German army, lasting until the Canadian Corps took Passchendaele on 6 November 1917, ending the battle.

a ratio of roughly 2 inches (5 cm) gained per dead soldier.

German reinforcements stop the Allied advance to Cambrai & regain lost land by Nov 30. 6 KM are gained

Authorizes the Allied attack by the BEF against the Hindenburg Line

Directs British forces as the Amiens attack opens the Allied advance on the Western Front.

The Battle of Amiens opens in fog. British Fourth Army and French First Army break through German lines and begin the Hundred Days advance.

The Second Armys failure to secure the fall of Amiens (in particular the critically important railway junction) in the centre of the German line compromised the whole of Ludendorffs planned advance. 8-11 Aug, offensive instigated by Haig, ultimately leads to victory

The Battle of Amiens, also known as the Third Battle of Picardy, begins the Allied counter-offensive later called the Hundred Days Offensive.

On 10th August the French 3rd Army launched attacks in the southern sector of the advance. Montdidier was re-captured and the Paris-Amiens railway line was once again in Allied control

The second phase of the offensive began on 21st August as the Second Battles of the Somme 1918. The French Tenth and 3rd Armies, and the British 3rd and First Army attacked. The ANZAC captured ground north of the Somme river at Peronne and Mont St. Quentin. Canadian forces captured ground near Queant

Begins the next phase of the Allied advance after Amiens by attacking toward Albert.

British Third and Fourth Armies renew the advance on the old Somme battlefield, forcing the German Second Army back.

By 4th September the German forces had withdrawn to the Hindenburg Line, the position from which they had advanced to make the offensives in the earlier part of the year

The Battle of Havrincourt (12th September 1918) was launched as a successful attack by the British 3rd Army with three divisions against four German Army divisions holding the fortified town of Havrincourt

Following the success at Havrincourt, three corps of the British 4th Army, one corps of the British 3rd Army and units of the French First Army.

The Battle of Epehy (18th September 1918) was launched against a 20 mile section of outpost positions for the Hindenburg Line.

The left and right wings of the advance progressed with difficulty, but the two Australian divisions in the centre of the advance were successful in achieving an advance of three miles.

The success of this attack showed to the Allies that the German defence, even on the fortified Hindenburg Line positions, was not impossible to break through

The Battle of Canal du Nord (27th September - 1st October 1918) took place against a section of the canal and the outskirts of Cambrai. The British First Army was to cross the canal continuing the advance following on from the Battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line and advance towards Cambrai

The Battle of Canal du Nord (27th September - 1st October 1918) took place against a section of the canal and the outskirts of Cambrai. The British First Army was to cross the canal continuing the advance following on from the Battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line and advance towards Cambrai

1st day of the Battle of Flanders

The Flanders Advance is also known as the Fifth Battle of Ypres.

The Flanders Advance is also known as the Fifth Battle of Ypres.

The Allies have advanced 8 miles & all the German defenses taken

By this time the Army Group of Flanders (GAF) comprised a total of 28 divisions from the Belgian, British and French Armies under the command of King Albert I of Belgium.

The Battle of Courtrai, also known as the Battle of Roulers or the Second Battle of Belgium (14th - 19th October 1918) followed on after a pause of a couple of weeks from the end of the Allied Flanders Advance.

The successful advance recaptured a number of Belgian towns including Menin, Courtrai, Roulers (Flemish name: Roeselare), Ostend, Bruges, Zeebrugge, and the French towns of Lille and Douai. Units of the advance reached the Dutch border by 19th October

The Second Battle of Cambrai (8th October - 10th October 1918) was a successful offensive by the British First, 3rd and 4th Armies with the support of tanks. The advance crossed three German lines of defence which were lightly manned, took Cambrai within two days and suffered very light casualties

By this time the Army Group of Flanders (GAF) comprised a total of 28 divisions from the Belgian, British and French Armies under the command of King Albert I of Belgium.

The Battle of Courtrai, also known as the Battle of Roulers or the Second Battle of Belgium (14th - 19th October 1918) followed on after a pause of a couple of weeks from the end of the Allied Flanders Advance.

The successful advance recaptured a number of Belgian towns including Menin, Courtrai, Roulers (Flemish name: Roeselare), Ostend, Bruges, Zeebrugge, and the French towns of Lille and Douai. Units of the advance reached the Dutch border by 19th October

By this time the Army Group of Flanders (GAF) comprised a total of 28 divisions from the Belgian, British and French Armies under the command of King Albert I of Belgium.

The Battle of Courtrai, also known as the Battle of Roulers or the Second Battle of Belgium (14th - 19th October 1918) followed on after a pause of a couple of weeks from the end of the Allied Flanders Advance.

The successful advance recaptured a number of Belgian towns including Menin, Courtrai, Roulers (Flemish name: Roeselare), Ostend, Bruges, Zeebrugge, and the French towns of Lille and Douai. Units of the advance reached the Dutch border by 19th October

The 2nd Allied attack of the Battle of Flanders commences

Ostend is liberated by the Allies during the Battle of Flanders

The Battle of the Selle (17th - 26th October 1918) took place as the Allies continued the advance after the Second Battle of Cambrai, recapturing French villages one by one as the German forces reatreated to the north-east

Bruges is liberated by the Allies during the Battle of Flanders

The Allies reach the Dutch border

The Battle of Valenciennes (1st November 1918) was an offensive carried out by the British 3rd Army to advance to the French-Belgian border and the city of Valenciennes. The city was re-captured by Canadian troops on 2nd November

The Battle of the Sambre (4th November 1918) was a continuation of the Allied advance by Haigs Army Group (the First, 3rd and 4th Armies and the French First Army) coming from the direction of Valenciennes. The Allied troops were to advance from the Conde Canal on a thirty mile front towards Maubeuge-Mons. The offensive included the the Second Battle of Guise (4th - 5th November 1918)

The Battle of the Sambre (4th November 1918) was a continuation of the Allied advance by Haigs Army Group (the First, 3rd and 4th Armies and the French First Army) coming from the direction of Valenciennes. The Allied troops were to advance from the Conde Canal on a thirty mile front towards Maubeuge-Mons. The offensive included the the Second Battle of Guise (4th - 5th November 1918)

The Allies reach a line running from Terneuzen, Ghent, Scheldt River, Ath & St Ghislan

Devises a series of actions to advance into northern France and Belgium. Covers the entire British front from Dixmude to the Ypres salient