Douglas Haig quotes
We were unprepared for war, or at any rate for a war of such magnitude.
A bombing attack was launched by the Germans in the early morning, and they succeeded in capturing our trenches.
During the battles of 1917, ammunition was plentiful, but the gun situation was a source of constant anxiety.
A further cause adversely influencing the duration of the war on the Western Front during its later stages, and one following indirectly from that just stated, was the situation in other theatres.
After a period of further bombardment on both sides, the German fire again increased in intensity against our trenches and the French line beyond them.
After several days' heavy shelling over the whole of our line in this area, the first attack took place on 12th February at the extreme left of our line to the north of Ypres.
Another series of German attacks was launched about the same time in the neighbourhood of Hooge to the east of Ypres.
As regards material, it was not until midsummer 1916 that the artillery situation became even approximately adequate to the conduct of major operations.
Battle having been joined, there follows the period of real struggle in which the main forces of the two belligerent armies are pitted against each other in close and costly combat.
By their means our soldiers established over the German soldier a moral superiority which they held in an ever-increasing degree until the end of the war, even in the difficult days of March and April 1918.
During the period 8th to 19th February the enemy displayed increased activity in the Ypres salient, and carried out a series of infantry attacks, preceded, as a rule, by intense bombardment, and by the explosion of mines.
During the second half of the war, and that part embracing the critical and costly period of the wearing-out battle, the losses previously suffered by our Allies laid upon the British Armies in France an increasing share in the burden of attack.
During the whole of the 13th February he heavily bombarded our front-line trenches in this neighbourhood and completely destroyed them.
Each commander seeks to wear down the power of resistance of his opponent and to pin him to his position and, when signs of the enemy becoming morally and physically weakened are observed, deliver the decisive attack.
From the opening of the Somme battle in 1916 to the termination of hostilities the British Armies were subjected to a strain of the severity which never ceased, and consequently had no opportunity for the rest and training they needed.
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