Review of 'The Battle of the Lys, April 1918' by Phil Tomaselli (May 2023)

This battle was fought over three weeks, 7 April until 29 April. It was part of the German Spring Offensive, Kaiserschlacht ("Kaiser's Battle").This offensive had begun with Operation Michael on March 21 with the German Army attacking from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of St Quentin, in order to break through the Allied Line. The attack along the Lys, Operation Georgette, had the aim of taking Ypres and the Channel ports and depriving the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) of the vital rail hub at Hazebrouck. This was the battle made famous by Sir Douglas Haig’s famous "backs to the wall" order.

This part of the Western Front in the spring of 1918 was very wet as well as being flat having only two ‘high points’, Mount Kemmel (154 metres) to the north and Givenchy Ridge (31 metres) to the south. The German army had occupied the Aubers Ridge (height 41 metres and about 10 km from the battlefield)) since 1914 and had resisted all attacks in 1915 from the Allies to take this piece of high ground. There were two waterways in this part of Flanders, the La Bassée canal and the Lowe canal.

As the German Sixth Army (GOC Ferdinand von Quast) prepared to attack in April, the Allied front line was bombarded by a heavy artillery barrage for 48 hours. The weakest part of BEF First Army’s (GOC Henry Horne) line was the 18km manned by the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps. These two brigades had been in the line without leave (although there was no problem with officers returning to Lisbon) for several months, they were demoralized and badly led. To the south of the Portuguese troops the front line was held by the 55th Division (OC Major-General Jeudwine) and to the north the 40th Division. Both divisions had been in action in the autumn of 1917 during the battle of Cambrai.

The 55th Division was the better prepared for the German attack. Jeudwine not only rehearsed his troops every day for the expected attack but had ensured the remains of the town of Givenchy was fortified and that his men could transfer across the expected battlefield using tunnels. The division had also created a ‘killing ground’ with waist high barbed wire to trap the expected attack while the division deployed.

On the first day of the German attack (9 April), the German advance was halted by Jeudwine’s excellent preparation. The casualties were high but the German troops were held in front of the ruins of Givenchy. Two of the casualties were awarded the VC for their bravery during this action, Lt. Joseph Collin (Kings Own Lancaster Regiment) and Lt. John Scofield (Lancashire Fusiliers).

The Portuguese troops retreated in an uncontrolled mass leaving a gap in the line. 55th Division held their position, but to the north the 40th Division was forced back. General Horne committed his reserves, King Edwards House (fighting as foot soldiers) and 11th Cyclist Battalion. These too were forced back. The Germans had taken 11 km of the BEF’s line and were advancing as far as Estaires, 8km from Givenchy. It was on April 11th that Haig issued his order including the ‘backs to the wall’ statement. On April 12th, the German advance reached its limit by taking Merville.

By April 13th, staff work and co-operation brought up the First Australian Division with their tanks and the German troops were pushed back, unable to take Hazebrouck. Fighting was now in the open and the British troops were in possession of the higher ground. While fighting around Estaires was drawing to a close, the German Sixth Army changed direction of attack and was able to take Armentières.

North of Armentières, the German Fourth Army (GOC Sixt von Armin) attacked the line held by British 14th Division and, after advancing 6 km, took Messines (11th April). German attacks were still taking ground in the centre. After Bailleul fell to these increased attacks, Plumer (GOC Second Army) decided to withdraw from the Passchendaele Ridge so as to protect Ypres, shorten his line and release troops for the offensive further south. Marshal Foch, recently appointed Generalissimo of the Allied troops in Northern France, released French troops to help in the defence of this sector. Unfortunately, this action was unable to prevent the Germans taking Mt Kemmel, 26th April. 
When the fighting petered out at the end of April, the German army was in possession of an increased salient but had failed to capture its strategic targets. 

Report by Peter Palmer

Below is a video of the presentation by Phil Tomaselli