Prelude to Loos: from Café to Ditch of Death, by Sir Philip Gibbs KBE | 25 September 1915 | Episode 86

On September 25, 1915, there was launched one of the bloodiest and most costly battles of the war against the German positions at Loos. Full of high hopes and supported by a strong preliminary bombardment, the British troops advanced to the assault, but in the end achieved little in return for a casualty list of approximately 2,000 officers and 50,000 men. This sad episode is described by the famous war correspondent, Sir Philip Gibbs, who saw the massing of the troops in the back areas.