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The Allied advance in the Anglo-French Somme Offensive of 1916. As French forces were transferred to the defense of Verdun, British forces took on more of the burden.
Text:
Sur la Somme
On the Somme
Map:
Départ de la Poussée (Start of the Push), Somme, Péronne, Courcelette, Martinpuich, Thiepval, Pozieres, la Boiselle, Contalmaison, Maurepas, Hem, Clery, le Forest, Combles, Rancourt, Bouchavesnes, Allaines, Mt. St. Quentin, la Tortille

The Allied advance in the Anglo-French Somme Offensive of 1916. As French forces were transferred to the defense of Verdun, British forces took on more of the burden.

Image text

Sur la Somme

On the Somme



Map:

Départ de la Poussée (Start of the Push), Somme, Péronne, Courcelette, Martinpuich, Thiepval, Pozieres, la Boiselle, Contalmaison, Maurepas, Hem, Clery, le Forest, Combles, Rancourt, Bouchavesnes, Allaines, Mt. St. Quentin, la Tortille,

Other views: Larger

Wednesday, March 21, 1917

"The great event is the German withdrawal to the new front line, Arras—St. Quentin—Laon. The Allies see in this the consummation of the Battle of the Somme. I myself prefer to regard it as a very bold large-scale manœuvre, intended to draw the French forces far from Paris in order later, south of Verdun, to attempt a powerful offensive movement westwards to turn their flank or encircle the French troops in actions further to the north.

The Chief of the French Mission tells me that General Nivelle is determined to press on with his offensive in the region originally fixed, Rheims—Soissons, while the British will operate to the north of Arras.

It is very dangerous to move in the north and expose their flank and rear to an enemy offensive!"

Quotation Context

Diary entry by Albert, King of the Belgians, for March 21, 1917. The 'German withdrawal' was Operation Alberich, a retreat to a shorter line and stronger defensive position, the Siegfried Zone. The British and French preferred to think of the retreat as a successful result of their offensive on the Somme. At the end of 1916 in the last stages of the Battle of Verdun, French General Robert Nivelle had retaken some of the territory lost in the course of the Battle. His success was rewarded with command of the French armies in France, replacing Joseph Joffre. He immediately began preparing what would become the disastrous Nivelle Offensive, and changed little in his plan despite the German retreat.

Source

The War Diaries of Albert I King of the Belgians by Albert I, page 160, copyright © 1954, publisher: William Kimber

Tags

1917-03-21, 1917, March, the Big Push