Zweibund — the Dual Alliance — Germany and Austria-Hungary united, were the core of the Central Powers, and here join hands. The bars of Germany's flag border the top left, and those of the Habsburg Austrian Empire and ruling house the bottom right.

Schulter an Schulter

Untrennbar vereint

in Freud und in Leid!'



Shoulder to shoulder

Inseparably united

in joy and in sorrow!

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Sunday, May 16, 1915

"A second assault was delivered on May 16th [1915] at Festubert. Here the German trenches were protected by special wire cables, nearly two inches in diameter with parapets in front of these entanglements. The British, lacking high explosives, could not sweep these obstructions aside with their artillery fire.

After showering the German trenches with shrapnel, the infantry charged against the barrier. Unable to cut the thick wire, the Britishers laid their overcoats upon the entanglements and crawled over the top in the face of a murderous machine-gun fire. Though thousands perished at this barrier, the British troops did not waver."

Quotation Context

The Allies major spring offensive of 1915 was launched on May 9. The French Second Battle of Artois had limited success on the first day. The British launched a simultaneous attack in the Battle of Festubert and Aubers Ridge. The French continued their offensive into June, the British through late May.

Source

King's Complete History of the World War by W.C. King, page 157, copyright © 1922, by W.C. King, publisher: The History Associates, publication date: 1922

Tags

1915-05-16, 1915, May, Battle of Festubert