The Battle of the Lys 1918: South by Chris Baker - 9781526716965

Thank you for looking at this title.\nAbout the bookThe German offensive in Flanders in April 1918 came close to catastrophe for the British Armies, but ultimately ended in strategic defeat for the Kaiser\u2019s men. Following closely on the heels of the devastating \u2018Operation Michael\u2019 attack in March on the Somme and around Arras, named as \u2018Operation Georgette\u2019, the offensive was aimed at strangling the vital railways and roads that supplied the British at Ypres.\nHaving assembled an overwhelming numerical advantage, the Germans attacked in thick fog on 9 April 1918. They faced tired British formations that had just been relieved from the earlier battle and which were receiving replacements, mainly in the form of 18 year-old conscripts. By the day\u2019s end, the Germans had succeeded in gaining a crossing of the River Lys and were well on their way to the vital railway junctions at Hazebrouck. Several British divisions were deployed to stop the advance, only to .