The second of two Battelground Europe titles covering this highly significant battle of spring 1918. The German offensive in Flanders in April 1918 came close to catastrophe for the British Armies, but ultimately ended in strategic defeat for the Kaiser's men. Following close on the heels of the devastating 'Operation Michael' attack in March, which had been aimed against the British front on the Somme and Arras, this offensive, 'Operation Georgette', was aimed at strangling the vital railways and roads that supplied the British at Ypres and threatening the vital logistics links with the Channel Ports. Having assembled an overwhelming numerical advantage, the Germans attacked in thick fog on 9 April 1918. By day's end, the Germans had succeeded in gaining a crossing of the River Lys and were well on their way to the railway junctions at Hazebrouck. Next day, they extended the attacked front northwards and advanced to the very gates of Ypres, forcing a British retirement from the bloodily won advances during the Third Battle of Ypres. Messines Ridge, captured so spectacularly by the British in June 1917, was soon in German hands and fighting inched towards Mont Kemmel, which dominated the Ypres front. Once this fell, the way was open for the capture of the main supply roads into Ypres. What the British call 'The 'Battle of the Lys 1918' is a fascinating yet curiously neglected period of military history. Chris Baker examines this major battle from the strategic down to the platoon level, highlighting the key events, characters and acts of enormous bravery on both sides, both in historical narrative and in a series of tours of the area. This volume concentrates on the northern half of the battlefield; nearly all of the actions described in this volume took place in Belgium.
