British (Scottish) soldier giving water to a wounded German prisoner during the Second Battle of the Somme (1918),
British (Scottish) soldier giving water to a wounded German prisoner during the Second Battle of the Somme (1918), August 21, 1918.
Colourised by @dougbanksee.
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Today 104 years ago, on August 21, 1918, the Allies launched the Second Battle of the Somme (1918), the second phase of the Hundred Days Offensive.
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In the Battle of Amiens, the British troops were running out of supplies and artillery and German reserves had been sent it. The British, eager to keeping up the pressure, decided to attack further south on the Somme.
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Attacks on strong-points along the Somme would be carried out by British, New Zealand, Australian, Canadian and U.S. troops. The immediate goal was the small railway town of Bapaume and afterwards to keep advancing.
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Prior to the attack on the Somme, the French would also attack further south at Noyon, which they did on August 17, 1918 and advanced. On August 21, 1918, British and New Zealand troops attacked at Albert and advanced. The next day they captured Albert, with British and U.S. troops attacking at Arras as well.
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On August 24, New Zealand troops in support of tanks attacked and advanced north of Albert to less than 1 km from Bapaume. On August 25, the New Zealand troops attacked Bapaume, attempting to encircle it. By August 29, the Germans withdrew eastwards and Bapaume was captured. The New Zealand troops kept advancing. On August 26, the Canadians were sent in at Arras on the Scarpe river and also advanced.
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On August 31, the Australians were sent in on the Somme and brilliantly stormed the German strong-point of the Mont St. Quentin. They captured the height and crossed the Somme.
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On September 2, British and Canadian troops attacked the Drocourt-Quéant Line, the most northern part of the German Hindenburg Line. They captured the strongpoint, forcing the Germans along the whole front to retreat to the Hindenburg Line, ending the battle.
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In the Second Battle of the Somme (1918), the U.S. suffered 11,500 casualties, the British 11,000, the Canadians 5,800, the New Zealanders 3,100 and the Australians 3,000 casualties.
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