From Disaster to Victory: The British Army from 1916-1918

'Break-in to 'break through'

Break-in' to 'break through'

In 1917, not least as a result of its experiences on the Somme, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) developed the ability to regularly break into German defended positions. Given careful planning, abundant artillery support, and reasonable luck, the British were capable of making limited advances, while inflicting heavy casualties on their opponents.

Even successful operations still resulted in heavy casualties. It remained extremely difficult to convert initial tactical success into decisive victory. This was partly the consequence of contemporary technical developments in communications and transport, but mainly the result of the size, ability and determination of the opposing forces packed into a relatively small area of north-west Europe.

In the summer and autumn of 1918, the British were finally able to string together a sequence of victories which left German forces in disorganised retreat towards their own borders, and played a major role the final victory.

The massive German offensive of earlier 1918 had failed to achieve its objectives, and decisively weakened their army. At the same time, the British demonstrated their ability to fight battles making use of every arm - infantry, artillery, tanks, planes, cavalry and armoured cars - in which they not only broke into but broke through the German lines, as at Amiens on 8 August 1918.

The BEF also showed the logistical and organisational ability which enabled it to mount a series of such battles in quick succession. Arguably, this sequence of ‘all-arms’ battles was a crucial step in the development of modern warfare, and a remarkable achievement for the citizen army that had suffered on the Somme.