Wrong Strategic Calculations in the Western Offensive, July 7, 1916

The Wrong Strategic Calculations in the Western Offensive

Copenhagen, July 5

Some of the newspapers here are stating openly that the English are the victims of completely wrong strategic calculations in the Battle at the Somme. The military critic of the newspaper "Exstrabladet", for example, is emphasizing that the Germans had two years' time to fortify their lines and to construct their defense positions at least 15 kilometers deep. The German system which has now come to light is posing an extremely sobering surprise for the English, whose long calculated plan of attack was based on former types of combat and was reckoning on a relatively easy game. These misguided calculations are now obvious from the stagnation of the loudly praised offensive.

In conjunction with the latest news on the deadlock in the English offensive, our Express Correspondence's war reporter related the contents of an interview held with Dr. Egan, the American ambassador in Copenhagen. Dr. Egan's remarks, which the reporter relates to the English and French offensive, were to the effect that it appeared that total decisions regarding the war do not lie in the hands of the military. Only once the belligerents realize that a definitive decision cannot be forced through mass violence would diplomatic negotiations finally become more amenable.

According to a telegram in the newspaper "Politiken", the view is held among decisive circles in London that the Battle at the Somme will proceed in a similar manner to the Battles of Verdun and will be protracted. After several days of heavy storming attacks, pauses must be introduced, in order to pull troops together and to prepare new attacks. At the moment, the terrain won by the English-French troops during the first days of the offensive is being fortified.

A bicycle company breaks up to storm attack
during the battles of the English-French offensive
(Illustrierte Geschichte des Weltkrieges 1914/16)

No Significant Advantages, July 6, 1916

The English-French Offensive Continues

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 5, Official

Western Theater of War

Apart from minor reconnaissance battles, only lively artillery and trench mortar activity has taken place between the coast and Ancrebach. The number of non-wounded captured English over the last few days on the right bank of the Ancre amounts to 48 officers and 867 men. Fierce fighting once again broke out at the Front on both sides of the Somme. The enemy has not been able to achieve significant advantages at any point up to now.

No events of any particular significance occurred on the left bank of the Maas during the day.

On the right bank, strong French forces once again attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to advance on our trenches to the north-west of Fort Thiaumont.

Our troops in the trenches

Thiepval, La Boisselle and the Barleux-Belloy Line, July 5, 1916

The English-French Offensive Continues

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 4, Official

Western Theater of War

While the enemy did not repeat their attacks to the north of Ancebaches [sic: Ancre-Baches] they positioned substantial forces between Ance [sic: Ancre] and the Somme against the Front at Thiepval, La Boisselle, Mametz Grove, and south of the Somme against the Barleux-Belloy line. Their losses in our artillery and infantry fire corresponded with the high number of men deployed. The attacks were crushed everywhere. A fierce battle raged for the possession of the village of Hardecourt, to the north of the Somme. French soldiers who infiltrated the village were driven out.

Local enemy advances to the north-east of Ypres, west of La Bassee and in the area south-west of Lens, as well as heavy attacks against the "High Battery of Damloup" to the east of the Maas were sharply rebuffed.

The repeated official French reports of the recapture of Fort Thiaumont and the Battery of Damloup are myths in the same vein as the statements regarding the number of prisoners at the events of the Somme.

Our troops in the trenches

To the east and south-east of Armentieres, German patrols infiltrated the English reconnaissance divisions at Erbruecke to the west of Mülhausen in the French trenches. Here, 1 officer and 60 riflemen were taken prisoner, 9 enemy planes were shot down, 5 of them in aerial combat without any losses to us, 4 by defensive fire; 6 of the planes put out of action are in our possession.

The English-French Offensive Continues, July 4, 1916

The English-French Offensive Continues

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 3, Official

Western Theater of War

The continuing English-French attacks on both sides of the Somme have, in general, not yielded any advantages to the north of the river. The enemy has suffered extremely high and bloody losses here. To the south of the river, we moved the division that was withdrawn to the fortified position yesterday back to a second trench during the night.

Combat activity remains the same at the parts of the army front that have not been attacked.

To the west of the Maas, the French attempts to seize back the parts of the trenches captured at Hill 304 led to minor infantry battles.

To the east of the Maas, the enemy exhausted themselves in unsuccessful attacks on Fort Thiaumont and the Hill "Kalte Erd." [sic: Kalte Erde]. In one such attack, they temporarily penetrated our foremost trenches, around 600 meters south-west of the Fort, but were driven out immediately. To the south-east of Fort Vaux, the "High battery of Damloup" has been in our hands since last night. 100 prisoners and several machine guns were captured there.

Officers in the Field

French divisions advancing towards the German positions in Priesterwalde north-west of Pont-à-Mousson were repelled effortlessly. In the numerous air battles yesterday, 6 enemy planes were shot down, 4 of them in our lines. Leutnant Mulzer put his 7th and Leutnant Paschau his 6th opponent out of action. One enemy bi-plane was shot down over Douai, another the day before yesterday east of Pervyse (Ypres Front) by defensive fire. 2 French captive balloons were shot down by our planes in the region of Verdun.

Start of the English-French Offensive, July 3, 1916

Start of the English-French Offensive

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters July 2, Official

Western Theater of War

After seven days of advance operations by heavy artillery and gas assaults on both banks of the Somme, as well as Ancre-Baches, the major English-French armed attack, which has been in preparation over a period of several months with unlimited resources, started yesterday. 

The attack stretched over a distance of approximately 40 kilometers. However, from Sommecourt to the area of La Boiselle [sic: La Boisselle] the enemy did not gain any considerable advantages, though suffered very heavy losses.

On the other hand, the enemy was successful in penetrating, at certain points, the foremost lines of both the division sections positioned at the Somme. It was thus decided to withdraw these divisions from the completely destroyed foremost trenches and relocate them to the fortified position between the first and second trenches. The material permanently installed in the foremost line was thus lost, as is always the case under such circumstances – however, it had already been rendered unusable.

In conjunction with these major combat operations, various artillery fire attacks and several more minor assault operations on the connecting fronts, as well as west and south-east of Tahure also took place; they were unsuccessful at all locations.

To the left of the Maas, the enemy once again launched heavy attacks yesterday and several times early this morning against the German lines on the Hill “Kalte Erde”, in particularly at Fort Thiaumont, and had to retreat in a barrage of fire with very heavy losses.

Destroyed town behind the Front

The enemy’s flying corps was extremely active. Our squadrons gave battle at several locations and caused the enemy heavy losses. Primarily in the area of the attacked Front and in the Maas region, 15 enemy planes were shot down in our lines, including 8 English and 3 French planes. Oberstleutnant Freiherr von Althaus put his 7^th opponent out of action.

We did not lose any planes, although some operators and observers were wounded.

The attack is progressing. The number of prisoners increased by 7 officers and 1410 men. At various positions, enemy counter-attacks were sharply rebuffed.

Latest Official War Report July 1, 1916

The World War

Latest Official War Report - WTB. Central Headquarters June 30, Official
Western Theater of War

Yesterday and during the night our troops once again counter attacked to fight back English-French advances at various positions near Richebourg. The enemy’s gas attacks are continuing unsuccessfully. Heavy artillery activity continued with some interruptions. Advancing French divisions were repelled in a bloody battle south of Tahure and at Fort Maison de Champagne.To the south of the Maas, we achieved some progress at Hill 304. There was no infantry activity to the right of the river.

The total number of prisoners captured during our successful encounters and while defending our positions during major French counter-attacks amounts to: 70 officers, 3200 men.

In the evening of the 27^th, Hauptmann Boelke [sic: Boelcke] shot down his 19^th enemy plane at Fort Thiaumont. Leutnant Parschau shot down his 5^th enemy plane on June 26^th north of Terranne. In the area of Boureuilles (Argonne), a French biplane was shot down by defensive fire.

Our troops' dugouts at the Somme
(Source: "Der Weltkrieg, 1914-1918", pub. Reichsarchiv Potsdam, Bildermappe, 1925)