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The Canadian Corps was to capture the German-held high ground of Vimy Ridge, an escarpment on the northern flank of the Arras front. This would protect the First Army and the Third Army farther south from German enfilade fire. Supported by a creeping barrage, the Canadian Corps captured
The creeping barrage was used to great effect in the Canadian success at the Battle of Vimy Ridge where the men had been extensively trained to move forward in the 'Vimy Glide' - a 100-yard per three minute pace which kept the infantry directly behind the barrage. [26]
The German attack on Vimy Ridge (Unternehmen Schleswig-Holstein /Operation Schleswig-Holstein) was a local attack on the Western Front on 21 May 1916, during the First World War. The Germans intended to prevent mines being blown under German positions by capturing the British front line and mine gallery entrances.
The battalion fought at the centre of the 3rd Brigade during the attack on Vimy Ridge and faced strong opposition. Several German strongpoints had survived the creeping barrage and their machine-guns caught the 14th in the open. By the end of the day the battalion's casualties were 92 killed and 173 wounded. [4]
The 1st Warwickshire Volunteer Artillery, or 'Balsall Heath Artillery', was a part-time unit of Britain's Royal Artillery recruited from Birmingham.It served on the Western Front during the First World War, including the Battles of the Somme, Vimy Ridge, Messines, Ypres, the German Spring Offensive and the final victorious Hundred Days Offensive.
At Zero hour, while the field guns laid down a Creeping barrage to protect the advancing infantry, the heavy howitzers fired 450 yards (410 m) further ahead to hit the rear areas on the reverse slope of the ridge, especially known gun positions. The attack went in on 9 April with the Canadian Corps successfully capturing Vimy Ridge.
At Vimy, the counter-battery team under McNaughton's command knocked out 83% of the 212 German artillery guns on Vimy Ridge in the first two hours, making it possible for the infantry of the Canadian Corps to advance up the heights and take the ridge. [19] Vimy Ridge had been unsuccessfully assaulted by the French with heavy losses in 1915 and ...
A battery of 60-pounders deployed during the Battles of Vimy and Arras, 1917. On 20 March the artillery preparation began for the Battle of Vimy Ridge, with the batteries of 31st HAG firing from around Bully-Grenay on the extreme north flank of the attack, from where they could virtually enfilade the German lines in support of I Corps.