THE BRITISH FRONT IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS
THE BRITISH CAMPAIGN
IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS
JANUARY TO JULY
1918
BY
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
AUTHOR OF
'THE GREAT BOER WAR,' ETC.
HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
MCMXIX
SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S
HISTORY OF THE WAR
Uniform with this Volume.
THE BRITISH CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE
AND FLANDERS
VOL. I—1914
THE BREAKING OF THE PEACE.
THE OPENING OF THE WAR.
THE BATTLE OF MONS.
THE BATTLE OF LE CATEAU.
THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE.
THE BATTLE OF THE AISNE.
THE LA BASSÉE-ARMENTIÈRES OPERATIONS.
THE FIRST BATTLE OF YPRES.
A RETROSPECT AND GENERAL SUMMARY.
THE WINTER LULL OF 1914.
VOL II.—1915
THE OPENING MONTHS OF 1915.
NEUVE CHAPELLE AND HILL 60.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF YPRES.
THE BATTLE OF RICHEBOURG-FESTUBERT.
THE TRENCHES OF HOOGE.
THE BATTLE OF LOOS.
VOL III.—1916
JANUARY TO JULY 1916.
THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME.
THE GAINING OF THE THIEPVAL RIDGE.
THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME.
THE BATTLE OF THE ANCRE.
VOL IV.—1917
THE BATTLE OF ARRAS.
THE BATTLE OF MESSINES.
THE THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES.
THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI.
With Maps, Plans, and Diagrams
HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON, NEW YORK, AND TORONTO
PREFACE
This fifth volume deals with one of the mosttremendous episodes in history, when the vigour ofthe German attack and the desperate resistance of theBritish both on the Somme and in Flanders, held anawestruck world in suspense. A million men releasedfrom the Russian front, rolled across Europe and,swelling that great tide which was already banked upbefore the British breakwater, it washed over allthe front line barriers and threatened at one time tosweep down to the sea. The account of how theBritish Army, upon which incomparably the greaterpressure fell, rose to the occasion and first slowed andthen held the terrific flood is one of the mostwonderful of military epics. At the same time everycredit must be given to the loyalty of the Frenchcommanders who, while guarding their own extendedlines, endeavoured to spare all possible help to theirhard-pressed Allies. This volume carries the story ofthe German attack to its close. The next and finalone will describe the enormous counter-attack of theAllies leading up to their final victory.
The Chronicler has been faced by many obstaclesin endeavouring to preserve both accuracy andhistorical proportion while writing contemporaryhistory. He would gratefully acknowledge that his{vi}critics in the press have