A failed British offensive on 9 May 1915 that gained no ground, inflicted disproportionate losses, and triggered the Shell Crisis of 1915.
Key Facts
- Date
- 9 May 1915
- Front
- Western Front, France
- British casualties vs German
- More than ten times German casualties
- Ground gained
- None
- Political consequence
- Shell Crisis of 1915
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
As part of the Second Battle of Artois, a Franco-British offensive sought to exploit Germany's redeployment of troops to the Eastern Front. The French Tenth Army was tasked with attacking the German 6th Army north of Arras to capture Vimy Ridge, while the British First Army was to attack simultaneously to widen any gap created and pin German forces north of La Bassée Canal.
On 9 May 1915, the British First Army launched its offensive at Aubers Ridge on the northern flank of the French attack. The assault was a complete failure: British forces gained no ground, achieved no tactical advantage, and suffered casualties at a rate more than ten times those inflicted on the defending Germans.
The defeat had immediate political repercussions in Britain. The scale of the failure and the evident shortage of artillery shells helped precipitate the Shell Crisis of 1915, a major domestic political crisis that reshaped the British government's approach to war production and munitions supply.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent