The Aerodrome Forum - View Single Post - July-Dec 1917

Jos · 15 June 2009, 03:43 AM

To continue (still from Schlachtflieger!):

The Schutzstaffeln performed admirably during this operation. Machine gunning and bombing the frontline trenches, including using hand grenades, they then attacked the rear positions and succeeded in preventing reinforcements from moving forward. The combined strength of the Schusta raised such havoc in the British lines that their withdrawal was inevitable. Coupled with the strength of the attacking stormtroops, the British were forced to retreat.
The German offensive gained over 1200 square miles. More than 90.000 British were captured and vast quantities of stores plus more than 1000 guns were taken by the Germans. The British suffered 164.000 casualties, the French about 70.000.
Yet on 28 March 1918, only a week later, the attack suddenly came to a halt at Albert. Why? Due to the British blockade.

Having captured many supply depots, the German infantry had suddenly fallen upon stores that the blockade had prevented them from having during three long years of war. The British tins of bully beef and jam were pretty mundane for the average British soldier, but a Godsend to the common German infantryman. There was bread, real bread, not ersatz bread comprised of 80% sawdust; real coffee, not a mix of coffee and 50-60% sawdust; cheese, eggs, hams, chickens, all of which were delicacies they had not experienced since 1915. These in addition to the French wines, champagnes, brandies and cognacs were sufficient to halt the attack while the Germans indulged themselves in a literal feast! Ltn. d.R. Rudolf Binding wrote that he paused the infantry attack he was leading to polish his boots with real shoe polish.
All this "indulgence" while the main objective of Amiens with its cathedral spires was in sight.
Therefore the extent of the British blockade begun in 1915 had a very telling effect on the German advance in March, 1918.

Jos

15 June 2009, 03:43 AM	#68 (permalink)
Jos Forum Ace Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Heerlen, The Netherlands Posts: 784	Blockade. To continue (still from Schlachtflieger!): The Schutzstaffeln performed admirably during this operation. Machine gunning and bombing the frontline trenches, including using hand grenades, they then attacked the rear positions and succeeded in preventing reinforcements from moving forward. The combined strength of the Schusta raised such havoc in the British lines that their withdrawal was inevitable. Coupled with the strength of the attacking stormtroops, the British were forced to retreat. The German offensive gained over 1200 square miles. More than 90.000 British were captured and vast quantities of stores plus more than 1000 guns were taken by the Germans. The British suffered 164.000 casualties, the French about 70.000. Yet on 28 March 1918, only a week later, the attack suddenly came to a halt at Albert. Why? Due to the British blockade. Having captured many supply depots, the German infantry had suddenly fallen upon stores that the blockade had prevented them from having during three long years of war. The British tins of bully beef and jam were pretty mundane for the average British soldier, but a Godsend to the common German infantryman. There was bread, real bread, not ersatz bread comprised of 80% sawdust; real coffee, not a mix of coffee and 50-60% sawdust; cheese, eggs, hams, chickens, all of which were delicacies they had not experienced since 1915. These in addition to the French wines, champagnes, brandies and cognacs were sufficient to halt the attack while the Germans indulged themselves in a literal feast! Ltn. d.R. Rudolf Binding wrote that he paused the infantry attack he was leading to polish his boots with real shoe polish. All this "indulgence" while the main objective of Amiens with its cathedral spires was in sight. Therefore the extent of the British blockade begun in 1915 had a very telling effect on the German advance in March, 1918. Jos __________________ "Kennscht mi noch? "