Subsequent British operations Nivelle Offensive

since mid-1915, british had been covertly digging mines under german positions on ridge. 19 of mines fired on 7 june @ 3:10 a.m. british summer time. final objectives largely gained before dark , british losses in morning light, although planners had expected casualties of 50 percent in initial attack. when infantry advanced on far edge of ridge, german artillery , machine-guns on valley floor had direct observation on british, artillery less able provide covering fire. fighting continued on lower slopes on east side of ridge until 14 june. attack prepared way main attack later in summer, removing germans dominating ground on southern face of ypres salient, had held 2 years.

third battle of ypres

the british conducted series of attacks in flanders, beginning battle of pilckem ridge (31 july – 2 august), followed langemarck (16–18 august), menin road ridge (20–25 september), polygon wood (26 september – 3 october), broodseinde (4 october) poelcappelle (9 october) first battle of passchendaele (12 october) , second battle of passchendaele (26 october – 10 november) control of ridges south , east of belgian city of ypres (ieper) in west flanders. next stage of allied strategy advance torhout–couckelaere, close german-controlled railway running through roulers , thourout. further operations , british supporting attack along belgian coast nieuwpoort, combined operation hush amphibious landing, reach bruges , dutch frontier. resistance of german 4th army, unusually wet weather, onset of winter , diversion of british , french resources italy, following austro-german victory @ battle of caporetto (24 october – 19 november) allowed germans avoid general withdrawal, had seemed inevitable them in october. campaign ended in november when canadian corps captured passchendaele. german submarine bases on coast remained objective of diverting germans french further south, while recovered failure of nivelle offensive in april succeeded.