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French (and one British) soldiers in what appears to be a hastily-improvised line. An official photograph on the British Front in France taken May 3, 1918. French reserves came to the aid of the British during the German Offensives of 1918. Operation Michael on the Somme had been fought from March 21 to April 5, and Operation Georgette on the Lys River from April 9 to 29. Text, reverse: Official photograph taken on the British Western Front in France. British and French alongside each other waiting for the Boches. 5/3/18.

French (and one British) soldiers in what appears to be a hastily-improvised line. An official photograph on the British Front in France taken May 3, 1918. French reserves came to the aid of the British during the German Offensives of 1918. Operation Michael on the Somme had been fought from March 21 to April 5, and Operation Georgette on the Lys River from April 9 to 29.

Image text

Reverse:

Official photograph taken on the British Western Front in France. British and French alongside each other waiting for the Boches. 5/3/18.

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Friday, April 26, 1918

"On the 26th [April 1918], four tanks of the 1st Brigade had an interesting experience.

The Allied forces on this part of the line consisted of a most curious mixture of arms and races.

The scene, for example, in a neighboring wood about ten days before is thus described by the historian of the 1st Battalion:

'The Bois d'Abbé presented a most picturesque spectacle, and any one taking the trouble to walk through it could have had the unique experience of seeing practically every branch of both the British and French Armies represented. In this wood were to be found Tanks of all descriptions, Mark IV.'s, V.'s, Whippets and French Rénaults, heavy and light infantry, British infantry, Australians, French cavalry and infantry, Moroccans, and lastly a detachment of the Legion of Frontiersmen mounted on little Arab ponies, which presented a strange contract to the heavy Percherons of the artillery.'

On April 26, it was in company with the Moroccan Division that the 1st Battalion fought."

Quotation Context

Excerpt from The Tank Corps by Major Clough Williams-Ellis & A. Williams-Ellis. The Moroccan Division fought at Hangard Wood on April 26, 1918. Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in western France and that has been used as a war horse, in agriculture, for pulling stage coaches, and hauling goods.

Source

The Tank Corps by Clough Williams-Ellis & A. Williams-Ellis, pp. 174–175, publisher: The Offices of "Country Life," Ltd. and George Newnes, Ltd., publication date: 1919

Tags

1918-04-26, 1918, April, Franco-British improvised line, Allied mix