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Start of Western Front
First trenches of the war dug, these were the trenches that started the Western Front, a 700km stretch of several trenches lined up making several rows starting from The North Sea, travelling through the French and German borders down to the Swiss border.Some of the trenches were only a few metres away from the enemies! -
Period: to
Western Front
Battles and events of the Western Front -
Gas
A deadly new weapon called poison gas is used in the war for the first time. It's used by the German's and is called chlorine gas, it is used before an offensive and when there is light winds directing towards enemy lines. The gas in the war killed a lot of Allied and German soldiers. -
Gallipoli Landings
The Allies try to sneak around the German front by landing in Gallipoli, they think the Turks would be a pushover but are terribly wrong, Allies suffer many casualties. -
Gallipoli failure
Allies retreat from Gallipoli suffering a lot of casualties from the failed mission. It was one of the worst in the Allies history.Around 33,665 ANZAC’s are wounded and 11,430 killed.
When the ANZAC’s were retreating they left their guns(Enfield Rifle in image) and made a water system trigger to automatically fire them to trick the Turk’s in thinking the ANZAC’s were still there when they had abandoned posts and were retreating. -
Germany starve
New rule for German soldiers saying that they have to have one day a week without food to save up on supplies. The officers are still well-fed every day though.Posters like these were popular in most countries involved in the war. -
Germany starve
Another poster matching the other food poster. -
AIF in France
The AIF(Australian Imperial Force) move to France and by July and August are engaged in battles with the Germans.When the ANZAC’s first got to the trenches at the Western Front the first thing they saw were lines and lines of dead and wounded soldiers and could feel the earth More than 295,000 Australians battled at The Western Front, 46,000 lost their lives and 132,000 were wounded.Posters are everywhere in Australia encouraging men to sign up for the war like in every other country involved. -
Battle of the Somme
The main Allied attack on the Western Front in 1916. There were around 58,000 British casualties on the first day, the worst single day loss of the war. Total losses were 420,000 British, 200,000 French, 500,000 German and 23,000 Australians. -
First 'Willie'
New British super weapon the ‘Willie’ enters the war. Later on it’s renamed as a ‘Tank’.The image is of the first models of the tank going into war. -
End of the Battle of the Somme
The end of the bloody and terrible Somme campaign -
Third Battle of Ypres
The battle was a major offensive in Flanders but the Allies were slowed down by terrible mud and flooding from rain and drainage problems. The image shows mud and massive puddles at Ypres. -
End of the Third Battle of Ypres
The end of the Third battle of Ypres, Allied and German forces suffer many casualties. The British Expeditionary Force suffered 310,000, the Germans, 260,000 and the Australians 38,000. -
Battle of Cambrai
The first time there were many tanks fighting at the same time. Ground was gained by the Allies on the first day but momentum slowed down. German casualties-50,000British casualties-45,000 -
Germany tire
German soldiers tiring after advancing so much in the West but having little rest, barely any reinforcements and almost no food, they were starving and American soldiers are joingin in on the war on the Allies side.
The last German offensive at the Western Front was stopped by concentrated artillery and aircraft attacks. The big allied final assault was coming. The image is of a dead German machine-gunner. -
The Final Assault
The first attacks were by France which was followed by the British. The Americans attacked as well and despite suffering tremendous losses (100,000 American casualties) the Germans were steadily pulling back. The soldiers were now inspired by the German soldiers retreating which soon lead to Germany surrendering. -
Armistice Day
On the Eleventh hour of the Eleventh month in 1918 an armistice was signed by the Allies and Germany. This was the end of World War 1. There were over 4 million soldiers killed at the Western Front totalled from both sides put together. Lest We Forget.
