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Battle of Cambrai, British offensive (November–December 1917) on the Western Front during World War I that marked the first large-scale, effective use of tanks in warfare. Despite the British failure to exploit their initial success, the battle demonstrated that armor was the key to a decision on the Western Front.
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- August 23, 1914
- Battle of Tannenberg August 26, 1914 - August 30, 1914
- First Battle of Ypres October 19, 1914 - November 22, 1914
- Battle of Lone Pine August 6, 1915 - August 10, 1915
- Battle of Verdun February 21, 1916 - December 18, 1916
- Battle of Jutland May 31, 1916 - June 1, 1916
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[8] “General Harper and the failure of the 51st (Highland) Division at Cambrai, 20 November 1917.” Bryn Hammond. Imperial War Museum Review no 10, 1996 [9] “Following the Tanks. Cambrai. 20th November – 7th December 1917.” Jean-Luc Gibot and Philippe Gorczynski. English translation by Wendy McAdam. Arras 1999.
The Battle of Cambrai (Battle of Cambrai, 1917, First Battle of Cambrai and Schlacht von Cambrai) was a British attack in the First World War, followed by the biggest German counter-attack against the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) since 1914. The town of Cambrai, in the département of Nord, in France, was an important supply centre for the ...
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- Battle of Cambrai Facts
- Where Was The Battle of Cambrai?
- Why Did The Battle of Cambrai Happen?
- Who Fought in The Battle of Cambrai?
- What Weapons Were Used in The Battle of Cambrai?
- What Happened in The Battle of Cambrai?
- Who Won The Battle of Cambrai?
- Battle of Cambrai Casualties
- Other Cambrai War Memorial Sites
Discover some fascinating insights into the Battle of Cambrai... 1. Best-known today for the role played by tanks, Cambrai saw infantry, aircraft, artillery and even cavalry working together in new ways. 2. In August 1917, the commander of the newly-formed Tank Corps, Brigadier General Hugh Elles, proposed an operation to prove the ability of his t...
The Battle took place in Cambrai in Northern France. The town of Cambrai is approximately 32 kilometres southeast of Arras on the main road to Le Cateau. The area was deemed an appropriate place to utilise the tanks without alerting the enemy.
The plan for the Battle was conceived in an effort to capture the St Quentin Canal which was part of the German-held Hindenburg Line that spanned 40 kilometres from Cambrai to Le Fere. The idea was to capture Cambrai in a surprise attack using tanks.
The Battle was fought against the British Army and German forces. Units from across Great Britain and the Empire: from Yorkshire and Scotland to Newfoundland and India took part and the Chinese Labour Corps played a vital supporting role to the British Tank Corps maintaining the machines. The operation was carried out by General Sir Julian Byng. Di...
Almost 500 tanks, 1,000 guns, eight infantry and five cavalry divisions were employed in the Battle of Cambria.
The British forces took their positions under the cover of night on 20 November 1917. The tanks successfully pushed through German defences and took over 7,000 prisoners. However, the offence was halted due to bad weather and a lack of reinforcements. On 30 November, the German Second Army commenced a counter-attack and by 5 December, the British h...
Despite their initial success, the British forces did not achieve their aim of capturing the German-held area. Final casualties were equal on both sides.
At the close of the Battle, more than 80,000 servicemen from both sides were wounded, missing or killed.
The Cambrai Communal Cemeteryis a large, mainly German burial ground of the 1914-1918 War. There are now over 70, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated on this site. Cambrai East Military Cemeterywas made by the Germans during their occupation and laid out with the greatest care, with monuments erected to the French, Commonwealth and German dead. Lea...
Apr 17, 2015 · The History Learning Site, 17 Apr 2015. 3 Oct 2024. The Battle of Cambrai, fought in November/December 1917, proved to be a significant event in World War One. Cambrai was the first battle in which tanks were used en masse In fact, Cambrai saw a mixture of tanks being used, heavy artillery and air power. Mobility, lacking for the previous three ...
The Battle of Cambrai was the first large-scale use of massed tanks in battle. Here British Mark IV tanks are being loaded onto railway trucks for transport to the front line, as part of the significant logistical preparations required for the attack. These are 'Female' tanks armed with machine guns, as opposed to 'Male' tanks armed with small ...
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Dec 18, 2022 · The Battle of Cambrai started at 6:30am on 20th November 1917. The British artillery consisted of 1,000 guns which gave covering fire to the eight Divisions of the British Third Army advancing towards Cambrai, against three German Divisions. The British attacking force consisted of the IV Corps under the command of Lieutenant-General Charles ...
