Battle of Armentières facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Armentières |
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| Part of the Race to the Sea on the Western Front in the (First World War) | |||||||
 La Bassée to Armentières, 19 October – 2 November 1914 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien | Crown Prince Rupprecht | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 2 divisions, one brigade Conneau Cavalry Corps |
5 divisions | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 5,779 | 11,300 | ||||||
The Battle of Armentières was a fight between German and Franco-British forces in northern France. It happened in October 1914 during the First World War. This battle was part of a bigger event called the Race to the Sea. Both sides were trying to get around the northern end of their enemy's army.
British troops, part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), moved north in early October. They joined French soldiers and pushed back German cavalry towards Lille. However, German infantry reinforcements arrived in the area.
The German 6th Army then began attacking from Arras north to Armentières. British forces, known as III Corps, defended this area. The fighting was fierce and costly for both sides. The British were pushed back several times but managed to hold onto Armentières. Later, the main German effort shifted to the Battles of Ypres further north. Attacks around Armentières became less intense in November.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
In the early part of World War I, after the Battle of the Marne, both the French and German armies tried to outflank each other. This meant they tried to move around the end of the enemy's battle line to attack them from the side or rear. This led to a series of movements northwards, which became known as the "Race to the Sea." Each army tried to be the first to reach the North Sea coast and turn the enemy's flank.
As armies moved north, they kept running into each other. The "open" northern flank, where armies could move freely, disappeared. Both sides then tried to gain more ground. The French and British attacked towards Lille in October. The Germans also brought in new armies to try and break through the Allied lines.
What Happened at Lille
Lille was an important city in northern France. It had some defenses, but many guns and soldiers had been moved away before the war. In August 1914, German forces reached Lille. The French military decided to declare Lille an "open city." This meant they would not defend it, hoping to protect the city from destruction. The French soldiers left Lille.
However, German troops entered Lille on September 2. They left a few days later. As the "Race to the Sea" continued, the French tried to reinforce their northern flank. On October 4, French soldiers entered Lille. They fought German patrols and pushed them back.
But the Germans returned with more forces. On October 9, German planes dropped bombs on Lille. The Germans ordered all men aged 18 to 48 to leave the city. Many civilians fled on foot. On October 10, German artillery began firing on the city. The bombardment continued, and on October 12, the French garrison in Lille surrendered. German troops then occupied the city.
The Land Around Armentières
The area where the battle took place is called Flanders. It's mostly flat, with some low hills. The land is cut by many canals, ditches, and rivers like the Lys. The ground can get very muddy, especially in autumn, making it hard for soldiers to move.
The area had woods, small fields, and hedgerows. This made it difficult to see far, which was tough for infantry and artillery. South of the La Bassée Canal was a coal-mining area with slag heaps and miners' houses. North of the canal were industrial cities like Lille and Armentières. Roads were often narrow and unpaved, turning into mud tracks in bad weather.
Preparing for Battle
British Plans
On October 11, the British III Corps arrived by train. They were ordered to advance towards Bailleul and Armentières. Their goal was to reach a line from Armentières to Wytschaete. British cavalry would cover their left side, going as far north as Ypres. The British hoped to push back the Germans and continue their advance.
On October 12, British cavalry captured a hill called Mont des Cats. The next day, III Corps continued its advance. They moved in columns towards towns like Vieux Berquin and Flêtre.
German Plans
As the city of Antwerp fell on October 9, the Germans sent more troops west. They wanted to break through the Allied forces between Menin and the sea. German cavalry had been exploring the area, moving towards Ypres and the Lys valley.
The German 6th Army arrived in the area. They began to deploy their forces from La Bassée towards Armentières and Menin. The Germans planned to use their new 4th Army to attack the Allied flank further north. The 6th Army was ordered to defend its positions and hold the line from La Bassée to Armentières and Menin. They also faced a shortage of artillery ammunition, which limited their ability to attack.
The Battle Begins
British Attacks (October 13–19)
On October 13, the British 4th and 6th divisions advanced. They found German troops dug in along a stream called the Meterenbecque. The British attacked and, despite wet and misty weather, captured Méteren. This cost them 708 casualties.
Lille had fallen to the Germans on October 12. British air reconnaissance reported that many German soldiers were moving towards Armentières. The British planned to attack the next German defense line before more German reinforcements arrived. On October 14, bad weather made air reconnaissance impossible. Patrols found that the Germans had fallen back beyond Bailleul and crossed the Lys river.
By October 14, the Allied forces had formed a continuous, though weak, line all the way to the North Sea. The British infantry slowly advanced against German rearguards. By evening, they occupied Bailleul. The next day, they reached the Lys river at places like Sailly-sur-la-Lys and Pont de Nieppe. On October 17, the British III Corps occupied Armentières. They were then ordered to attack further down the Lys valley. They captured part of the Pérenchies ridge but met strong German defenses and had to dig in.
German Attacks (October–November)
Fierce Fighting on October 20
On October 19, the British III Corps was ordered to dig in and gather reserves. German attacks began on October 20, after a one-hour bombardment. These attacks were part of a larger German plan to surround British forces around Ypres. The German 6th Army attacked with several army corps, aiming to break through Allied defenses.
German infantry advanced in waves, covered by machine-gun fire. In some areas, British soldiers had dug in front of houses and hedges to stay hidden. A German attack at 1:00 p.m. was pushed back. However, a German attack further north at Ennetières succeeded. The main German attack focused on a British position at Ennetières. The British held a long front with only a few battalions.
Another German attack at 1:00 p.m. was also pushed back. But on the far right of the British line, platoons were spread very thin. In the rain, the Germans attacked again at 3:00 p.m. This attack was also repelled with reinforcements. German artillery then bombarded the British positions until dark. Around three German battalions then rushed the British positions in the dark.
The German attack broke through. German soldiers entered Ennetières from different directions, surrounding and capturing British platoons. Some British troops fought until the next morning. The Germans did not immediately push further. British troops on the northern flank were able to pull back to a new line. The British 6th Division lost about 2,000 soldiers that day.
October 21: Holding the Line
On October 21, the British III Corps was ordered to stay on the defensive. German trenches were heavily bombarded, especially around Frélinghien. British battalions were sent north to reinforce the Cavalry Corps at Hill 63. The British corps was holding a 12-mile line while being attacked by two German corps.
At 5:15 a.m., under cover of mist, the Germans attacked the British at Le Gheer. They overran some defenses, forcing the British to retreat. The Germans then fired on British positions to the south, nearly causing a panic. A British counter-attack at 9:00 a.m. drove back the Germans, recapturing the lost trench. The British lost 468 soldiers in this fighting.
German infantry made other small attacks but did not break through. The British General Headquarters was worried about the Cavalry Corps to the north. III Corps sent more reinforcements to Messines. Despite heavy shelling, no major German attacks happened on the 6th Division front that day.
On the southern flank of III Corps, around Fromelles, British and French cavalry took over. German artillery began bombarding Le Maisnil. The village was attacked until nightfall. A gap was forced in the Anglo-French defenses, and the defenders of Le Maisnil withdrew. About 300 British soldiers were captured. The British fell back to a new line and dug in.
October 22–25: Constant Pressure
In the 6th Division area, defenses were not very strong. Soldiers had to abandon positions and dig new ones several times. Many German attacks happened from October 22–23, especially against the 16th Brigade. At dawn on October 23, German forces used the mist to sneak into British positions. They were pushed back only after costly hand-to-hand fighting.
By October 22, III Corps held a 12-mile line. They faced several German corps. On October 23, the Germans attacked and drove the French out of Fromelles. This left the right side of the British III Corps dangerously exposed. On October 24, Indian soldiers from the Lahore Division arrived and filled the gap.
The British were ordered to dig in and hold their positions. This was easier for the 4th Division, as German activity was limited to artillery fire and sniping. On October 24, the German 6th Army launched a general attack. On the III Corps front, the attack was pushed back, except in one area where German troops used factory buildings for cover. They overran one British battalion but were pushed back by a counter-attack. The battle continued all day.
On the night of October 24–25, another strong German attack began. During the night of October 25–26, the 16th Brigade quietly pulled back in the dark and rain. From October 24–26, the 16th Brigade lost 585 soldiers.
October 26 – November 2: Final Attacks
From October 25–26, German artillery bombarded the British positions. The British used this time to dig deeper and build communication trenches. After another big artillery bombardment on October 27, the 6th Division was attacked. They pushed back the Germans and caused many casualties.
A larger German attack happened at dawn on October 28. German infantry overran a British battalion but were then counter-attacked and forced back. A lull followed until October 29, when the 19th Brigade was attacked. This attack failed, though part of the front trench was lost temporarily.
The British III Corps faced four to five German divisions. On October 30, the British commander, General French, ordered the 4th Division's reserves to move north to help the Cavalry Corps. Luckily, major German attacks on the 4th Division front ended at the same time.
On the north bank of the Lys, a German attack on October 30 overran a British battalion. However, a counter-attack pushed the Germans back. On October 31, the Germans reached the British trenches again but retreated before a counter-attack could be launched.
In November, artillery fire and small attacks continued. On November 1, the Cavalry Corps was forced out of Messines. This left the northern side of III Corps exposed. The corps was defending a 12-mile front with very few soldiers left. The British commander reported that the corps could not withstand another big attack. French sent two battalions from another corps and allowed a retreat if necessary. The daily artillery ammunition was doubled, helping the British hold their line. The Battle of Armentières officially ended on November 2.
Aftermath
Casualties
From October 15–31, the British III Corps lost 5,779 soldiers. This included 2,069 men from the 4th Division and the rest from the 6th Division. German casualties in the "Battle of Lille," which included the area defended by III Corps, were 11,300 soldiers from October 15–28.
Images for kids
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Lille districts
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Flanders Plain: Belgium and northern France, 1914
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Vicinity of Flêtre (Map commune FR insee code 59237)
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Fleurbaix and vicinity (Map commune FR insee code 62338)
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Armentières–Bixschoote, 1914
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British officers with French 75 at Bas Maesnil, 21 October
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Armentières and the front line to the north, winter 1914–1915
