Great war comrades in arms.

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And this is the reason why!

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One day I'll get over mate

[Jock2413 Site Guardian Find all posts View Profile Close Jock2413]

One day I'll get over mate

Me too.
In the summer of 1970, my unit were sent to a place called Mourmelon-Le-Grand, a French army camp in the Champagne area. The purpose was to give an artillery unit infantry training prior to build up for Op Banner. I only found out recently through watching the series Band of Brothers that the camp we were in was the same one used by the American 101 Airborne Division prior to them being sent to Bastogne during the German Ardennes offensive.
Whilst at the camp, we spent a whole day touring the WW1 battlefields in that area. Quite a sobering experience, especially when our French guide told us of the number of fatalities the French army suffered during their ill fated 1915 Champage offensives against the entrenched Germans. Horrific would not describe it.

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We know mate and your guided tour on the house awaits you whenever!

Jock, the French casualties were simply staggering. They came close to losing more in under 12 months at Verdun alone than we lost from our own country in total over the entire war!
The Germans attempted to bleed France white. They nearly did!

Chris.

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Wasnt that the result of a really bright idea - an absolute master stroke?
Secretly amass an overwhelming number of troops and attack at one relatively small spot.
Bobs your uncle - end of static stalemate.
Only trouble was the enemy got wind of it, and amassed an equally overwhelming number of troops to defend and counter attack.
Result - bloodbath.