Aisne 1917

The Second Battle of the Aisne (French: Bataille du Chemin des Dames or Seconde bataille de l'Aisne, 16 April – mid-May 1917)
was the main part of the Nivelle Offensive, a Franco-British attempt to inflict a decisive defeat on the German armies in France.
The strategy was to conduct sequenced offensives from north to south, by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) &
several French army groups. General Robert Nivelle planned the offensive in December 1916, after he replaced Joseph Joffre
as Commander-in-Chief of the French Army. The objective of the attack on the Aisne was to capture the prominent 80 km
east–west ridge of the Chemin des Dames, 110 km north-east of Paris, and then attack northwards to capture the city of Laon.
When the French armies met the British advancing from the Arras front, the Germans would be pursued towards Belgium and
the German frontier. The offensive began on 9 April, when the British attacked at the Battle of Arras. On 16 April,
the Groupe d'armées de Reserve (GAR) attacked the Chemin des Dames and the next day, the Fourth Army of
Groupe d'armées de Centre (GAC), near Reims to the south-east, began the Battle of the Hills.
Second Battle of the Aisne. Wikipedia
The Free Encyclopedia. August 14, 2022

Groupe d'armées du Nord (GAN) on the northern flank of Groupe d'armées de Reserve (GAR)
had been reduced to 3rd Army with 3corps in line, by the transfer of 1st Army to the GAR.
The 3rd Army began French operations, with preliminary attacks on German observation points at St. Quentin
on 1–4 &10 April. Large reconnaissance forces were set towards the Dallon spur on 1 April, which were not able
to gain footholds in the German front defences, although the British Fourth Army to the
north captured the woods around Savy.

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