Second Battle of Artois

Second Battle of Artois
Part of the Western Front of the First World War
Aftermath of fighting in Carency
Date 9 May – 18 June 1915 Location Artois, France 50°30′N 2°45′E Result Stalemate
Belligerents
France United Kingdom British Raj	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Philippe Pétain Joseph Joffre Douglas Haig	Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria
Strength
9 French & British divisions (initial) 20 divisions (final)	18 divisions (final)
Casualties and losses
73,000 casualties 5,000 casualties	74,000 casualties

The Second Battle of Artois, of which the British contribution was the Battle of Aubers Ridge, was a battle on the Western Front of the First World War, it was fought at the same time as the Second Battle of Ypres. Even though the French under General Philippe Pétain gained some initial victories, the battle ended in what was largely a stalemate. This was the final allied offensive of the spring of 1915, followed by a lull in the fighting until September 1915 which saw the Second Battle of Champagne, the Third Battle of Artois and the Battle of Loos.

Anecdotes

François Faber, winner of the 1909 Tour de France, died during the battle, on 9 May 1915.

The British order of battle

I Corps : 1st Division and 47th (1/2nd London) Division

IV Corps : 7th Division and 8th Division

Indian Corps : 3rd (Lahore) Division and 7th (Meerut) Division

First Wing, RFC [1]

See also

• Battle of Festubert

External reference

• Battle of Aubers Ridge