This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ... JANUARY TO JULY 1916 General situation--The fight for the Bluff--The Mound of St. Eloi-- Fine performance of Third Division and Canadians--Feat of the 1st Shropshires--Attack on the Irish Division--Fight at Vimy Bidge--Canadian Battle of Yprea--Death of General Mercer-- Becovery of lost position--Attack of Thirty-ninth Division-- Eve of the Somme. The Great War had now come into its second winter Chapter --a winter which was marked by an absolute cessa- ___ tion of all serious fighting upon the Western front. **TMy Enormous armies were facing each other, but until luie. the German attack upon the French lines of Verdun at the end of February, the infantry of neither side was seriously engaged. There were many raids and skirmishes, with sudden midnight invasions of hostile trenches and rapid returns with booty or prisoners. Both sides indulged in such tactics upon the British front. Gas attacks, too, were occasionally attempted, some on a large scale and with considerable result. The condition of the troops, though it could not fail to be trying, was not so utterly miserable as during the first cold season in the trenches. The British had ceased to be a mere fighting fringe with nothing behind it. The troops were numerous and eager, so that reliefs were frequent. All sorts o devices were adopted for increasing the comtort an conserving the health of the men. Steadily as winter advanced and the spring ripened into a 1 Chapter mer, fresh divisions were passed over the narrow seas, and the shell-piles at the bases marked the into July7 creased energy and output of the workers in the faci9i6. tories. The early summer found everything ready for a renewed attempt upon the German line. The winter of 1915-16 saw the affairs of the Allies in...