Our troops attacked on a wide front including the Vimy Ridge-that grim hill which dominates the plain of Douai and the coalfields of lens-and the German positions around Arras.
"From Bapaume to Passchendaele, 1917"
Philip Gibbs
They attacked the little wooded hill called the Bois de Riaumont, just to the south of the city, and with great cunning and courage encircled its lower slopes, and made their way into the street of houses behind the line of trees which is the southern way towards lens.
"From Bapaume to Passchendaele, 1917"
Philip Gibbs
From prisoners we know that wild scenes took place in lens, frantic efforts being made to get away the guns and the stores, to defend the line of retreat by the blowing up of roads, to carry out the orders for complete destruction by firing charges down the mine-shafts, flooding the great mine-galleries so that French property of enormous value should not be left to France, and withdrawing large bodies of troops down the roads under the fire of our long-range guns.
"From Bapaume to Passchendaele, 1917"
Philip Gibbs