In addition to the large number of new recruits provided by Great Britain and Ireland, many overseas dominions of the British Empire also provided many participating troops under the powerful propaganda offensive.
Australia, New Zealand, Canada and India have all provided established infantry or cavalry divisions, and large amounts of reinforcements from overseas have gradually arrived in the UK.
They are proud to fight with the British Empire!
Thanks to Kishuai's decisive decision-making and powerful propaganda machine, as well as those clever propaganda methods, in just a few months, more than three-quarters of the one million men in the UK have
Joined the Royal British Army.
As 1915 came to an end, each new infantry division had initially completed basic training and was preparing to march to the French front with great momentum.
For these naive recruits, this is an exciting and long-awaited moment. They are eager to participate in the war and dream of showing off their skills on the battlefield and becoming famous.
However, what awaits them is a cruel and merciless slaughterhouse.
...
Before the Battle of the Somme in 1916, the British army suffered more than 500,000 casualties. The combat readiness hospitals on the front line were already overwhelmed, and a large number of seriously injured people were transported back to the mainland and stuffed into sanatoriums in various places.
Crowley Hospital was able to shine at this time because of its early preparations.
The Earl of Grantham, together with hospitals and sanatoriums, as well as various farmers, received a total of 20,000 wounded people in the past two years.
During the same period, it admitted a maximum of more than 8,000 wounded people, making it almost one of the largest areas in the UK with the best medical conditions.
Because of his outstanding performance in logistics support, Robert eventually led the York Division to the battlefield and was awarded the rank of major general.
As the 'eldest son' of the family, and due to his outstanding performance as a logistics manager, Gao Bin was successfully promoted to lieutenant colonel. He has the authority to mobilize all non-mission-executing ships and transportation capacity to ensure the supply of materials to the front line.
This power is too great. If nothing else, some cowards are scared and want to go home. As long as a sum of money is given to the people on Gao Bin's line, the ship can transport the wounded soldiers back to the British mainland. Some nobles who want to send special supplies to children on the front line can also do so through Gao Bin's hands.
Of course, these all cost money.
However...
...
In July 2016, when the bloody fighting under the city of Verdun in France reached a fever pitch, war broke out again on both sides of the Somme River northwest of Paris, and the British and French forces launched a large-scale attack on Germany.
Before the Battle of Verdun started, in an ancient castle called Chantilly on the outskirts of Paris, the British and French forces held a military meeting here in December 1915.
At the meeting, Xiafei and British Field Marshal Earl Haig jointly agreed to concentrate a total of 64 divisions from three French armies and two British armies to launch a large-scale attack on both sides of the Somme River. The purpose was:
1. Break the stalemate on the Western Front formed after the Battle of the Marne;
Second, create conditions for the Allied Powers to shift from strategic defense to strategic offense.
The plan was good, but the reality was cruel. What Britain and France did not expect was that the German army had a similar military plan, and the German army moved faster!
The only difference was that the location chosen by the German army was Verdun. As the German army concentrated its forces on the fierce attack on Verdun, a large number of French troops were mobilized to Verdun, which made it impossible for Britain and France to prepare for the Battle of the Somme.
In view of this situation, Britain and France had to make major changes to the original plan for the Battle of the Somme.
Especially in terms of troop allocation, the number of troops participating in the battle was reduced from the original 64 divisions to 39 divisions, and the breakthrough front was reduced from 70 kilometers to 40 kilometers.
The French Sixth Army, which originally served as the main assault force in the battle, was pinned down by the Germans at the gates of Verdun, so it was changed to the British Fourth Army.
The British army participated in this battle with 25 divisions, while the French army only had 14 divisions. This also indicates that the British army and the attached Canadian Expeditionary Force will play the leading role in the upcoming Battle of the Somme!
The previous purpose of the Battle of the Somme was to break the deadlock on the Western Front and create conditions for the Allied Powers to shift to a strategic offensive in the future. However, the revised purpose has only one purpose, which is to relieve the military pressure on Verdun.
The French had been tortured by the Germans in Verdun to the point of mental breakdown, so the top priority was to find a way to get the Germans to evacuate from Verdun quickly. As for other purposes, go to hell!
The German defense force on the Somme was the German Second Army. Since no large-scale battles broke out in this direction after the Battle of the Marne, the German army used ample time to carefully build a relatively complete defense system:
The first position is about 1,000 meters deep, including three dense trench lines, a support point system for the circular position, a developed communication trench and a network of shelter fortifications, including concrete shelters.
The second position is located 3 to 4 kilometers behind the first position. 1 to 2 trenches and supporting points are constructed. Each position is equipped with barbed wire as cover, and there is an intermediate position between the first and second positions.
.
The third position is located 2 to 3 kilometers behind the second position. This is also the last line of defense of the German army on the Somme. It was built for the worst outcome.
The German army also built a network of underground tunnels up to 12 meters deep. The entire tunnel network was criss-crossed, and its entrances and exits were hidden in nearby villages and woods, making them difficult to discover.
The fortifications are fully equipped with field kitchens, laundry rooms, field hospitals, etc., and sufficient ammunition, food and medical supplies are stored.
Special generators provided electric lighting. You must know that electric lights were still a luxury at this time and ordinary people could not afford them. All the preparations made by the German army made the Somme one of the most fortified military areas in the world.
Britain and France made unprecedented preparations for the Battle of the Somme for five months, and also built a large number of trenches, communication trenches, shelters and large warehouses that could store large amounts of supplies.
Having learned the lessons from the Battle of the Marne, the transportation network behind the army has also been improved.
Britain and France laid a total of 250 kilometers of railways and 500 kilometers of narrow-gauge railways from the rear to the front, built 6 airports, and expanded 13 rear hospitals, which can accommodate 45,000 wounded people.
Since the offensive position is in a water-scarce area, Britain and France also dug 2,000 wells to solve the water source problem.
In terms of the preparation of ammunition and supplies, Britain and France created the highest number in the war, with about 6 million rounds of 75mm artillery shells, 2 million rounds of heavy artillery shells, 8.4 million rounds of other artillery shells, 3,500 various artillery pieces, and more than 300 aircraft.
On the main breakthrough front, the density per kilometer reached 1 infantry division and 90 artillery pieces, forming an absolute advantage over the German army. The infantry was 3.6 times that of the German army: the artillery was 1.7 times that of the German army.
And such battle preparations have surpassed the battle preparations made by the German army for Verdun.
The British and French armies also conducted a large number of exercises for the battle, including cooperating with the aviation force. Therefore, the French commander-in-chief Joffre was full of confidence in this battle and believed that it would not be a problem to break through the German defenses in front of such a huge advantage! p>
...
At this time, everyone in Downton Abbey is busy nervously.
Robert took people to the front line and temporarily handed over the manor to Gao Bin.
While he is responsible for military work, he also has to take care of his family. He is very busy every day.
But this is a job he must take on, at least he doesn't have to die on the battlefield.
"Anna, the wounded will arrive in two hours. How are the preparations going?"
Gao Bin stopped Anna and asked.
Because of the shortage of beds in hospitals and nursing homes, after careful consideration, Gao Bin decided to open Downton Abbey. The hundreds of rooms here, plus the hall, can accommodate at least 500 wounded people.
If we squeeze a little more, six or seven hundred is not impossible.
"Master, the hospital bed has been arranged, and Mrs. Isabel is instructing the nurses to renovate the operating room."
"Okay, is there enough food in the warehouse? If not, I will arrange for someone to deliver it."
"That's enough. According to your instructions, all warehouses are open."
"Tell Carson and all the medical staff that if you have enough food, you can't drink if you want."
He doesn't want a group of drunkards to live in his manor!
The upcoming batch of wounded are all those who were lucky enough to survive the Battle of the Somme.
The mental trauma they suffered in the war was far more serious than the physical trauma.
Because physical trauma can be treated, there is no corresponding medication to help with mental problems.
The only thing they can rely on is alcohol!
And everyone in the UK knows that the strongest wine in the UK is in Downton Abbey!
At noon, the wounded arrived. Dozens of trucks formed a long queue and drove into the manor. All the people in the castle who could move came out to help.
Seeing the wounded entering the castle one after another with missing arms and legs and bandages all over their bodies, the usually pampered ladies were frightened.
Except for Sybil, this was the first time for everyone to have such close contact with the wounded.
Mary's face turned pale with fright. A wounded man who had half his face blown off just smiled at her, which frightened her heart to the point of stopping for a few seconds.
Even though the old countess was well-informed, she could not help but feel panicked when she saw this scene. She was even more worried about her son.
"Oh God, God, this is so tragic. Doesn't it mean that we have been winning battles on the front line?"
When Gao Bin heard this, he couldn't help but said:
"If you don't say this, how can you continue to trick young people into going to the battlefield?"
"No, I have to go back to my room. I can't watch these scenes."
"Mary, help grandma go back to her room to rest. Don't come down if you have nothing to do."
"Okay."
At this time, the sergeant came running over and saluted Gao Bin:
"Sir, there are 849 wounded soldiers in this batch, including more than 500 seriously wounded. Please help me."
Gao Bin returned the gift:
"Thank you for your hard work, but why are there so many? Wasn't the original plan only for 500 people?"
The sergeant smiled bitterly and took out the envelope from his pocket:
"Here is the battle report. You will know after looking at it. In fact, 1,000 people were sent to the hospital and must receive more systematic treatment."
Gao Bin took a breath. Originally, these people were brought to the manor because there was no room in the hospital. Unexpectedly, they brought more than 1,000 people to the hospital.
"Who made the decision?" Gao Bin said with a dark face. This was originally his decision, but someone actually made the decision privately without his approval.
"It's Major General Robert, sir!"
Gao Bin was stunned:
"Father? Are they wounded soldiers of the York Division?"
"Yes, sir, these more than 1,800 people are all from the York Division, and they want to go home!"
Gao Bin opened his mouth and was completely speechless!
After silence, he said:
"I will call the York Division. Downton Abbey is open to everyone. If there are not enough rooms, tents will be set up. In short, we will do our best to ensure that the wounded receive the best treatment."
The sergeant salutes again:
"Master, I am the son of a tenant farmer in the manor. On behalf of all my fellow villagers, I would like to thank you for your generosity!"
"Yes, go ahead and get busy. If you need help, just ask."
"Yes!"
...
After watching the sergeants leave, Gao Bin watched the wounded walk into the castle one by one, feeling the cruelty of war firsthand.
Carson trotted over, not caring about his manners at this time:
"Master, there are too many people and we don't have enough beds."
"Continue to add more. All rooms will be converted into four-person wards, and the study will be opened. In addition, we will find all the large tents we use for events and set them up on the grass outside."
Carson was stunned:
"Do you really want to do this?"
"They are all soldiers of the York Division, Carson. We cannot let them feel cold. In addition, inform the kitchen that starting from today, our meals will be streamlined and we will do our best to ensure the nutrition of the wounded."
"It's young master, I'll make arrangements right away."
“If we don’t have enough beds, we will continue to purchase them. In the future, there will be more and more injured people.”
"I understand, Master."
Gao Bin returned to the side hall, and everyone was there, including the old countess who just wanted to go back to her room to rest.
"Child, what's going on outside? I heard that there are a lot more people than expected?" Cora asked with concern.
"Yes, they are all wounded soldiers of the York Division. My father decided to send them all back to Downton for treatment."
"Oh my god, they are all York's children." Cora covered her mouth and said in shock.
"Mary, Edith, you two are going to help from today on. Do what you can, and don't pretend to be a young lady."
Edith immediately said:
"I have no problem, it's not too high. Is there any news about Matthew?"
"Unfortunately, there is no news for the time being, but no news is good news, isn't it?"
Mary nodded:
"I have no problem, I can go and help take care of the wounded."
Edith said:
"Let me go to the kitchen to help. Mrs. Patmore will be busy preparing meals for hundreds of people."
Cora has no objections this time:
"I'll also go to the kitchen to help."
"Okay, grandma, I'm afraid we haven't been able to take care of you recently. I hope you can forgive me."
"Don't say that. I can't help you much, but I can still do it without causing any trouble for you. Go ahead and take care of those poor children."
Although the people in this family have many bad habits of nobles, they are essentially kind-hearted, which is why Gao Bin is willing to create a prosperous living environment for them.
"By the way, this is the frontline battle report from my father. Do you want to listen to it?" Gao Bin shook the envelope in his hand.
"Of course, there is no better way to relax than this." Mary wanted to make a joke.
"I don't think the contents of this letter will make it easy for you, Mary."
"Sauri, that's not what I meant."
"But you're right. It's best to face it in a relaxed way. Let's get everyone a cup of coffee."
"I think it's better to have a drink at this time." Cora suggested.
Gao Bin shrugged:
"Then have a glass of wine, Edith, go find Carson, open a bottle of good wine in the wine cellar, and take the side stairs out of sight of the wounded."
Edith nodded, picked up her skirt and ran out.
Soon, she came back with red wine in person:
"Carson fainted from work, so I took a bottle myself."
"I'll open the wine." Mary took it and found the decanter to pour the wine.
At this time, Gao Bin opened the envelope and read aloud:
"Dear son, are you okay? Is the manor okay?
I bring my greetings to my family from the front line. I'm sorry, but by the time you read this letter, you should have received more wounded than expected.
People who have never been to the front line will never know the cruelty of the front line. This war is definitely a catastrophe for mankind.
In the early morning of June 24, our artillery group began the largest shelling of the German positions in the Somme area since the war began. The German positions were suddenly plunged into a sea of smoke and fire.
The sky is filled with various bunkers, fortifications and fragments of human body parts.
While bombing German positions, the Air Force was also tasked with indicating targets for the artillery, correcting the impact points of the bombs, and from time to time they also conducted dive and strafing operations.
The surface of the entire German position has long been deserted, because no living thing can survive such destruction.
Since they had received news before the war that the coalition forces were about to attack the Somme River, the German troops stationed here had already entered safe underground fortifications before the bombardment, and used periscopes to observe every move of the coalition forces.
The shelling lasted for a full week from June 24 to June 30. The shelling made the German army's surface positions no longer exist.
The last stage of the bombardment on the night of the 30th was also the climax of the entire week of bombardment. Allied soldiers preparing to attack scrambled out of the trenches to watch this spectacle in the history of war:
The flash of exploding artillery shells on the German positions and the stars in the night sky are connected together, like the Milky Way hanging, making people feel like they are in a dream.
In the early morning of July 1, the bombardment finally stopped, and there was a deathly silence on the German position.
At 7:30, a shrill bugle sound suddenly sounded on the coalition position. Groups of coalition soldiers began to attack the German army. The coalition artillery also began its last artillery cover. The German position was once again plunged into a sea of smoke and fire.
in.
We naively believed that under such a large-scale bombardment, the German army should have been almost wiped out, and even if only a few people survived.
This attack feels more like a reception, and there is no need for a major firefight.
Therefore, in addition to the fact that each soldier had to carry more than 30 kilograms of weight, the coalition soldiers were dominated by such blindly optimistic thoughts and emotions, and the pace of the attack became very slow. They were divided into several waves and advanced toward the German positions in neat queues. However, no one knows that what greets us is the embrace of death."
Hearing this, the old countess, Cora, and the two young ladies couldn't help but cover their mouths. They had already imagined what was going to happen next. It must be very tragic, otherwise there would not be so many casualties.<