Battle of Hill 70

Part of The Western Front of World War I

Canadian soldiers in a captured German trench

Date	15 August to 25 August 1917
Location	Lens, France
Result	Allied victory

Belligerents

Canada

United Kingdom

German Empire

Commanders and leaders

Sir Arthur Currie

Otto von Below

Strength

4 Canadian Divisions

5 Divisions

Casualties and losses

9,198 killed, wounded or taken prisoner

25,000+ killed or wounded
1,369 taken prisoner

Coordinates: 50°27′20″N 2°49′8.50″E / 50.45556°N 2.8190278°E / 50.45556; 2.8190278

The Battle of Hill 70 was a battle of World War I between the Canadian Corps and five divisions of the German 6th Army. The battle took place along the Western Front on the outskirts of Lens in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France between 15 and 25 August 1917.

The objectives of the assault were to inflict casualties and to draw German troops away from the 3rd Battle of Ypres, rather than to capture territory. The Canadian Corps executed an operation designed to first occupy the high ground at Hill 70 quickly and then establish defensive positions, from which combined small-arms and artillery fire, some of which used the technique of predicted fire for the first time, could be used to repel German counter-attacks and inflict as many casualties as possible. A later attempt by the Canadian Corps to extend its position into the city of Lens itself failed. Both sides suffered high casualties and Lens remained under German control. In both the German and the Canadian assessments of the battle it succeeded in its attrition objective.

The battle consisted of extensive use of poison gas by both sides, including the newly introduced German Yellow Cross shell containing the blistering agent sulfur mustard. Ultimately, the goals of the Canadian Corps were only partially accomplished. The Canadians were successful in preventing German formations from transferring local men and equipment to aid in defensive operations in the Ypres Salient but failed to draw in troops from other areas.

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Wikipedia