SIR - Friday, July 27 sees the centenary of West Yorkshire Territorial troops (in the 62nd (Yorkshire Territorial) Division) taking part in the Battle of the Tardenois, a counterattack after the German attack west of Rheims earlier in the month.
The German attack on the Marne (July 15 - 18, 1918) was a two-pronged attack, one east of Reims, the other to the west. The eastern attack was held within hours but the western attack experienced a little more success, penetrating about four miles on a nine-mile front. A previously planned counter-attack then took place as four French Armies attacked with support from the BEF, American troops and Italian troops.
This offensive involved XXII Corps of the BEF, which comprised 62nd (Yorkshire Territorials) Division and 51st Division. As the opposing German troops had pulled back, this advance went forward slowly and unopposed. The attack on July 28 was more difficult, troops advancing into machine gun fire (not all wooded areas had been cleared) took heavy casualties. Having taken the ridge at Bligny, they held off German counterattacks and dug in.
Peter J Palmer, Buttermere Road, Bradford
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