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Sir William Robertson, 1915. Image courtesy Bain News Service.

Sir William Robertson, 1915. Image courtesy Bain News Service.

  • General Sir William Robertson is appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff following the resignation of General Sir Archibald Murray. Robertson holds the unusual distinction of being the only man to rise from the rank of Private to Field Marshal in the British army. He concurs with General Haig that all British forces should be concentrated on the Western Front for a war of attrition.
  • French soldiers launch a surprise attack on the rocky outcrop of Hartmannsweilerkopf on the Western Front, bombarding the area for over five hours and severing all communications. 800 German soldiers are killed and 1400 taken prisoner.