Nineteen-seventeen was a desperately hard year for the Allies. The forces of France, Russia and Italy were at a low ebb, whilst the Central Powers appeared resurgent. By the middle of the year only the British Army was capable of major offensive operations on the Western Front. Forced to bear the brunt of the war, it found itself locked in hard fighting against a skilled and determined German foe. Thus the year would not only be defined by the mud-stricken Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) but also by major offensives at Arras, Messines Ridge and Cambrai.

The fourth of a five-volume series, The Darkest Year brings together leading First World War scholars to examine the British Army in 1917. It includes essays which consider grand strategy, tactical development and training, maintenance of morale and the importance of intelligence gathering. It also includes insightful studies of crucial battles and engagements such as the advance to the Hindenburg Line, Third Battle of the Scarpe and the dreadful struggle for Bourlon Wood. Drawing upon the latest research, this volume provides valuable new insights into the British Army’s experience during this controversial year.