German attack on Vimy Ridge

German attack on Vimy Ridge (Unternehmen Schleswig-Holstein)
Part of Local operations December 1915 – June 1916 Western Front, First World War
A.Y. Jackson: Vimy Ridge from Souchez Valley
Date 21–22 May 1916 Location Vimy Ridge, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France 50°22′24″N 02°48′41″E / 50.37333°N 2.81139°E / 50.37333; 2.81139 Result German victory
Belligerents
Germany	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Erich von Falkenhayn	Douglas Haig
Strength
4 regiments (part)	4 brigades (part)
Casualties and losses
22–25 May: 1,344	22–24 May: 2,475 includes 300 POW
Vimy Ridge class=notpageimage| Vimy Ridge, in a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department. The ridge runs south-east from Givenchy-en-Gohelle to Farbus

The German attack on Vimy Ridge (Unternehmen Schleswig-Holstein/Operation Schleswig-Holstein) was a local attack on the Western Front on 21 May 1916, during the First World War. The Germans intended to prevent mines being blown under German positions by capturing the British front line and mine gallery entrances. After the Third Battle of Artois (25 September – 4 November 1915) the French Tenth Army had held positions on the western slope of Vimy Ridge and the German 6th Army occupied positions on the steeper eastern slope. During the Battle of Verdun (21 February – 18 December 1916), the Tenth Army was withdrawn and the British First Army and Third Army, on either flank, took over the French positions.

The mine warfare waged by the French was continued by the British, exploiting the advantage of being on the dip slope and only having to dig horizontally into the ridge to undermine German positions. The Germans, on the steeper scarp slope, had to dig down before they could dig horizontally, a disadvantage made worse by a shortage of manpower and mining equipment. An attack was planned by the Germans to capture the British positions, from which mine galleries were being dug under the German defences. Success would gain more defensive depth and forestall mine attacks on the German positions before the British could organise their defences on the ridge.

The Germans attacked on 21 May and were able to consolidate their objectives before the British could conduct counter-attacks powerful enough to recapture the ground. In the attack and its aftermath the Germans suffered 1,344 casualties against 2,475 British losses. A British plan to recapture the front positions and take the German side of the ridge was cancelled because of the demand for men and equipment for the forthcoming Battle of the Somme. The Attack on the Gommecourt Salient took priority over another attack on the ridge. British planning continued and became the basis for the much larger attack by the Canadian Corps at the Battle of Vimy Ridge (9–12 April 1917).