‘They learn best by teaching and making their own mistakes, not by lectures from superiors.’ An assessment of the British Expeditionary Force’s Infantry Tactical Progress on the Somme Front, September 1916 – April 1917

Lock, Andrew (2023) ‘They learn best by teaching and making their own mistakes, not by lectures from superiors.’ An assessment of the British Expeditionary Force’s Infantry Tactical Progress on the Somme Front, September 1916 – April 1917. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

The notion that the British Expeditionary Force’s infantry underwent a learning process during and following the Somme campaign of 1916 is now well established. This thesis has explored that process by case-studying ten divisions in action between September 1916 and April 1917, with particular focus on the early 1917 actions on the Somme front and the pursuit to the Hindenburg Line. The four main objectives of this research have been to examine the relationship between experience and doctrine in tactical development; to establish the extent of tactical progress within the examined time period; to qualify certain existing terms within the study of the history of the First World War; and to contribute to the understanding of a series of actions on the Somme front in early 1917 which have yet to be studied in detail.

This research has found that broadly speaking, several assertions regarding tactical progress in the BEF made by historians such as Gary Sheffield, Peter Simkins, Paddy Griffith and William Philpott have been essentially accurate. That is to say, a development process did occur as a result of the lessons of the Somme campaign, but it was not carried out in a uniform fashion. Different divisions with different experiences and leadership learned different lessons. In an effort to raise standards, best practice was codified for dissemination after having been tested in action by the apparently highest-performing BEF divisions. This thesis has found a discernible improvement in performance among those divisions which had the opportunity to train in the latest tactical methods following their late 1916 actions. It sheds light on a crucial period of development in the BEF, exploring the nature of their progress towards the all-arms fighting style of 1918. Furthermore, it demonstrates the performance of the BEF in early 1917 was more creditable than previous assessments have shown.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of History
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	05 Mar 2025 15:25
Last Modified:	05 Mar 2025 15:25
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/98683
DOI:

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