How many casualties were there during the German attack on Vimy Ridge, 21 May 1916 ?
German attack on Vimy Ridge, 21 May 1916
On 23 May the weather was still too hazy but artillery-observation aircraft took off at 3:30 a.m.;before conditions got worse, a reconnaissance on the First Army front found suspicious rail movements at Lens.[22] In the afternoon, another conference was held, this time including Monro, Allenby, Wilson and two officers from General Headquarters (GHQ). The GHQ staff reiterated that Haig wanted a line established where it could be maintained and was willing to supply what guns, ammunition and troops were necessary. Wilson was keen to attack before the Germans could finish consolidating the captured ground and the army commanders agreed and the attack due that night was to go ahead. At 8:25 p.m. after a one-hour hurricane bombardment to re-capture the former support line and if possible the old front line, dig in and dig a new support line half-way back to the Talus des Zouaves. The main attack was to be made by the 99th Brigade and the 226th Field Company RE from Central Ave to Landwehr Ave, supported on the right by the 7th Brigade south of Central Ave and on the left by the 242nd Brigade from Landwehr to Uhlan Ave. At 11:30 a.m. a German bombardment began on the British assembly area and increased at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. but the British heavy guns could make little reply due to a shortage of ammunition.[27]