A FORTNIGHT ago we looked at the first phase of the Great German Offensive of 1918, just after its 100th anniversary.

Weymouth historian Greg Schofield shared details of his research on the Weymouth men who perished in this, one of the last great offensives of the First World War, on March 21, 1918.

This week we're moving on to the second phase of the Great German Offensive.

Greg takes up the story: "The first phase of the German offensive in 1918 had come to an end, but Ludendorff had missed his chance.

"He had 26 divisions available in the north ready to fall on the British lines around Ypres, and had he transferred them to Picardy to exploit the unexpected gains made there, it is doubtful the allied lines would have held."

"The blow at Ypres fell on April 7. In much the same way as had happened in March, ‘Breakthrough’ Bruchmuller blew a four mile hole in the allied lines and the stormtroopers poured through. After a 12 mile retreat the allied lines held and the German attack ground to a halt. The city of Ypres had been held, but it had been ‘a close run thing’. One factor in demoralising the German troops was the capture of some American soldiers; their leaders had told them that the Americans could not and would not arrive and now they were caught in another lie.

Ludendorff tried again on May 27 with an attack across the River Aisne. Some 30 German Divisions fell on seven weak and disorganised Allied divisions, with predictable results; it too ground to a halt, but only after it had got within 50 miles of Paris. Whilst the arrival of increasing numbers of American troops was an important factor in bringing this offensive to a halt, perhaps more important was the impact of the Spanish Influenza epidemic on the malnourished German troops and their losses from this disease were particularly severe.

During these offensives, the following Weymouth men lost their lives - ADAMS Wallace Bombardier, Royal Garrison Artillery. Killed 27th May, 1918, aged 30. Lived 5, Orion Rd., Rodwell, Weymouth; COOK Albert Serjeant in 2nd Wiltshire Regt. Killed in action 8th May, 1918, aged 28. Husband of Annie. Lived 32, Chickerell Rd., Weymouth; CROXFORD L. H. Private, 2nd Royal Berkshire Regt. Killed 26th April, 1918, aged 19. Son of the late Frederick Croxford and Emily Edith Thompson. Lived 27, Chelmsford St., Weymouth. DRAKE James Oliver Private, 1st The King’s (Liverpool). Killed 16th April,1918, aged 19. Posted as wounded and missing, then declared dead in May. Son of James and Blanche Drake, ‘Hopemead’, 1, Rodwell Avenue, Weymouth. GIBSON William Shepherd Private 9th Cheshire Regt. Killed 6th June, 1918, aged 20. Brother of Edward Gibson, 77, Alt Street, Liverpool. JONES Hugh Morris Able Seaman, Hawke Batallion, Royal Naval Division. Killed 19th May, 1918. Worked for Great Western Railway, Weymouth. Lived 47, Newstead Road, Weymouth; PATON Edgar C. Bombardier, Royal Field Artillery. Killed 23rdApril, 1918; PITMAN Alfred John Private, 6th Wiltshire Regt. Killed 10th April, 1918, aged 30. Son of Alfred and Elizabeth Pitman. Husband of Agnes Harriet Pitman. Lived 12, Pretoria Terrace, Chickerell Rd., Weymouth; RUFFELL Harold Charles William Private 2nd Wiltshire Regt. Killed 30th May, 1918; RUSSELL Alfred James Private 7th Tank Corps. Died of wounds 14th April, 1918. Son of Edwin John & Elizabeth Jane Russell.