THIS week we're continuing our tribute to the Weymouth men who died after the Great German offensives of 1918.

Last week we remember the soldiers who died on August 8, 1918 as the British advanced eight miles and the Germans had just experienced the 'Black Day of the German Army'.

Whilst it is true that the Germans were starved of raw materials and food by 1918, and were particularly affected by the Spanish Influenza, their morale had been particularly shaken by the failure of their own offensives earlier in the year and the evidence of the allies’ plentiful supplies.

But more significant were the new British tactics; all the lessons of the previous four years had been learnt.

Improved field communications, better co-operation between the different arms of the forces, and rapid deployment to change the point of attack when impetus ran out all led to success.

In 1917, the Germans had retreated to specially built and fortified defences known as the Hindenburg Line, which they thought were impenetrable.

From August 21 in 1918, the British using their new tactics, broke through three powerful positions in the line, and the Germans, despite holding American and French attacks elsewhere were forced to undertake a fighting retreat.

For the German High Command, their priority was to extricate their armies from France; the allied priority was to maintain the pressure and establish a new fortified line. Losses were high on both sides until the Armistice finally came on November 11, 1918.

During those campaigns, the following Weymouth men died:-

Frank BOLT Serjeant, 5th Dorsetshire Regt. Died 01/10/1918, aged Lived 1, Garibaldi Row, Weymouth.

Alfred George BOWN, Private, 8th Somerset Light Infantry. Died 24/08/1918.