THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENT - BATTLE HONOURS 21 AUGUST 2012 Scimitar Hill 1915 The Battle of Scimitar Hill was the last offensive mounted by the British at Suvla during the Battle of Gallipoli, in which the Allied invading force sought to enhance its second beachhead, created on 6 August, against strong Ottoman Turkish opposition. 11th (Northern) Division The aim was to remove the immediate Ottoman threat from the exposed Suvla landing and to link with the Anzac1 sectors to the south. The assault was launched on 21 August to coincide with a simultaneous attack on Hill 60. One of the attacking divisions was the 11th (Northern) Division containing 5th Dorsets. At 3.00 pm the Division advanced towards Susak Kuyu and under heavy fire, carried the Turkish front trench. They were then confronted by a second line some 40 yards further on. The battle then became confused. The Dorsets were fixed by enfilading fire and could only hang onto their position. In the early morning of 22 August, they withdrew, having taken over 300 casualties, including all the officers. The British attack had been another costly failure. Somme 1918 Albert 1918 The Second Battle of the Somme in 1918 was part of a series of successful counter-offensives in response to the German 1918 Spring Offensive. 5th Division The attack began on 21 August and developed into an advance which pushed the German Army back over a 55 kilometre front. The town of Albert was captured on 22 August. The British then widened the attack by another twelve kilometres, sometimes 32nd Division called the Second Battle of Arras. Bapaume fell on 29 August. Thereafter, the Australian Corps crossed the Somme River, breaking the German lines, and the Canadian Corps seized the west edge of the Hindenburg Line. Heavy German casualties were inflicted. In September, the Hindenburg Line was 17th (Northern) breeched. Division A number of our regiments were involved in the Second Battle of the Somme. 1st Devons were in the 5th Division and took part in the fight for Albert, as did 1st Dorsets in the 32nd Division and 6th th th Dorsets in the 17 (Northern) Division. 5 Devons were in the 62nd (West nd 62 (West Riding) Division, but were not involved in the initial stages. Riding) Division 1 Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. .