7 June 1917
The battle of Messines was a rare Allied success during the dismal summer of 1917. The aim was to drive the Germans off the ridge in order to prepare for a more general offensive at Ypres. The attack was preceeded by a seventeen day long artillery bombardment and by the explosion of mines containing one million pounds of high explosives. General Plumer's men then captured the ridge. Despite the careful preparations the Allies still suffered 17,000 casualties, although the Germans lost 25,000 men.
How to cite this article: Rickard, J (28 December 2007), 7 June 1917, http://www.historyofwar.org/firstworldwar/daybyday/1917_06_07.html