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August
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First day of the Battle of Amiens, the British contribution to the great Allied offensive that marked the beginning of the end of the First World War.
The attack begins with a tank attack, supported by infantry and a creeping barrage. The Germans held strong defensive positions, but they crumbled. Six divisions collapsed, entire units surrendered and Ludendorff's morale was badly affected. He called 8 August the 'Black Day of the German Army'. By the end of the day the Allies have advanced nine miles along a ten mile front and taken 16,000 prisoners.
The Wickes class destroyer USS Waters (DD-115) is commissioned. She enters service just in time to escort three convoys across the Atlantic during the First World War, and that has a much more active career as a fast transport during the Second World War
German V 67 class destroyer V 68 is sunk by a mine.
U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, Norman Friedmann .
The standard history of the development of American destroyers, from the earliest torpedo boat destroyers to the post-war fleet, and covering the massive classes of destroyers built for both World Wars. Gives the reader a good understanding of the debates that surrounded each class of destroyer and led to their individual features.
