when did the first and second world war happen
World War I
September saw the Allies advance to the Hindenburg Line in the north and centre . The Germans continued to fight strong rear - guard actions and launched numerous counterattacks on lost positions , but only a few succeeded , and those only temporarily . Contested towns , villages , heights , and trenches in the screening positions and outposts of the Hindenburg Line continued to fall to the Allies , with the BEF alone taking 30,441 prisoners in the last week of September . On 24 September an assault by both the British and French came within 3 kilometres ( 2 mi ) of St. Quentin . The Germans had now retreated to positions along or behind the Hindenburg Line . An
September saw the Allies advance to the Hindenburg Line in the north and centre . The Germans continued to fight strong rear - guard actions and launched numerous counterattacks on lost positions , but only a few succeeded , and those only temporarily . Contested towns , villages , heights , and trenches in the screening positions and outposts of the Hindenburg Line continued to fall to the Allies , with the BEF alone taking 30,441 prisoners in the last week of September . On 24 September an assault by both the British and French came within 3 kilometres ( 2 mi ) of St. Quentin . The Germans had now retreated to positions along or behind the Hindenburg Line . An