 most surprising fashion in the fight for Ketnmel. If we succeeded in getting it to ourselves at this point, we should have a certain prospect of a great victory.
If no French help arrived, England would probably be lost in Flanders. Yet in England's dire need this help was once more at hand. French troops came up with bitter anger against the friend who had surrendered Kemmel, and attempted to recover this key position from us. It was in vain.
But our own last great onslaught on the new Anglo-French line at the end of April made no headway.
On May 1st we adopted the defensive in Flanders, or rather, as we then hoped, passed to the defensive for the time being.
Twice had England been saved by France at a moment of extreme crisis. Perhaps the third time we should succeed. If we reached the Channel Coast we should lay hands directly on England's vital arteries.
In so doing we should not only be in the most favourable position conceivable for interrupting her maritime communications, but our heaviest artillery would be able to get a portion of the South Coast of Britain under fire.
The mysterious marvel of technical science, which was even now sending its shells into the French capital from the region of Laon, could be employed against England also.
Source: Source Records of the Great War, Vol. VI, ed. Charles F. Horne, National Alumni 1923
A cartwheel was a particular type of aerial manoeuvre.
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