Second Battle of Passchendaele - Aftermath

Aftermath

On 24 October, The Austro-German 14th Army under General der Infanterie Otto von Below inflicted a great defeat on the Italian Army at the Battle of Caporetto. In fear that Italy might be put out of the war, the French and British Governments each promised to send six divisions of men to the Italian Front. All troops were rapidly and efficiently transferred between 10 November and 12 December, due to good administrative preparations made by the French Chief of Staff Ferdinand Foch, who had been sent to Italy in April 1917 to plan for just such an emergency. The Third Battle of Ypres came to an unsatisfactory close as a result of the diversion of British forces, with Haig being forced to end his advance just short of Westrozebeke. On 14 November, the gradual relief of the Canadian divisions by the VIII Corps began, and on 20 November, Currie resumed command along the Lens–Vimy front.