Map 3. Planning map for heavy artillery barrage, Messines Ridge area, 6 June 1917. Compared with Map 2, this shows another band of heavy artillery fire, even deeper into German lines. In addition to bands of fire that extended the creeping barrage up to seven hundred yards deep, heavy artillery fired one or two bands of fire further into the German lines. The shelling shown on this map was intended to be a final touch on any German defenses in Wytschaete village and to block reinforcements from moving forward.

Source: Rawlins Papers, RAI.

Detail (1000 x 1279)