British Empire German Empire 1915 1916 1917 1918 Associated articles Associated articles The Battle of Mont Sorrel (Battle of Mount Sorrel) was a local operation in World War I by three divisions of the German 4th Army and three divisions of the British Second Army in the Ypres Salient, near Ypres in Belgium, from 2 to 13 June 1916.

[4] Short of resources due to the Battle of Verdun, the Germans could only mount local operations to divert British forces from the Somme.

There was discussion over whether the ground between Mont Sorrel and Tor Top was tenable and the commander of the 27th Division, Major-General Franz Friedrich Graf von Pfeil und Klein Ellguth, predicted that it could not, noting the result of the Actions of the Bluff (14–15 February, 2 March 1916).

On 1 June the troops were told of the real reason for the preparations and were also notified of a great naval victory in the North Sea (the Battle of Jutland).

[10] Byng ordered Major-General Malcolm Mercer, the commander of the 3rd Canadian Division, to plan a local attack for the capture of the more dangerous German positions.

Royal Flying Corps (RFC) observers had noted the existence of works curiously resembling the Canadian positions well behind the German lines.

[12] Mercer and the 8th Canadian Brigade commander, Brigadier-General Victor Williams, had been conducting an inspection of the front line when the shelling began.

[13] When the German forces attacked, mainly against positions held by the 8th Canadian Brigade, resistance at the front lines was "minimal".

[17] Due to the distances that had to be covered by incoming units, the difficulties in communications and ever present German artillery-fire, the time allowed for assembly proved inadequate and the attack was postponed until 7:00 am.

[19] In view of the preparations for the Somme offensive, Haig did not wish to divert more forces than were necessary and support was limited to a number of additional artillery units and an infantry brigade from the 20th (Light) Division.

[21] The additional artillery units immediately went to work hampering German consolidation by shelling their front and support lines and seeking out hostile batteries.

[23] Byng ordered the 1st Canadian Division commander, Major-General Arthur Currie, to organize a methodical attack against the German positions at Mont Sorrel and Tor Top.

[23] Four intense bombardments of thirty minutes each were carried out between 9 and 12 June to deceive the Germans into expecting immediate attacks, which did not transpire.

[24] To the fury of the minister, Byng instead promoted the 2nd Canadian Brigade commander, Brigadier-General Louis Lipsett, a highly regarded pre-war British regular, to the post.

[27] The minister protested and confronted Byng in August 1916 but he did not relent, insisting that "he had nothing against Garnet Hughes there was simply a better man for the post".