Battle of Albert (1914)

Battle of Albert (1914)
Part of the Race to the Sea on the Western Front of the First World War
Course of the Race to the Sea
Date 25–29 September 1914 Location Somme, Picardy, France 50°01′N 2°41′E / 50.01°N 2.69°E / 50.01; 2.69 Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
France	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Noël de Castelnau	Crown Prince Rupprecht
Strength
Second Army	6th Army

The Battle of Albert (also known as the First Battle of Albert) began on 25 September 1914, in what became known as the "Race to the Sea", during the First World War. It followed the First Battle of the Aisne as both sides moved northwards, trying to turn the northern flank of their opponent. The Second Army (Noël de Castelnau), began to assemble at Amiens in mid-September and was directed by General Joseph Joffre, the Generalissimo of the French Army, to attack near Albert.

On 25 September, the Second Army advanced eastwards but instead of advancing round an open northern flank, encountered the German 6th Army which had attacked in the opposite direction, reaching Bapaume on 26 September and Thiepval the next day. The Germans had intended to outflank the French and drive westward to the English Channel, seizing the industrial and agricultural regions of northern France and isolating Belgium. Neither side could defeat their opponent and the battle ended in stalemate around 29 September, as both sides made another outflanking attempt to the north of Albert, at the Battle of Arras (1–4 October).