Complex sentence: At the Battle of Tourcoing on 17/18 May this effort became a logistical disaster as communications broke down and columns were delayed, only a third of the allied force came into action, and were only extricated after the loss of 3,000 men.
Split into simpler sentences: At the Battle of Tourcoing on 17/18 May this effort became a logistical disaster as communications broke down and columns were delayed. Only a third of the allied force came into action, and were only extricated after the loss of 3,000 men.