page_title: 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
section_title: 1917
hierarchical_section_title: 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment / First World War / 1917
caption_attribution_description: Description: Map of the Battle of Cambrai - British Offensive, english text Source: self-made by User:W.wolny Low-Res-Version: Image:509px-Schlacht von Cambrai - Truppen GB-Angriff.png Painter: W.Wolny Retouch: Uv1234
context_page_description: The 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army created in 1881 by the redesignation of the 84th Regiment of Foot in 1881. The battalion was in existence from 1881 until 1948, when it amalgamated with the 1st Battalion.
context_section_description: After the Somme Campaign the 6th Division was sent to the Loos Salient. Most of the early part of 1917 was relatively peaceful but after the Canadian success at the Battle of Vimy Ridge the Germans began withdrawing from various sectors in front of the British positions. On 13 April 1917, with forewarning that the Germans were going to be withdrawing from their positions in front of the 2nd Yorks and Lancs, the battalion was ordered to closely follow up as the Germans withdrew. The 2nd Battalion followed so closely that they completely occupied all the German positions by 6pm. During the next four days the division advanced so rapidly that they almost managed to capture Hill 70 (a strategically important German position) before the Germans strengthened their resistance. Other than this six-month period in the Loos salient the 2nd Battalion spent the rest of 1917 in various quiet sectors until the Battle of Cambrai began in November 1917.
  The 6th Division were placed in the center of the attack on 20 November 1917, opposite Ribecourt. The 16th Brigade, including the 2nd Yorks and Lancs, were in the first wave of the attack which involved a 4,000 yard advance to take Ribecourt. The 6th Division captured Ribecourt and Marcoing when the cavalry took over the advance. By 7 December, the few positions the British had managed to hold onto, after the German counterattack and the battle had ended, were those gained by the 6th Division at Ribecourt.
caption: The British Offensive at Cambrai.
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