{"html":" \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/289516/photo/zoom_4105855.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eMerris (France)\u003c/h4\u003e\n \u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-heading-color\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMerris May - July 1918\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eMerris is a small town in the far north of France adjacent to the Belgian border.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1st Division of the AIF had been rushed south in late March April to stem the advance on the Somme but was hastily returned and was deployed to stem another German offensive along the line of hte Franco Belgian border. In this region \u003cem\u003eOperation Georgette, \u003c/em\u003ethe second largest of the Geman lines of attack\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003ehad aimed to strike towards the Channel Ports at Calais via the important rail head of Hazebrouk.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHazebrouk was held and the German offensive stalled as it had further south, short of their objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eDuring May and June of 1918, the Australians engaged in 'Peaceful Penetration' attempting to win back ground lost to the Germans via small stealthy 'snatch and grab' attacks that seized German outposts.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore to follow\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}