After the successful repulsion of the German forces at the battle of the Marne, the allied armies set out in pursuit of the retreating German First and Second Armies as they withdrew to positions on the north bank of the Aisne River. The Germans took the high ground overlooking the river and waited for the allies to advance.
On September 12, the allies began their first assault in the First Battle of Aisne. The B.E.F. forced their way across the river and attacked the right flank of the German First Army at Vailly. The III Corps assaulted the main line while the I and II Corps moved to the east in attempt to get behind the German positions. The British attacks were not quick enough to seize the moment and the German Seventh Army arrived and closed the gap between the First and Second Army before the B.E.F. could exploit it.
For a further four days, the British attempted to drive the Germans off of the high ground. All the attempts failed and the attacks stalled. The battle began to expand westward as both sides began a series of attacks and counter-attacks aimed at outflanking the other. As this occurred, the two armies moved closer and closer to the North Sea.
At the same time, the Germans set out to take as many of the port cities as it could in an attempt to prevent more British Troops from landing on the continent. The attacked Antwerp on October 6 expecting little resistance. They met a very determined Belgian field army and a detachment of Royal Marines which fought the Germans whole hearted until the 10th when they were forced to retreat from the city. That day, Antwerp formally surrendered from the Germans.
The movement along the front continued until the British and German forces had reached the town of Ypres. To prevent a further advance, the Belgians destroyed the elaborate drainage systems near the coast and flooded the plains south of Dixmude. The lines stopped and both armies began to dig in for what would become the greatest stalemate in the history of warfare. By October 20, the line was stabilized and the first battle of Ypres was on.
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