A reciprocal French advance eastwards in Artois could cut Removing the rail lines supplying the German armies between Arras and Reims .

German troops passed Motion_directional through the village in late September 1914 during the First Battle Hostile_encounter of Albert , part of a series of reciprocal operations Military_operation by the German and Franco-British armies , to advance Self_motion round the northern flank of their opponent during the operations Military_operation known as the Race to the Sea .

The term describes Communication reciprocal attempts by the Franco-British and German armies to envelop the northern flank of the opposing army through the provinces of Picardy , Artois and Flanders , rather than an attempt to advance northwards to the sea .

at the end Process_end of the great retreat Escaping , the race to the sea began Process_start , a period of reciprocal attempts by the germans and franco-british to outflank Besieging their opponents , extending Change_event_time the front line northwards from the aisne , into picardy , artois and flanders .

The battles Hostile_encounter at Ypres began Process_start at the end Process_end of the Race to the Sea , reciprocal attempts by the German and Franco-British armies to advance Cause_to_make_progress past the northern flank of their opponents .