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VOLUNTARY GUIDES BACKGROUNDER

Number 114 Issue # 2 February 2015 AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR

PART 5 WESTERN FRONT 1918

We knew you would fight a real fight, but we did not know that from the very beginning you would astonish the whole Continent with your valour. Georges Clemenceau, French Prime Minister, visiting Australian troops, July 1918. The new year, 1918, brought only the prospect of further fighting and more large-scale killing. A dreadful situation was made worse when the Germans launched a massive offensive in March that brought them close to Amiens. The Australians were rushed to the Somme. After exhausting journeys in trains, old London buses, and long marches, they arrived in front of the advancing enemy. Some local French called, Vivent Australiens! Vous les tiendrez! (you will stop them!). At Herbuterne, Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux the Australians helped to hold the enemy’s advance. On ANZAC Day 1918, two Australian brigades delivered a decisive counter-attack at Villers-Bretonneux. Meanwhile, some units returned to Flanders to confront another enemy push. There was heavy fighting throughout March and April, but by dogged determination the Germans were stopped on both fronts and the diggers had played a vital role.

PJH

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FIREPOWER/BLACK DAY

DEFENDING V-B/GERMAN FLANDERS OFFENSIVE

WESTERN FRONT 1918FLOOR PLAN

FINAL BATTLE /BREAKING THE LINE

ARMISTICE

HAMEL

MONASH

ART

ART

ART

MC DOUGALL

ARMIES OF 1918/RECORDING THE HISTORY

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

FOREWORD

BACKGROUNDER # 114 (1) November 2014 has been rescoped as one of the following series covering the 2013-2014 redevelopment of the AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR Galleries:

# 110 PART 1 – AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR - AUSTRALIA GOES TO WAR # 111 PART 2 - AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR - THE ANZAC STORY-GALLIPOLI # 112 PART 3 - AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR - WESTERN FRONT 1916 # 113 PART 4 - AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR – 1917 - THE WORST YEAR # 115 PART 6 - AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR - SINAI PALESTINE # 116 PART 7- AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR– LEGACIES OF THE WAR In this instance BACKGROUNDER # 114 has been updated to:

• Re-badge the brief as a document in the Australia in the Great War series rather that a First World War document;

• Replace a number of images to improve the overall presentation; • Incorporate “Notes”, particularly in respect to the Sections addressing the Dioramas in this gallery,

that might provide talking points for Guides; and • Highlight some particular texts in the document that once again might also be of particular interest to

Guides. • Incorporate “Points of Interest” or “Talking Points “ for each of the dioramas in this gallery.

Hope this helps.

Peter Hugonnet Voluntary Guide February 2015

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

WESTERN FRONT 1918 – FLOOR PLAN

Section1 DERNACOURT DIORAMA

Section 2 1918:YEAR OF VICTORY

Section 3 THE ARMIES OF 1918 & RECORDING THE HISTORY

Section 4 SIR JOHN MONASH

Section 5 SUCCESS AT HAMEL

Section 6 DEFENCE OF VILLERS –BRETONNEUX & THE GERMAN FLANDERS OFFENSIVE Section 7 FIREPOWER & BLACK DAY OF THE GERMAN ARMY

Section 8 TURNING THE TABLES (MULTI MEDIA)

Section 9 MONT ST QUENTIN DIORAMA

Section 10 THE FINAL BATTLES ON THE WESTERN FRONT & BREAKING THE LINE

Section 11 ARMISTICE

See also BACKGROUNDERS:

#14 (1) January 1999. The Amiens Gun

# 23 (2) July 2012 Australians on the Western Front in the First World War

#29 (2) July 2002. USA at War 1917-1920 Links at the AWM # 104 (1) January 2012 Ghosts of Menin Gate

# 109 (1) December 2013 ANZAC Voices . Section 5 -1917 Mud & Destruction

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 1

DERNACOURT DIORAMA

We could not see for mist and smoke. But the sounds from the front line filled me with alarm. Thudding of German bombs – hand-to-hand fighting. Ragged, fluctuating volleys of our rifle-fire that told of a dwindling defence.

Leut George Mitchell 48 Battalion

Dernancourt was on the main railway line and this made it an important centre for the movement of troops and supplies during the 1916 Somme fighting. But in 1918, following the Germans’ breakthrough, the village soon found itself on the front-line and the 4th Australian Division was rushed there in an attempt to stop the enemy’s further advance. A big fight took place on 28 March and the Australians managed to hang on; it was the diggers’ stiffest action since Ypres the year before. On 5 April the Germans attacked again. This time, in the morning mist, large numbers of them got across the railway embankment and through the underpass. The Australians were forced back. The official historian described the attack as ‘the strongest made against Australian troops’. Finally, in the late afternoon the diggers counter-attacked and, although out-numbered, advancing into ‘devilish fire’ they forced the enemy to withdraw. The line was held and the German advance blunted. The Australians incurred 1,500 casualties. After the war the city of Adelaide contributed to the re-building of the French village.

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Diorama points of interest Dernancourt Dernancourt, on the main railway line, was an important centre for the movement of troops and supplies during the 1916 Somme fighting. But in 1918 the village found itself on the front line, and the 4th Australian Division was rushed there in an attempt to stop the Germans. A big fight took place on 28 March,

but the Australians managed to hang on. On 5 April the Germans attacked again. This time, in the morning mist, large numbers got across the railway embankment and through the underpass. The Australians were forced back by the strongest attack they would ever experience. Finally, in the late afternoon, the diggers counter-attacked and, advancing into “devilish fire”, they forced the enemy to withdraw. The German advance was blunted. It had cost the Australians 1,500 casualties. Defending Dernancourt The German attack at Dernancourt on 5 April 1918 was the strongest ever made against the Australians. Along the railway embankment overlooking Dernancourt village, two under-strength Australian brigades held out against repeated attacks by three German divisions. Months after the fighting, two wooden crosses marked in pencil were found along the embankment at an Australian post that had been overrun by German troops: "Here lies a brave English warrior". "About 9.30 am a hurricane of fire broke out over the 4th Division Australian's front positions and the German masses ... came at a rush along the whole line of railway, but thickest at the elbow of Dernancourt." Private Frederick William Klingner, 47th Battalion, c. 1918 Striking at Amiens The offensive launched in March 1918 was Germany's last chance to defeat the allies fighting on the Western Front. German troop numbers had been bolstered after the withdrawal of Russia from the war. The Germans hoped to drive a wedge between the British and French armies along the Somme river and capture the vital rail hub at Amiens. From the railway embankment at Dernancourt, Amiens was just 30 kilometres away. “We are organising and re-organising for open warfare; all surplus kit removed to store, and our valises are down to 25 lbs maximum. The official news through is that Fritz is right through Dernancourt and Albert. All the country we once took is gone back to his hands; l just imagine the loss to us in dumps of material etc, besides men and guns!” Lieutenant Ben William Champion, 1st Battalion, c. 1918 The village of Dernancourt For most of the war, Dernancourt was a rear area village where British and Australian troops fighting on the Somme in 1916 were billeted, far from the dangers of the front line. Situated on the main railway line leading to Amiens, German prisoners were sent to Dernancourt where they were briefly detained in a prisoner-of-war cage before being transported to Amiens; the wounded were evacuated to a Casualty Clearance Station that stood in the middle of the 1918 battlefield.

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Dernancourt Cemetery Situated in the middle of the 1918 battlefield, the cemetery at Dernancourt contains the dead of British and dominion troops who died of wounds at various Casualty Clearance Stations located nearby. The cemetery still stands today, and is managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It contains more than 1,700 graves, including those of 60 Australians killed in the fighting at Dernancourt in April 1918. The railway embankment During the battle of 5 April 1918, elements of the 4th and 13th Brigades were stretched out along the railway embankment at Dernancourt to deny the Germans the high ground overlooking the village. The brunt of the German attack fell on the 47th and 48th Battalions, whose isolated posts were overrun by German troops. The Australians were forced to withdraw, and those who remained along the embankment were either killed, or made to surrender. “Retiring to a drain from the front railway line we lyed there for about 10 hours in water until 5.30 pm while the Germans were retiring from our heavy counter-attack ... We were picked up there ... I was taken separate from the others, to a cellar in Dernancourt, being questioned there. I was threatened to be shot for refusing to tell them anything.” Private Frederick William Klingner, 47th Battalion, diary kept while a prisoner of war, c. 1918 Diorama supporting relics

Maxim gun captured by McDougall VC When Sergeant Stan McDougall observed German troops advancing through the early morning mist on 28 March 1918, he hastily gathered a few men of the 47th Battalion to halt them. Firing a Lewis gun from the hip until the heat from its barrel blistered his hand, McDougall killed two machine-gun crews and threw the oncoming Germans into confusion. He continued to fire at the Germans who had broken through his position, forcing them to surrender. This machine-gun is one of the two he captured in the action, for which he was later awarded the Victoria Cross. RELAWM00771 Sergeant Speering’s next-of-kin plaque As the men of B Company, 47th Battalion, attempted to reinforce their comrades at the Dernancourt railway embankment in the early afternoon of 28 March 1918, they had to move across several hundred metres of exposed ground. As they attempted the crossing, Sergeant Hugh Speering, a Gallipoli veteran from Toowoomba, Queensland, who had previously been a schoolteacher, and two others were killed by a single shell. REL/17037

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The “Weeping Angel” A famous feature of Amiens’ imposing gothic cathedral is the 17th century “weeping angel” on the tomb of Canon Guilain Lucas. Symbolising grief for untimely death and the brevity of human life, the angel was a popular image with First World War soldiers. Sergeant Peter Birnie of the 20th Battalion purchased this miniature souvenir from the cathedral, and though its wings had broken off, he brought it back to Australia with him in 1918. REL35802 Private Wollaston’s dental plate On 30 March 1918, during a German attack at Sailly-le-Sec, Private Tennyson Wollaston of the 43rd Battalion was shot in the face. His left jaw was badly damaged and he was evacuated to hospital in England for treatment. This dental plate was made to support his lower teeth during surgical procedures. Wollaston recovered from his wound, but did not see further active service. REL40093 Souvenired German bugle German attacks at Sailly-le-Sec on 30 May were comprehensively defeated by the 11th Australian Infantry Brigade, and the BEF’s front line north of the Somme River was secured. German losses were heavy, as was the impact on their morale, which had been high in the wake of successes earlier in the month. Lieutenant Robert Tredenick of the 41st Battalion collected this abandoned bugle in the aftermath of the fighting. RELAWM00736 Corporal Harding’s Military Medal Corporal Bill Harding of the 14th Battalion carried out a daring daylight reconnaissance at Hébuterne on 28 March 1918, in the course of which he gathered valuable information on enemy positions. He also collected two German machine-guns, a wounded prisoner, and a wounded British soldier, bringing them all back to the Australian lines. The 24-year-old veteran was killed by a shell during the allied offensive in August. REL/18373 Tin whistle Lieutenant Frederick “Dad” Jarvis, an English-born former Cambridge scholar, was one of the notable characters of the 3rd Battalion. A born entertainer, he frequently amused his comrades with jokes, stories, or tunes played on his tin whistle. At Strazeele, on 14 April 1918, after his men had repulsed a German attack, Jarvis climbed onto the parapet of his trench and played “Australia will be there” and “Die Wacht am Rhein”, which brought laughter from his own lines, but heavy machine-gun fire from the Germans. REL/18551 Corporal Davey’s damaged pocket book During May and June of 1918, the Australians carried out an almost constant series of “peaceful penetration” actions, in which small groups of men surprised and captured enemy positions. Perhaps the greatest of these operations was the bold daylight capture of the town of Merris by the 10th Battalion on 28 June. Corporal Phil Davey was awarded the Victoria Cross for silencing a machine-gun which threatened the Australians, and then using it to defeat a German counter-attack. He was severely wounded in the action, one bullet passing through this notebook, which was in his pocket. RELAWM01129 Artillery fuze This British-made fuze and nose cone from a 60-pounder shell were found among the debris of a shell-burst which killed five men of the 46th Battalion at Laviéville on 5 April 1918. Since the shell was part of a heavy German barrage fired as a prelude to an attack, it seems likely that the enemy were employing captured British guns and ammunition. RELAWM07721

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Sergeant McDougall’s service dress jacket This is the tunic worn by Sergeant Stan McDougall of the 47th Battalion at Dernancourt on 28 March 1918, when he launched an almost single-handed counter-attack against advancing German forces. McDougall’s heroic actions on the day were largely responsible for halting the enemy’s advance, and he was awarded the Victoria Cross. The cross’s ribbon, and that of the Military Medal which he was awarded for further gallant actions at Dernancourt the following month, were added to the tunic later.RELAWM05574 German-made wooden grave marker Buried where he fell at Dernancourt on 5 April 1918, an unknown soldier of

the 48th Battalion was honoured by the Germans, who erected this crude wooden cross over his grave. Written in pencil upon it are the words “Hier liegt ein tapferer englischer Krieger” (Here lies a brave English warrior).RELAWM00734

Notes:

1.The armies in the final year and the German offensive (AWM notes October 2014) By 1918 a weary world could only hope for peace to come soon. In the previous year, the United States had joined on the allies’ side, although it would be at least a year before their newly-raised units could be brought into action. At the same time, there was revolution in Russia, the Tsar abdicated, and the country had descended into civil war removing it from among the allies. By now the British were fielding an army in parts largely made up of young conscripts that looked a poor lot compared to the men of 1914-16. The Australians too, were battle worn. The Germans had been bolstered by the troops released from the Russian front. Still, the allies’ appointment of the indefatigable Marshal Ferdinand Foch as commander-in-chief was a clear signal that they would fight on for outright victory. By early 1918 tired and depleted armies faced each other along the Western Front. However the Germans’ numbers had been bolstered by troops transferred from their Eastern Front. On the allies’ side, Americans had arrived too but they needed training before they were available for battle. The Germans knew they had to strike before the Americans were ready. The Germans launched Operation Michael, and other connecting blows, from 21 March. Stormtroopers struck at the allies’ weak spots while artillery provided massive supporting fire. It was immediately successful, and along the Somme the British were suddenly forced into a large-scale retreat.

2. AWM Art Notes: When the German offensive of March 1918 had been checked before Amiens, the enemy, with four divisions, on 5 April, made a strenuous effort to smash a way through at Dernancourt. Involving an initial retirement against enormous odds up the face of an open hillside by the 4th Division, as well as a subsequent counter-attack down the crest of this slope, it resulted in heavy Australian casualties. This diorama shows a phase of the attack when the Germans were attempting to advance en masse in the face of deadly Lewis gun and rifle-grenade fire. Charles Bean wanted

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the dioramas to illustrate the Australians’ fighting qualities. In Dernancourt we see their determined efforts in the face of defeat. C. Web Gilbert made the preliminary model for the Dernancourt diorama in 1919, at a time when the diorama artists were on the former battlefields making studies intended to inform the design and construction of their works. Gilbert temporarily resigned from the diorama scheme in 1923 to pursue other commissions. His premature death in 1925 prevented his returning to work on the project, and Leslie Bowles took over his unfinished dioramas. Louis McCubbin painted the original figures, background and modelling. The background was repainted twice, by George Browning in 1969–70 and then by Don Evans in 1990–91. The work was included in the Australian War Museum’s inaugural exhibition in Melbourne in 1927–28. It was first displayed at the Memorial in the France and Belgium gallery and then relocated to the Western Front gallery in 1971.figures: composite lead with paint; background: synthetic polymer paint on fibreglass; modelling: plaster over wood and wire with wood, wire, metal and paint created in Melbourne in 1927 acquired under commission in 1927. Leslie Bowles (1885–1954) and Louis McCubbin (1890–1952) ART41021 The diorama was previously referred to as Dernancourt – holding the front. The work was first displayed in the France and Belgium gallery and relocated to the Western Front gallery in 1971.

About Blog Commemoration 3. Operation Michael: The German Offensive of March 21 1918 {AWM website January 2015} In March 1918, Allies suspected that German forces would soon make a decisive move. They were right. On 14 March, General Erich Ludendorff, Chief of Staff of the German armies, was planning a surprise offensive to divide the French and British forces on the Western Front. As anticipated, the German army amassed its troops and launched an offensive on 21 March, on a front south of Arras in St Quentin sector. The Aim The Germans wanted to capture the strategically important area of Amiens, to divide the Allied armies and to weaken them to the point where a combined counter-attack would be impossible. To diminish Allied strength was also crucial following the United States' decision to enter the war in 1917; American forces were about to arrive in France in support of the Allies. Although it is generally accepted that by this stage Ludendorff did not expect to win the war, by launching as many offensive actions as possible, the German high command aimed to be on a more equal footing with Allied countries when peace negotiations were eventually held. The Attack Sixty-three German divisions attacked over 60 miles of the front held by 26 British divisions, overwhelming British defences and driving them west. The Germans concentrated on infiltrating strongly in one central area, whereas the British expected that the attack would be spread out, and that the Germans would attempt to outflank them in the Somme woods and valleys. The British 3rd Army and 5th Army were taken by surprise, divided and forced to retreat. German troops then rapidly advanced across the Somme battlefield towards Amiens. In five days, they had recaptured all the land they had lost around the Somme in the previous two years. This was disastrous for the Allies. Not only had they lost all the land which thousands of men had died to capture, but also the Germans were now dangerously close to Amiens, a vital rail junction, which in March lay defenceless.

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In the short space of ten days since launching the offensive, German troops were almost at the gates of Amiens. The Allies had to prevent the Germans from passing through Villers-Bretonneux, the main area before Amiens. On 25 March, the 3rd and 4th Australian divisions were on their way, hastily instructed to plug the gap and to assist in stopping the offensive. 4. Attacks on Dernacourt 27 March 1918 - 30 April 1918 (AWM website January 2015) Dernancourt, a village on the River Ancre in France, was the scene of much desperate fighting during the German offensive of March and April 1918. The 12th and 13th Brigades first occupied positions around Dernancourt on 27 March. Elements of the 50th (Prussian) Reserve Division launched an attack on the morning of the 28th that was repulsed by the 12th Brigade, using the embankment of the Albert-Amiens railway line as a defensive barrier. This action, however, was only a precursor to a larger, more determined effort by the Division later in the day, mounted right along the Australians' thinly held front. Fighting continued until the early evening, but the Germans were eventually defeated, with approximately 550 casualties, and at a cost of 137 to the Australians. The Germans launched a new attack in the vicinity of Dernancourt on the morning of 5 April 1918. On this occasion, they were able to breach the railway embankment by forcing their way under a bridge, outflank the Australian posts along it, and penetrate between the 12th and 13th Brigades. The forward battalions of both brigades were forced to retire upon their support positions and for a time even their supporting artillery was threatened. A counter-attack, however, was launched from the support positions with the brigades' reserve battalions just after 5 pm, which halted the German advance and pushed it back toward the railway embankment. The embankment was regained on the Australians' right, but in the centre and on the left they were forced to ground about 1,300 metres short of it. Exhausted, the 12th and 13th Brigades could do little more. This second engagement at Dernancourt was the strongest attack met by Australian troops during the war. The two Australian brigades had faced two and a half German divisions. They inflicted up to 1,600 casualties, but suffered almost as grievously with 1,230 casualties. The brigades could no longer sustain such losses, and in May one battalion from each was disbanded in order to reinforce the other three. 5. 1918-Dernacourt-Halting the Germans (AWM website December 2014) After the March offensive was launched, German forces continued to push on to Villers-Bretonneux. Instructed to halt this advance, and to replace the badly divided and depleted British forces, Australian troops were commanded to take position and to protect the vital areas of Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux from German capture. On 4 April, the Germans struck with 15 divisions and captured Hamel, which gave them a footing on the strategically vital "Hill 104", close to the eastern outskirts of Villers-Bretonneux. They then attempted to capture Villers-Bretonneux, which was defended by both British and Australian troops, especially the 4th Division in the Dernancourt sector. They endeavoured to push on to the city of Amiens through an area north of the Somme, but were held back by the Australian brigades. German attempts to break through the lines of protection continued until the night of the 5th, but they never succeeded in penetrating the defences. However, it was to be another three months before Australian troops would recapture Hamel. By 9 April, the situation was becoming critical as German troops continued to advance closer to the channel ports linking France and Britain, which were now vulnerable to direct attack. Only two Portuguese divisions were holding Lys River fronts (and they eventually fled), and General Ludendorff hastened to exploit this weakness. Some British troops managed to head off the advance, but the Germans pressed on through Armentires to Hazebrouck.

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6. Sergeant Stanley Robert McDougall VC (AWM website February 2015) Stan McDougall (1889-1968) was born in Tasmania, and became a blacksmith. He enlisted in August 1915 and fought at Pozières, Messines and Broodseinde. He was promoted to sergeant in January 1918. At Dernancourt, when he saw the enemy knock out a Lewis gun position, he attacked two German machine-gun teams, killing their crews by "hosing" them with the Lewis. He then attacked a second wave of Germans, burning his hands on the hot barrel casing of his gun. When a German officer aimed his pistol at some Australians, McDougall killed him with a rifle and bayonet. Twenty-two Germans were killed and 30 were captured, largely as the result of McDougall's actions. Eight days later, at the same place, McDougall won the Military Medal, taking over the platoon when his commander was killed. After the war McDougall became an officer with the Tasmanian Forestry Department, and later, while inspector-in-charge of forests in north-east Tasmania, performed outstanding work during bushfire periods. He died at Scottsdale in 1968 .

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BACKGROUNDER # 114 AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR

PART 5 WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 2

On the part of the troops it was a remarkable feat of physical and mental endurance to face again and yet again the stress of battle.

Sir John Monash, The Australian Victories in France in 1918.

Following the defensive battles of April 1918, the Australians consolidated their line around Villers-Bretonneux. In June, there was a major change when an Australian, Sir John Monash, took command of the Australian Corps. On 4 July he launched a short and decisive strike in the battle of Hamel. It was a brilliant success. Then came the diggers’ involvement in a long series of battles, delivering a shattering blow to the enemy on 8 August, which culminated in the capture of Peronne a few weeks later.

The next step was an advance on the Hindenburg Line and from late September the corps was heavily engaged in breaking through the enemy’s strong defensive zone. Throughout these last months, the Australians were low in numbers and nearing exhaustion. Yet, the Australian Corps had demonstrated the peak of its fighting performance and won high acclaim for its achievements.

!

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Arthur Streeton, The Somme Valley near Corbie (Wall-mounted digital label) From a position near the road above the Somme River,Australian official war artist Arthur Streeton painted the scene which would have appeared as the allied offensive of 8 August 1918 began to move forward. The ancient town of Corbie, with its twin-towered abbey, is in the middle ground, while in the distance, beyond Villers-Bretonneux, shells fall on the German front lines, shrouding them in dust and smoke. ART03497 Notes: 1.After the battle of Hamel on 4 July 1918, Streeton produced a number of quick sketches looking across the town of Corbie towards Hamel, intent on recording the event. On 8 August the third battle of the Somme began. The German account records that as the mist lifted, “the first glance over the foreground showed the extent of the enemy success”. General Erich Ludendorff later described the events of 8 August as “the black day of the German army”. Streeton’s earlier prepared sketches of the Somme valley, with its leafy, green trees and meandering river, now became the basis for this depiction of the opening artillery barrage of the third battle of the Somme. Despite the ferocity of the opening barrage, Streeton, some distance from the action, observed: “True pictures of Battlefields are very quiet looking things. There’s nothing much to be seen – everybody & thing is hidden and camouflaged.” Streeton has taken a position above the Somme Valley near Corbie, France, which provided the best view of an area heavily fought over by Australians in 1918. At first glance the painting appears to be an idyllic rendering of the French countryside, but closer inspection reveals the signs of battle: trees destroyed by artillery in the foreground and smoke from artillery fire in the background..oil on canvas painted in London in 1919 acquired under commission in 1919 . Arthur Streeton (1867–1943) First World War official artist ART03497. 2. Streeton has taken a position above the Somme Valley near Corbie, France, which provided the best view of an area heavily fought over by Australians in 1918. Within this scene, in early and late April, the Germans had advanced until the Australians held them at Villers-Bretonneux, a village seen in the centre distance of the painting. Painted in 1919, this is the Second phase of the Australian attack on the Somme on the morning of 8 August 1918. The bombs exploding in the distance are the British artillery destroying German positions on the skyline as the Germans advanced and the Australians held them at Villers Bretonnuex. Arthur Streeton wrote of the day he painted this work, 'I went in Ambulance to an old town due north from here & behind a dressing station & up a steep hill where I had a fine view of the valley with a flat covered with lovely trees & the Somme winding through & the towers of the old church of Corbie and other villages and V-B (Villers Bretonneux) on the distant skyline- a grand spread...' ( Ann Galbally and Anne Gray, 'Letters from Smike: the Letters of Arthur Streeton 1890-1943', 1989, p.149)

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The Digger Charles Wheeler 1926 ART09327

George Bell, Dawn at Hamel, 4 July 1918 (Wall-mounted digital label) This painting shows the aftermath of the highly successful attack at Hamel, which commenced at 3.10 am and was finished just 93 minutes later. German prisoners are being brought in, and the wounded attended to. Supporting aircraft overhead are dropping fresh ammunition supplies by parachute, and in the background, the remains of the smoke barrage which covered the attack are still visible. George Bell’s painting emphasises the fact that, by summer 1918, the fighting had moved away from the muddy wasteland of the established trenches into clean and largely undamaged countryside. ART03590 Note: Depicts the Battle of Hamel, July 1918. Australian Corps were under the command of General John Monash (the Battle of Hamel was his first operational success; the Australians had artillery support of great precision and co-operated enthusiastically with tanks, some of which acted as supply carriers, saving the effort of hundreds of troops; ammunition was dropped by parachute over the forward areas); and this work incorporates a view of approaches to Hamel and Wood in the right distance. German prisoners are being brought back, wounded being attended to, and the officer in left foreground is writing a message with his runner (red wrist band) waiting. In the foreground are a German flare pistol, several German stick grenades, an ammunition can for the belt of a Maxim machine gun and a wrecked 1908 Maxim machine gun, while a biplane fly's over dropping supplies by parachute. In the background the smokescreen that covered the advance lingers.oil on canvas painted in Melbourne in 1921 acquired under commission in 1921 George Bell (1878–1966.First World War official artist ART03590 }

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General John Monash Paul Montford’s (1868-1938) bust of Sir John Monash portrays him as commander of the Australian Corps in 1918, at the height of his military success. Bronze cast in Melbourne in 1938; original made in Melbourne in 1928? acquired in 1938. ART13579

Will Longstaff, 8th August, 1918 (Wall-mounted digital label) At around 8.30 on the morning of 8 August 1918, the fog which had cloaked the allied attack lifted, revealing to astonished viewers the sight of men and tanks advancing far and wide, with long columns of German prisoners marching into captivity. To keep up with the rapid advance, the artillery was limbered up and rushed forward, passing the abandoned guns and battery positions of their opponents as they went. Will Longstaff’s painting captures some of the drama and excitement of the day. ART03022 Note: During the summer of 1918 the official war artists Will Longstaff and Arthur Streeton were billeted together and recorded their impressions of the war in the Somme area, east of Amiens. This period included the critical phases of the war (including the 8 August) that led to the final offensives and the Armistice. After the war, Longstaff joined a group of artists working for the Australian War Records Section at the St John’s Wood studio, London, preparing paintings and dioramas for display in the proposed Australian War Memorial. In his painting of the Battle of 8 August 1918, Longstaff has shown the stream of Australian Artillery moving forward from Villers-Bretonneux. Horse drawn artillery and tanks, a British Mark V tank, can all be seen heading into battle. German prisoners of war with an armed escort flow dejected in the opposite direction moving past the corpses of their dead comrades. This work depicts part of the allied offensive of the day that became known to the Germans as der schwarze Tag or the black day.

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 3

THE ARMIES OF 1918 &

RECORDING THE HISTORY

The Armies of 1918

By 1918 most of the armies on the Western Front were war-weary and often under-strength. In contrast, there were the fresh and untested Americans. Although their commander, General John Pershing, was determined they would not be used in any piecemeal manner, a few divisions were sent to the Somme. The Australians were glad to be with them. The fitness and enthusiasm of the Yanks blended well with the experience of the diggers. The French army had responded to reforms following internal turmoil the previous year, and they too were pleased to see the Americans who moved in large numbers into their sector. The best of the German troops were their Sturmtruppen (storm troops). After a short artillery barrage these specially trained and heavily equipped troops would assault weak points and threaten rear areas, enabling conventional infantry to come up after them. The storm troops contrasted with the declining standard in most regiments in the later part of the year.

Soldiers’ uniforms

German Stormtrooper

Drawing on experience gained in the early years of the war, the German army began to train soldiers in new methods of attack. By 1918 the concept of the so-called “storm troops” had developed into small, heavily armed and mobile units intended to slice through enemy lines in order to bypass areas of strong resistance and cut them off from support by pushing on beyond them. The storm troops played a key role during the German 1918 offensive, repeatedly forcing breakthroughs for their infantry to follow up.

German storm trooper The storm troopers’ uniforms and equipment reflected their role as specialist assault troops. The dull field-grey M 1915 jacket (Bluse) and steel helmet contrasted with the smart uniforms the Germans wore at the beginning of the war. They typically carried robust entrenching shovels for quick digging-in, and their weapons included a plentiful supply of grenades and a combat knife or dagger for hand-to-hand fighting. This Sturmmann also carries the new Bergmann MP 18, the first sub-machine gun to see widespread operational use.

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American infantryman

America’s small peacetime army grew rapidly once it entered the war, and expanded to three million men. The troops arriving on the Western Front in 1917 were young, fresh and eager. They wore a modern and distinctive khaki uniform and webbing equipment. However the yanks did have shortages of some major items until their industries were able to mobilise. Their helmets and respirators were British pattern and in other things such as light machine-guns, tanks, and artillery, they adopted existing French models. “Sammy” The American troops arriving in France quickly acquired a variety of nicknames, of which “Sammy” (from “Uncle Sam”) was perhaps the most common. US soldiers were equipped as far as possible with American equipment, although both steel helmet and gas mask were slight modifications of existing British designs. Standard rifles were the M1917 Enfield or M1903 Springfield, but formations like the 27th and 33rd Divisions, operating with the BEF, were usually equipped with the British .303 SMLE to simplify ammunition supply.

Australian airman

The Australian Flying Corps operated three squadrons on the Western Front. No. 3 Squadron AFC, flying two-seat RE8s, operated with the Australian Corps conducting observation work during the British Somme offensive. Although still made of wood, fabric and wire, the squadron’s machines were now stronger and more powerful and could carry machine-guns, bombs, cameras and, sometimes, wireless sets. The RE8s were used for reconnaissance, spotting for artillery, and aerial photography. Australian airman By 1918 there were three AFC squadrons operating on the Western Front. Nos 2 and 4 Squadrons, flying SE 5a and Sopwith Camel single-seat fighters respectively, were engaged in offensive patrols, ground attack and escort duties, while No. 3 Squadron, equipped with the slow but reliable two-seat RE 8, performed reconnaissance and artillery observation tasks.

Many airmen chose to wear the one-piece Sidcot suit (designed by Australian Sidney Cotton) for warmth and comfort, but heavy boots and gloves were essential.

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Recording the history

Charles Bean was the AIF’s official war correspondent and, from the beginning, there was an understanding that he would also write a history when the war ended. Soon, his ambitious ideas extended to the building of a museum where the role of the Australians could be shown. By 1916 it was evident what a huge task this would all be. To achieve it, Bean was able to have the Australian War Records Section (AWRS) established in May 1917 under Lieutenant John Treloar. The AWRS was an important part of the AIF and was responsible for the assembly of the records of the war, the administration of war photographers and artists and the collection of artefacts of all types and sizes. It would take a long time, but Bean would eventually have his remarkable 12-volume history published and the museum, which became the Australian War Memorial, opened in Canberra in 1941.

Collecting the war By 1918 AWRS was fully engaged in collecting records, photographs, works of art, and objects relating to every aspect of the AIF’s service.The resulting collection formed the basis for the Australian War Memorial’s precursor, the Australian War Museum, which opened in Melbourne in 1921. Bean’s satchel Charles Bean, Australia’s official press correspondent with the AIF, had since 1916 been considering a national memorial or museum which would form a fitting tribute to the nation’s role in the war. By 1918, his ideas had led the government to form the Australian War Records Section, which collected records, photographs, artworks and objects relating to every aspect of the AIF’s service. By 1921 the Australian War Museum, precursor to the Australian War Memorial, was open in Melbourne. RELAWM10212 Bean’s identity disc Charles Bean was not a member of the AIF, but was officially attached to it by the Australian government. He held the honorary rank of captain, which gave him sufficient authority to travel and to interview senior officers in the course of his work. His uniform was of standard army officer’s style and fabric, but carried no badges or insignia. Bean did, however, wear an identity disc similar to that issued to all Australian soldiers; it identified him as part of the 1st Division. REL45350

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Rifle oil bottle Typical of the hundreds of items collected for the AWRS in 1918, this rifle oil bottle still has its original label attached. Private Harry Browning of the 41st Battalion was hit by shell-fire on 24 April and died in the arms of his brother Allan, who was serving with the same unit. The oil bottle was salvaged from Browning’s shattered rifle, and like many items submitted to the AWRS, it was probably intended as a tribute to the dead man. RELAWM07714

“Just out of the line”

In late July 1918, following an attack to take some ground in front of Morlancourt above the Somme River, two soldiers coming out of the line were photographed before handing over their complete uniforms to the Australian War Records Section for historical preservation. “Just out of the line ” After 15 days in the line, and a successful attack at Morlancourt on 29 July 1918, the 29th Battalion was relieved and marched back down into the valley of the river Ancre, near Heilly. One of the unit’s soldiers, Private George Giles, was stopped here, and his entire uniform and equipment collected by the AWRS for preservation. This began the story of one of the Australian War Memorial’s most popular and enduring exhibits. Giles’s uniform, ragged, dirty and covered in mud, has been on almost constant display since the 1920s,

and has come to symbolise the Australian digger to generations of visitors. RELAWM04500.003–013; REL/05813.001 Private Giles’ uniform

Private George Giles of the 29th Battalion was one. His uniform shows the effects of battle and recent days of rain. An ordinary soldier, though a good one, he had been serving for two years. After the war Giles returned to his old job on the Victorian Railways before becoming a baker. He was a true battler, and like many others he suffered unemployment and poor health during the Depression years. He died in 1942 aged 58. A popular and evocative exhibit, Giles’s uniform has been on almost constant display since the earliest years of the Memorial. “Just out of the line” Private George James Giles, 29th Battalion, was photographed just out of the front line near Morlancourt and his uniform collected by the Australian War Records Section. Bean recorded in his diary that the uniform and photograph were taken to show the men just as they were, and provide a detailed record of the everyday experience of Australian soldiers on the front line.

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 4

SIR JOHN MONASH

Sir John Monash

Monash was born in Melbourne in 1865, the son of Jewish emigrants from Prussia. He became a leading civil engineer involved in many major projects and was also a senior militia officer. As a wartime general he extended his peacetime skills; he was experienced in large enterprises, understood the need for management and detailed organisation, recognised the importance of initiative and morale, and embraced technology and new ideas. Monash saw service on Gallipoli before commanding the 3rd Australian Division in Flanders and later on the Somme. In 1918 he was appointed to command the Australian Corps, which he led to its greatest achievements. He returned to civilian life after the war and became chairman of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria. At the time of his death in 1931 he was probably the most famous Australian, and his funeral was the largest ever seen in the country. Monash’s uniform Engineer and citizen soldier, John Monash rose from command of an infantry brigade in 1914 to command of the Australian Corps in 1918. Leading the corps, his decisive nature and meticulous eye for planning were among the keys to the formation’s successes. Knighted in 1918, Monash took charge of repatriating the AIF to Australia at the end of hostilities, and carried this task through to a successful conclusion. Recognised as one of the most talented military leaders Australia has ever produced, the son of Jewish Prussian immigrants had become the most famous living Australian by the 1920s. REL/01090; REL/00125; RELAWM11898; RELAWM15056.002

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Monash’s medals Considering his military achievements, Sir John Monash received comparatively few awards, although his orders of knighthood – Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George, and Knight Commander of the Bath – were among the highest the British Empire could bestow. He was also decorated by the French, Belgian, and American governments, and in 1929 the Scullin government promoted him and Sir Harry Chauvel to the rank of general, making them the first Australians to achieve this high position. Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Grand Officer of the French Legion d’Honneur Grand Officer of the Belgian Order of La Couronne 1914–15 Star British War Medal 1914–20 Victory Medal Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officer’s Decoration French Legion d’Honneur French Croix de Guerre Belgian Croix de Guerre United States Distinguished Service Medal REL/12508.001–012 Knighted in the field In the New Year’s honours list for 1918, John Monash was granted a knighthood. However, it was not until 12 August 1918, on the steps of his corps headquarters at Bertangles, that he was invested with the insignia of a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath by His Majesty King George V. The British 1822 Pattern Artillery Officer’s sword used in the ceremony had been borrowed from another officer, but Sir John afterward retained it as a memento of his knighthood. REL/16089.001

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 5

SUCCESS AT HAMEL

Success at Hamel

The battle of Hamel’s outstanding success on 4 July 1918 was largely due to the arrival of the modern Mark V tanks, the skill of the fighting troops involved, and Sir John Monash’s careful planning. Essential to the scheme was firepower and timing. Monash used 60 tanks and large volumes of artillery fire (650 guns). Aircraft dropped ammunition, and some tanks carried supplies and men. The battle opened at 3.10 am with the sudden crash of artillery fire; smoke shells were among the bursting rounds. With the gunners laying down a curtain of fire, the tanks moved over barbed wire and dealt with machine-gun posts, while the infantry assaulted with Lewis guns, rifles, and grenades. By 5 am the action was over and the Australians were digging in on their objectives. The enemy fell back, but not before 1,500 of them were taken prisoner. By the day’s end a new line had been prepared for a bigger attack to be staged one month later.

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The Americans at Hamel The battle of Hamel was planned to have been a joint Australian–US attack under AIF command, using elements of two Australian divisions and ten companies from the US 131st and 132nd Regiments of the 33rd Division. In the event, General John Pershing, commander of US forces in Europe, prohibited their participation in the action, but nonetheless four American companies attacked with the Australians. “A” Company of the 132nd Regiment later presented this signal flag to their comrades in the 13th Battalion. RELAWM00779 A token from the tanks This beautifully detailed model of a British Mark V tank was constructed using German brass shell cases and copper driving bands. It was presented to Lieutenant General Monash by Brigadier General Anthony Courage, commander of the 5th Tank Brigade, which had supported the Australians at Hamel. Intended a gesture of goodwill, it also recognised the successful collaboration between the tanks and the Australian Corps, which was to become even more significant in the coming months. RELAWM15132 Wounded in action Hamel was fought on 4 July 1918 (a date specially chosen by John Monash for its significance to America) and marked the first time Australian and US soldiers had fought side by side. Of the approximately 900 Americans who participated in the attack, 39 were killed and nearly 200 others wounded. Among the wounded was a soldier of “E” Company, 131st Infantry Regiment, (attached to the Australian 43rd Battalion) whose water bottle absorbed some of the damage. RELAWM00811 An Australian innovation The battle of Hamel marked the first occasion on which allied troops were supplied from the air. Captain Lawrence Wackett of No. 3 Squadron, AFC, devised the method of carrying and delivering ammunition boxes by air, and both parachutes and dropping equipment were manufactured within the unit. On the day of the attack, No. 3 Squadron was mainly occupied in support operations (reconnaissance and observation of the battlefield) and most of the ammunition was dropped by RE 8 aircraft of No. 9 Squadron, RAF, which had been trained by the Australians. Over 100,000 rounds of ammunition were delivered to the front line on 4 July.RELAWM11629 Destroyed at Vaire Wood After capturing their objectives at Hamel on 4 July 1918, the Australians quickly dug in and consolidated their positions to withstand German counter-attacks. The following evening, a heavy artillery barrage fell upon the 13th Battalion’s line in Vaire Wood, completely destroying one of the Vickers machine-guns defending their trenches. Miraculously, the crew were completely unharmed. RELAWM07332 On the receiving end More than 600 guns of both field and heavy artillery units supported the attack at Hamel, firing thousands of rounds in an intense barrage. German artillery was quick to respond against the allied gun positions, and this cartridge, which had been fired by an Australian 18-pounder battery, was riddled by shrapnel from the counter-battery fire. RELAWM00810 “Nach Corbie” This well-used road sign, from Cerisy, a town on the Somme, was erected by the British in 1916, and shows the directions to nearby Corbie and Hamel. In March 1918, the Germans captured both Cerisy and Hamel, and added the word “nach” (to) at the top of the sign. In July 1918, the Australians recaptured Hamel, and the following month they also liberated Cerisy, along with the sign. The abbey town of Corbie was never taken by the Germans, although they came within 10 kilometres of it. RELAWM00853

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Boundary marker This sign, with a length of cotton tape still attached, marked the jumping-off point for the attack at Hamel on 4 July 1918, and was probably also used to mark the boundary between units involved in the battle. It was collected by the 40th Battalion, who relieved the attacking troops later in the month. RELAWM00781 Message rocket and launcher When the 44th Battalion reached its objective at Hamel on 4 July 1918, it captured a German message rocket projector, commonly referred to as a Signalwerfer. This new trophy was put to good use, sending a message to battalion headquarters informing them of the successful outcome of the attack. RELAWM00787.001–002 The defenders of Hamel Attacking soldiers were instructed to obtain identifying insignia from dead or captured Germans, so that an accurate picture could be constructed of the opposing forces and their positions. This collection, taken by Australians from various parts of the Hamel battlefield, includes both officers and other ranks, and indicates that elements of the 55th, 60th, 130th and 447th Infantry Regiments, the 202nd Reserve Infantry Regiment and the 59th Field Artillery Regiment were all present. N RELAWM00830; RELAWM00831.001–002; RELAWM00832–36 Notes: 1.Battle of Hamel- 4 July 1918-US Independence Day (Extract from BACKGROUNDER # 29 (2) July 2002 USA at War 1917-1920 Links at the AWM) Even after the USA entered the War in April 1917 its build-up in France was slow. General John Pershing, the American commander-in-chief, exasperated his European allies by refusing to commit his men until, he said, American action could be decisive. He irritated the French and British still further by his insistence that the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) must operate independently. Having been horrified by the inadequacy of the Allies’ leadership he did not want to entrust his men to leaders whose strategy and tactics had produced millions of casualties.

Pershing disliked the proposition that his units should form a ready reserve to reinforce weakened British and French formations. Nevertheless, on 17 June he apportioned two of his ten divisions to the BEF for training, while they held emergency positions behind the British Third and Fourth Armies. The 65th Brigade of the 33rd Division, from Illinois, was attached to the Australian Corps.”

In May 1918 the AEF had taken part in battle for the first time, at least in a token role, and had captured Cantigny. According to widespread rumour, the Americans – variously called Yanks, Doughboys (See Note below)and Sammies – were boastful and brash. Hence, when Lieutenant Rule’s Digger posed his question to the first American he met, he spoke with irony and sarcasm. But the American’s answer was quick and tactful, ‘Well, we just hope we’ll fight as well as you’.

Right from the start, Diggers and Doughboys got along very well together and nowhere in official records or personal correspondence do Australians make any adverse criticisms of their American comrades at Hamel, other than noting their inexperience. They were willing, co-operative, courageous and enthusiastic.

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The idea for the use of American troops to add to the infantry strength at Hamel appears to have been that of Rawlinson. Why not, he asked, give the Americans, who were training with the Australians, the experience of taking part in a model set-piece attack, especially as the Australians were so high skilled? Everybody had been impressed with the physique, enthusiasm and intelligence of the Americans and, in experienced company, they should perform well. The matter was mentioned to Monash, who asked for about 2000 men organised in eight companies.

On 2 July Pershing learnt about the impending action at Hamel . He did not approve and Haig subsequently ordered the Americans be withdrawn . On July 3 all but four companies of the Americans were marched out. When Rawlinson informed Monash that the final four companies were to be withdrawn he gave him an ultimatum: if the Americans did not participate he would abandon the attack. Almost at the eleventh hour , Haig finally gave approval for the American to participate in the battle.

“ Monash’s insistence on American participation was justified purely on numerical grounds, but for him there was another factor. He told Rawlinson that if the Americans did not take part ,after enthusiastic Australian acceptance of them , that in future the Australians , as soldiers and as a nation . would never trust Americans again. It was not their fault that they were to be taken out ,but history would see it as their fault......”.(8)

Note: The definition of the term "Doughboy" has a number of variations. One definition states that the term goes back to the Civil War, "when the cavalry derided foot soldiers as doughboys, perhaps because their globular buttons resembled flour dumplings or because soldiers used flour to polish their white belts" Smithsonian (April 1998): 22. Laurence Stallings, in his book, The Doughboys (New York, 1963, p. 15), claims that "there can be little dispute as to the derivation of the name. In Texas, U.S. Infantry along the Rio Grande were powdered white with the dust of adobe soil, and hence were called 'adobes' by mounted troops. It was a short step to 'dobies' and then, by metathesis, the word was Doughboys."(2)

References: .(1) ( Encyclopædia Britannica Online.);(2)Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I) ;(3) A ‘pathetic sideshow ‘ - Australians and the Russian Intervention 1918-19 , Jeffery Grey Journal of the AWM Issue # 7 October 1985;(4) They Dared Mightly Lionel Wigmore (5)Magazine of the Royal Australian Historical Society October 1993;(6)The Quartermaster Review September-October 1963 (7) Victoria Cross Reference .Mike Chapman ( Website);(8.)The Battle of Hamel John Laffin);(9) Guide to the AWM 1962 Edition) . “Digger” and “ Doughboys” : Australian and American troop interaction on the Western Front ,1918.Dale Blair AWM Journal # 35 December 2001.

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 6

DEFENCE OF VILLERS -BRETONNEUX &

THE GERMAN FLANDERS OFFENSIVE

“Pompey” Elliott Harold Elliott was an imposing figure, physically and intellectually. At university he =had been distinguished both as a scholar and an athlete, and he was decorated for bravery during the Boer War. His leadership of the 15th Brigade in its conure-attack at Villers-Bretonneux was outstandingly successful, and probably marked the highlight of his career.

William McInnes (1889-1939), Brigadier General Harold Elliott Intelligent, courageous and decisive, Harold “Pompey” Elliott was also emotional, hot-tempered and impetuous to the point of rashness. The first qualities made him an ideal battalion or brigade leader, while the latter prevented him from attaining the senior commands he always aspired to. He was idolised by his men, whom he repaid with utter loyalty and devotion to their interests. Returning to a successful legal and political career after the war, Elliott could never overcome his belief that his claims to higher command had been ignored, and he took his own life in 1931. ART03182 Pompey Elliott’s uniform “Pompey” Elliott’s physical stature is evident in the service dress tunic he wore when commanding the 15th Brigade’s epic counter-attack at Villers-Bretonneux. The unusual green-banded puggaree on his hat is a relic of pre-war service with the Essendon Rifles, and was carried as a mascot on every slouch hat Elliot wore on active service. REL/00051.002; RELAWM05441

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Henry Goddard English-born Henry Goddard had been a successful citizen soldier in Australia and was an obvious choice to command an AIF unit. Although not a large or physically strong man, he led the 35th Battalion at Messines and Passchendaele and took temporary command of the 9th Brigade at Villers-Bretonneux during the German offensive in March 1918. Here Goddard’s decisive leadership halted German attempts to capture the town, and counter-attacks by the Australians and British cavalry on the 4th and 5th of April stabilised the line, barring the route to Amiens.

Brigadier General Goddard’s medals Intelligent, courteous and well-travelled, Henry Goddard proved a highly successful leader of Australian troops, although his heath was never robust. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order following the battle of Messines, and after the war he was created a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George. This award recognised his calm and decisive leadership of the 9th Brigade at Villers-Bretonneux in April 1918, and his successful command of the same force during the advances of August and September. Goddard was also decorated by the Belgian government. REL/03882.001–008; REL/03883

Defence of Villers-Bretonneux The German offensive in March 1918 brought the enemy to within sight of the French city of Amiens. Only the town of Villers-Bretonneux, where an Australian brigade had been sent to help the British defenders, stood in the way. Rushed into action, the diggers, with strong support from some British cavalry, made a bold counter-attack. The Germans quickly responded on 4 April, and were only stopped this time after more desperate and deadly fighting. But the Germans were not done, and on 24 April a major attack once again fell on the town. This time two Australian brigades played a major part in a bold counter-attack, a pincer movement over unfamiliar ground in the dark, yelling as they charged. By next morning – ANZAC Day – the situation had been secured and Villers-Bretonneux, and Amiens, were safe. Notes: 1.Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux (AWM notes October 2014) After the war, a hill overlooking Villers-Bretonneux – Hill 104 – became the site for the Australian National Memorial in France. The monument, which carries the names of 11,000 Australian dead who have no known grave, was dedicated on 22 July 1938. It is dignified in form, but less imposing than that which had been originally proposed. The Great Depression had interrupted the original plans and it was not until 20 years after the war that the existing memorial, designed by the British architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, was complete. It took only a few more years before it was badly damaged in the Second World War. After the war, all the serious damage was repaired and the memorial came into the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Today it is the centre of Australian commemoration in France and draws large crowds each ANZAC Day.

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2. 1918-Villers –Bretonneux-Halting the Germans (AWM website December 2014)

By 18 April, it was clear that the Germans would attempt to push on to Amiens again. On 24 April, the Germans captured Villers-Bretonneux- which just a few weeks earlier the Australians had fought so hard to defend. The town's defence had been given over to British troops while the Australian divisions regrouped. The enemy attack was spearheaded by tanks, which pushed through the British defences. This battle was unique in that it was the first involving tank-against-tank fighting, demonstrating the significance that tanks had increasingly come to assume in 1918. Orders for the immediate recapture of Villers-Bretonneux were met with a plan to launch an attack by two brigades, the 13th and the 15th. The unconventional night attack began on the 24th. One brigade approached from the north and one from the south, meeting at the village's eastern edge, thereby surrounding the Germans and driving them from Villers-Bretonneux and the adjacent woods. Although it is clear that Australian troops played a very important role in halting the German offensive at Villers-Bretonneux, some claim it has been exaggerated. By the time the Australians arrived, British troops had borne the brunt of the German offensive attack, and the Germans were exhausted. Regardless, it is at Villers-Bretonneux that France and Australia hold the main annual commemoration of Anzac Day.

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Memorial tablet in remembrance of Australian soldiers killed at Villers-Bretonneux In July 1919, the citizens of Villers-Bretonneux, recently returned to their devastated town, presented this tablet to the people of Australia. Paid for by donations from the local population, it was a heartfelt token of gratitude and sorrow which established an enduring relationship. During the 1920s, the rebuilding of the Villers-Bretonneux school was funded by donations from Victorian schoolchildren, in recognition of whom it was named l’École Victoria.RELAWM00770 Lucky escape Lieutenant Neville Hatton, a young veteran who had been awarded the Military Medal for rescuing wounded at Bullecourt in April 1917, led a platoon of the 52nd Battalion in the attack on Villers-Bretonneux on 24–25 April 1918. Heavy casualties meant that he soon had to take command of the entire company and

lead them to their objective. During the action, he was struck by a bullet which was deflected by his cigarette case, leaving him uninjured. For his leadership in the battle, Hatton was awarded the Military Cross. REL/00563 Sergeant Stokes’s medals Sergeant Charlie Stokes attacked Villers-Bretonneux with the 51st Battalion on the night of 24–25 April 1918. The unit almost immediately took heavy casualties from machine-guns in Aquenne Wood, and Stokes convinced a nearby officer, Lieutenant Cliff Sadlier, that the guns must be silenced before the Australians could continue. Together with a few bombers, the two attacked the wood, capturing at least six machine-guns and allowing the advance to proceed. Although both men were recommended for the Victoria Cross, only Sadlier was eventually granted the award, Stokes receiving the Distinguished Conduct Medal. REL/03685.001; REL/03685.003–004 Counter-attack at Villers-Bretonneux The complex night counter-attack at Villers-Bretonneux on 24–25 April 1918 was an extremely difficult task, particularly for the 13th Brigade, which had just arrived in the area and unlike the 15th, was not familiar with the terrain. This jumping-off tape, laid on the evening of the 24th by the brigade intelligence officers, assisted the advancing troops to maintain direction. A further guide was provided by the light of the burning town itself. RELAWM00722 German steel helmet An exploding shrapnel shell releases a hail of lethal lead pellets. The horrifying effects of shrapnel are graphically demonstrated by this German helmet, which was found beside a grave in Villers-Bretonneux in 1918. RELAWM00731

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Zouave fez From April until July 1918, Australian units south of Villers-Bretonneux were the right flank of the entire British army, the front line from there being held by French troops. “International Posts” were established to ensure that the BEF and French maintained contact and liaison. The Australians quickly became friendly with their neighbours, the 3rd Regiment of Zouaves, and some men swapped headgear, obtaining the zouave fez in exchange for their slouch hats. RELAWM00863 Major Calogne’s fez Zouaves were French infantry raised from the European populations of French colonies in North Africa. Originally dressed in an exotic and colourful uniform with embroidered jackets and baggy pantaloons, they retained the fez when equipped with more practical clothing on the Western Front. Major Calogne of the 3rd Zouaves presented his fez to Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Travers of the 26th Battalion, AIF, when they met at the “International Post” connecting the British and French armies in 1918. RELAWM00864 NCO’s field cap The 6th Australian Brigade attacked Ville-sur-Ancre from several directions in the early hours of 19 May 1918, and captured the village with relative ease. The Prussian 184th Infantry Regiment, which was defending the position, contained many inexperienced soldiers, and the bulk of the resistance came from its veteran NCOs. This Feldmütze (field cap) was taken from one such man, killed in the fighting. RELAWM05536.003 Results of a “premature” On 15 June 1918, while firing from the front line at Ville-sur-Ancre against nearby German positions, a Stokes mortar of the 6th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery suffered a premature detonation. The force of the explosion tore the mortar barrel open like a banana peel, and killed two of the crew, Privates James Ashton and William McGhee. RELAWM00768 “Bridge Mined” As the German advance swept towards the city of Amiens in March 1918, there was increasing concern that the fall of this vital rail and communications centre would split the BEF in the north from their French allies in the south. At Villers-Bretonneux, one of the last defendable points before the city, frantic preparations were made. This sign indicated that the railway bridge south-east of Villers-Bretonneux had been prepared for demolition, but in the event its destruction was not necessary. RELAWM00760 Demise of the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the famous “Red Baron”, was the most successful fighter pilot of the war, credited with shooting down 80 allied aircraft. He was internationally renowned, and his death on 22 April 1918, almost certainly caused by Australian ground fire, was a blow to German morale. This section of fabric taken from one of the wings of Richthofen’s Fokker Triplane shows the red finish of his aircraft, and the German national insignia, which has been crudely modified from the earlier Maltese cross to the “straight armed” style introduced in 1918. RELAWM07570 A souvenir of the Red Baron After uncharacteristically flying low along the Somme valley, where he was fired at by hundreds of Australian soldiers, Manfred von Richthofen crashed and died on the ridge above Vaux-sur-Somme. The first troops to arrive at the scene of the crash were Australians from their nearby positions, who promptly began to gather souvenirs from the wreck. Private John Walsh of the 11th Field Ambulance obtained a small piece of aluminium, which he later had made into an ID tag to wear on his REL/20216

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Richthofenstrasse This street sign was collected from one of the many French and Belgian villages or towns occupied by the Germans between 1914 and 1918. It illustrates the invader’s practice of replacing local street names and signs with their own titles. Streets were often named for famous rulers, generals and admirals, so Manfred von Richthofen’s appearance in this pantheon indicates just how important he had become to the German people, despite his comparatively lowly rank of captain. RELAWM13879.002

The German Flanders offensive

The Germans followed up their March 1918 Somme offensive by launching attacks to the north in Flanders, beginning on 9 April. They made great gains, almost reaching the vital railway centre of Hazebrouck, and then pushing British troops back to their old 1915 positions in front of Ypres. Field Marshal Haig issued his famous “backs to the wall” order: “The freedom of mankind alike depend on the conduct of each one of us at this crucial moment.” The 1st Australian Division, along with French troops,

was among those rushed to Flanders. Despite their initial success, the Germans soon became over-stretched and, although fighting continued here and elsewhere, they could make no further progress. The Australian division in Flanders did not join the rest of the Australian Corps on the Somme until August

A message from a dog named Roff

Dogs and pigeons were sometimes used as a form of communication during the First World War. On 3 May 1918 a German messenger dog named Roff was enticed into the 13th Battalion’s lines near Villers-Bretonneux. He was carrying a note from hungry German soldiers requesting food, and a curt reply from their commander: “Weber has been in longer than you and he does not complain. We will send food tonight. Give Roff any further messages – he also does not complain.”

Sir John Monash mentioned the 13th Battalion’s new mascot in a letter he wrote to a young relative back home: “The other day we took prisoner a beautiful German messenger dog … He is very friendly. He has learned to understand English, and is very faithful to us, and we all pet him.” The 13th retained Roff as a battalion mascot, and he stayed with the unit until September, when he went to Britain to be quarantined. It was hoped that he could eventually be sent to Australia, but he was still in quarantine in London when he fell ill and died in 1919. Rowland Ward Ltd, a noted London taxidermy firm, was engaged to “skin and stuff” Roff, and in late 1919 he was shipped to Australia, where he featured in the Australian War Museum’s Sydney Exhibition. RELAWM04369; RELAWM09179; RELAWM09261

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Crisis in Flanders A German tank captured by the 26th Battalion, at Monument Wood, near Villers-Bretonneux, in an operation on 14 July 1918. The photograph was taken after the tank, known as Mephisto, had been salvaged and handed over to the Australian War Records Section for despatch to Australia.E02876

A trophy with a story In March 1918 the 12th Australian Brigade, along with the rest of the 4th Division, was hurried south to the Somme to face the German offensive there. Much of their luggage, including the 12th Brigade’s musketry trophy, was left at Meteren, near the border with Belgium. The following month, the town was captured by German forces and held until July. A year later, an Australian officer visiting the ruins of Meteren was astonished to discover this cup, smashed and partly burnt, but still recognisable. RELAWM01513

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 7

FIREPOWER/ BLACK DAY OF THE GERMAN ARMY

Firepower

By 1918 artillery – firing shrapnel, high-explosive, gas, or smoke shells – had come to dominate the battlefield. The use of the many-sized guns had become a science. In attack, the artillery could provide a creeping barrage, a curtain of fire for the infantry to advance behind, as well as counter-battery fire to neutralise the enemy’s batteries. Gas was widely used and equally despised by both sides. Tanks, constantly being improved, were increasingly effective. There were also advances in the skies; the main tasks of aircraft were observation and spotting for the artillery, although they also undertook bombing, interception, and ground attacks. On the ground, the ordinary infantryman was now cross-trained in a variety of arms and many more automatic weapons were in use.

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Black Day of the German army

On 8 August 1918 the British launched a mighty counter-blow against the Germans’ penetrating attacks on the Somme earlier in the year. Surprise and firepower were keys to the allies’ success. The Australians under Sir John Monash had an important role: the Australian Corps advanced on a two-division front with the Canadians on the right and a British corps on the left. Note: The battle began at 4.20 am in thick fog. The artillery opened with a storm of fire, and then infantry went forward with the tanks; the enemy was soon overwhelmed. This unprecedented advance caused the German General Ludendorff to declare that, for Germany, this was “der Schwarze Tag” (the black day). Advance to Peronne Inn the days following the success of 8 August, the AIF continued to push the Germans back. After further advances, albeit with declining number of tanks, even more ground was taken. With the Australians now on both sides of the Somme, there was a lull while they considered the next phase of the campaign. Before them stood the ancient fortified town of Peronne. The Harbonnières flag Before the 8 August attack, General Birdwood sent an Australian flag to the 15th Infantry Brigade, asking that it be flown from the church at the Australian Corps’ final and most advanced objective for the day, Harbonnières. The 59th Battalion was responsible for the capture of the village, and Private Ern Forty, the first man of the unit to enter Harbonnières, had the honour of hoisting the flag. RELAWM01625 “ Wood you believe it “ The sight of this shrapnel shell deeply embedded in the trunk of a tree in Mereaucourt Wood, near Feuillères, so astonished the men of the 17th Battalion that they cut the tree down to take it with them as a souvenir.RELAWM00964 Chipilly bridge model The bridges across the River Somme connecting Cerisy with Chipilly were destroyed by the retreating Germans on 8 August 1918. By 18 August traffic was again flowing over the river, after an amazing performance by the 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion, which was able to place the steel-frame bridge from one crossing upon the brick piers of another. This model of the completed structure was produced by a member of the unit, Private Cecil Seccombe, using timber, German

shell cases and melted-down French francs. RELAWM04189 Herleville man trap In the Herleville woods, which lay on the edge of a ravine below the village itself, men of the 6th Battalion discovered this German man trap, placed to catch patrols moving through the undergrowth at night. The woods were not completely cleared of Germans for some days after the main fighting had moved on. RELAWM00937 Lucky for some As the 13th Battalion advanced towards Méricourt on 8 August 1918, surrendering German soldiers began to appear in increasing numbers, Private Ryan, noticing that some of them were members of the 13th Infantry Regiment, cut the shoulder strap from the tunic of one as a souvenir of the meeting of the two 13s. RELAWM00913

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The biggest war trophies Following the successful Australian Corps advance on 8 August 1918, Sir John Monash would proudly claim the capture of 173 enemy guns including a monstrous 28-centimetre railway gun. The big gun, which had been shelling Amiens, had been stranded when its rail tracks were damaged by British bombing. The Australian infantry, following some British cavalry, advanced so far that they were able to over-run the gun and claim it as a trophy of war. It would eventually be sent to Australia; the barrel is still displayed in the Memorial grounds.

An even larger prize was discovered near Arcy Wood following the battle of Chuignes on 23 August. A 38-centimetre naval gun, it was set in an extensive emplacement that had been destroyed by the enemy before it fell into the Australians’ hands. The gun remained on the site for years afterwards as a local attraction until it was dismantled for scrap by the occupying Germans during the Second World War. Scale model of the Amiens railway gun Although not as large as the 38-centimetre Chuignes gun, the 28-centimetre railway gun captured at Harbonnières on 8 August 1918 was intact, and eventually brought to Australia, becoming the nation’s largest war trophy. Sadly, the railway mounting was cut up for scrap in the 1960s, leaving only the barrel and shield which are now displayed outside the Australian War Memorial. This model shows the complete gun and mount as originally constructed. REL/20388

See BACKGROUNDER #14(1) January 1999. The Amiens Gun

The biggest trophy On its rapid advance in August 1918, the Australian Corps captured huge quantities of German artillery and equipment. Nothing could compare, however, to the discovery on the 23rd of a colossal 38-centimetre naval gun hidden in Arcy Wood, near the village of Chuignes. Captured by the 3rd Battalion, the gun had been used by the Germans to shell Amiens, and was destroyed to prevent its capture. Some idea of its size may be gained from this brush, used to clean out the barrel. RELAWM00956 Bolt, nut and spanner The 38-centimetre gun captured by the Australians in Arcy Wood, near Chuignes, had been destroyed by the Germans to ensure that it was not taken intact by the allies. Too big to be readily moved, it was picked over for souvenirs, most of which, like this nut, bolt and spanner, were rejected by soldiers as being too large and heavy. Eventually, the Chuignes gun, as it became known, was declared an Australian memorial. The whole site was finally cleared by the Germans for scrap during the Second World War. RELAWM00966.001, RELAWM00967

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Chuignes gun relics Some large relics of the Chuignes gun were collected by the AWRS, but enterprising soldiers managed to find smaller souvenirs for themselves. Sergeant Arnold McDonald, a veteran of the 2nd Battalion, obtained two enamelled plates. Originally riveted to the mounting, they provided a reminder for the gun crew of which way to turn the large hand wheels which elevated and traversed their weapon. RELAWM12297 Zeiss artillery compass While it would not have been needed for a gun as huge as that captured in Arcy Wood, this German artillery compass was discovered only a short distance away from it, hidden on top of a haystack in a barn. Used to determine precise angles and elevations for aiming fire, the artillery compass is highly accurate scientific instrument.RELAWM08221

Tanks

After the poor performance of tanks at the Battle of Bullecourt in 1917, the Australians had little affection for them. This changed in 1918 with the introduction of the 27- tonne British Mark V tank. With its technical improvements over earlier models, although its appearance had not changed much, the Mark V was more reliable, manoeuvrable and easier to drive. And British industry was now producing lots of them. Advancing with the infantry, and with artillery support, the tanks were used in several major battles. Sir John Monash acknowledged their importance to the success of the battle of Hamel in July 1918, and 460 tanks, mostly Mark Vs, had a major role in the decisive British-Australian-Canadian advance of 8 August. The French also produced tanks but the Germans had been slow to adopt the idea and only made 20 of their own poor design. Tank signal flag When the 13th Battalion went into the attack on 8 August 1918, it was accompanied by three Mark V Tanks of the 2nd Battalion, Tank Corps, to assist in overcoming enemy strongpoints. Careful plans had been laid to ensure that communication could be maintained between infantry and tanks. This green and white flag, salvaged from one of the Mark Vs disabled on the day, signified “come on”, a message for the infantry to move towards the tank’s position. RELAWM01624.003 Tank tail lamp To the left of the 13th Battalion, the 15th attacked the village of Cerisy on 8 August 1918. Like the 13th, they were supported by three Mark V Tanks, but in this case, the outcome of the collaboration was not a happy one. Although the infantry battalion was able to take its objective, heavy and accurate artillery fire from the Chipilly Spur on the opposite side of the Somme river left all three tanks blazing on the battlefield. This tail lamp was later salvaged from one of the wrecks. RELAWM00919 Anti-tank mine The Germans were seriously concerned about the threat posed by tanks to defensive positions. Their main counter throughout the war was artillery, including specially adapted field guns and mortars, but by 1918, simple anti-tank mines such as this one (the Flachmine 17) were also in widespread service. The weight of a vehicle crushing the pressure plate detonated a 3.5 kilogram explosive charge, sufficient to disable a tank by breaking its track. The mine could also be detonated remotely if required. RELAWM04162

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T-Gewehr Another German response to the threat of tanks was the T-Gewehr, formally titled the Mauser Tankgewehr (“tank rifle”) M1918. Basically a scaled-up, single shot version of a standard 7.92 mm rifle, it fired a 13.2 mm armour-piercing bullet with a steel core, and would penetrate 20 mm of armour at 100 metres. Although a heavy and cumbersome weapon requiring a two-man crew, the T-Gewehr was effective, being capable of piercing the armour plating on all allied tanks used in the war. RELAWM15137 Anti-tank position A series of German machine-gun positions around the village of Warfusée Abancourt was overrun by the 5th Australian Infantry Brigade on the morning of 8 August 1918. This sign came from one of those positions and indicates its role as an anti-tank post. Interestingly, it was named for the famous German airman, Manfred von Richthofen, who had been killed in April. RELAWM00856.002

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 8

TURNING THE TABLES

MULTI-MEDIA

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 9

MONT ST QUENTIN DIORAMA

Archie (General Montgomery) rang me to say that the Australians had captured Mont St Quentin. It is indeed a magnificent performance, and no praise is too high for them. I must send them a telegram of congratulations.

General Sir Henry Rawlinson, commander 4th Army

Mont St Quentin The hill of Mont St Quentin overlooks the ancient town of Péronne and the Somme River. Here, in August 1918, the Germans, dispirited and soaked by the rain, prepared to make a stand behind barbed-wire entanglements and amid the old trenches of earlier fighting. The hill was the strategic key, and it was vital that it be captured quickly. The task was given to the Australian 2nd Division, while the 5th Division was to take Péronne. This time there was thin support from the artillery, and no tanks. But both sides had plenty of machine-guns. It quickly became an infantry battle, sometimes reduced to bitter hand-to-hand fighting. For a while the result hung in the balance, but by 1 September the town and hill were in Australian hands. The victory had cost 3,000 casualties. But the Germans had been dealt a stunning blow and were forced to fall back towards their Hindenburg Line.

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Diorama'points'of'interest'Mont St Quentin See text above Strategic importance Dominating the scene across the marshes of the Somme, and rising beyond the walled and moated city of Peronne, is the height of Mont St Quentin. With an uninterrupted view of the surrounding countryside, it commanded the approaches from the west,

the north and the south. Its summit interlaced with trenches fortified by wide belts of barbed-wire entanglements, and its long forward slopes absolutely devoid of cover. The hill was garrisoned by the Prussian Guard with orders to hold it or die. “The capture of Mont St Quentin by the Second Division is a feat of arms worthy of the highest praise. The natural strength of the position is immense, and the tactical value of it, in reference to Péronne and the whole system of the Somme defences, cannot be over-estimated. I am filled with admiration at the gallantry and surpassing daring of the Second Division in winning this important fortress, and I congratulate them will all my heart.” General Sir Henry Rawlinson, Commander, British Fourth Army Crossing the Somme By 31 August 1918 the Australian Corps was ready to cross the Somme river and attack Mont St Quentin and Péronne – the last line of German resistance before the Hindenburg Line. “It was now dark and we had reached the end of the trench where it dropped sharply to the river, but we had secured a jumping off ground for the assault on Mont St Quentin. Our position could not be determined in the dark but several enemy machine-guns opened at surprisingly close range.” Lieutenant William Guard, 20th Battalion, 29 August 1918 “All last night the wounds were very severe ones – chiefly broken limbs, head wounds, and abdominal wounds caused by the 5.9 shells. We must have put on at least 20 splints during the night, but today the wounds were less severe. Many of the wounded were Huns now. Our men had done wonders in the attack. They had had a very bad time from shelling all through the night, and we had a good many killed; but this morning, they attacked up the hill against deadly machine-gun fire, and the village was captured about 11 am.” Major Donald Dunbar Coutts, 6th Australian Field Ambulance, 1 September 1918 The official artists Louis McCubbin enlisted in the AIF in May 1916 but two years later was appointed an official war artist with the Australian War Records Section. In November he joined the modelling sub-section led by fellow artist Wallace Anderson. The members of the sub-section spent the next 14 months visiting the former battlefields of the Western Front. They made sketches and models and took photographs to create a visual record that would later inform the production of dioramas such as Mont St Quentin.

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Making the dioramas Work on the dioramas began in December 1918, when a modelling sub-section was formed under the auspices of the Australian War Records Section. It included sculptors Wallace Anderson and Charles Web Gilbert, and artist Louis McCubbin. Along with a team of topographical draughtsmen, the men spent 14 months in France and Belgium sketching the battlefields and working on preliminary models. Note: The diorama depicts a scene during the 6th Brigade's attack on Mont St Quentin on 1 September 1918. Work began on Mont St Quentin, 1918 in 1920. It was the first diorama completed for the Memorial and previously referred to as Storming of Mont St Quentin. A model of the diorama was first displayed in Melbourne and Sydney. The original figures were made of plasticine and later cast in metal for installation at the Memorial. Mont St Quentin, 1918 was originally displayed at the Memorial in the France and Belgium gallery and relocated to the Gallipoli gallery in 1971. It was placed in storage in 1982 and relocated to the Western Front gallery in 1987. In 1939 the diorama was damaged when a load of bricks fell onto it during the Memorial’s construction. Leslie Bowles was commissioned to remodel the destroyed figures. The background was repainted by George Browning, first in 1947, and again in 1987, with Rob Slater, when the work was refurbished for relocation. Don Evans is also noted as having repainted the background at some stage, possibly when the work was relocated to the Gallipoli gallery in 1971 or with Browning in 1987. Breaking the Hindenburg line After the fall of Mont St Quentin and Péronne at the end of August 1918, the Australian Corps continued to advance. Three weeks later they reached the Hindenburg Line. Along with British and American divisions, the Australians were part of the main attack where the St Quentin Canal ran through a tunnel beneath the hills at Bellicourt and Venhille. In what Charles Bean described as "the climax" of the allied offensive, the allies breached the Hindenburg Line on 29 September 1918. It was the breakthrough they had sought for the past three years. With few German defences beyond, and German morale shattered, the end of the war was finally in sight. Mont St Quentin background The background by artist Arlo Mountford spans eight hours and includes sound and animation that follows the general progression of the weather on 1 September 1918. The artist spent months exploring the Memorial’s collection and archives, reading all he could about the battle of Mont St Quentin. The background has been animated from works of art in the Memorial’s collection, including works by Louis McCubbin, Arthur Streeton, and Frederick Leist, as well as photographs taken on or around the day of the battle. !

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Diorama supporting relics The white flag

This improvised flag was used by a group of German soldiers on Mont St Quentin to indicate that they were willing to surrender to the attacking Australians. By this stage of the war, morale among many German units had collapsed, and increasing numbers were capitulating with minimal resistance. RELAWM00988

The Roo De Kanga

When the AIF captured Péronne in early September 1918, one of their first tasks as liberators was to replace the existing German street signs in the town. This was done in typical fashion by the Australians, who created a series of new names, many of which carried a distinct flavour of their homeland. The most famous of

these was Roo De Kanga, the main road through Péronne. After only about a month in place, the signs were collected by the Australian War Records Section, further confusing the local population. RELAWM00969 “This was Villers Carbonnel” Villers-Carbonnel, a hamlet south west of Péronne, was heavily shelled during the 1916 Somme fighting, and its position astride a major crossroad ensured that both the allies and the Germans paid it particular attention in 1918. Its destruction was completed by the retreating Germans who planted mines in various places before they left. The 31st Battalion captured the ruins without opposition on 29 August, and it is little wonder that some humourist later erected this sign for the information of visitors. RELAWM00839 Spectacles which deflected shrapnel William Fisher, a school-teacher from New South Wales, joined the 1st Battalion in mid-1917, and served as a runner, delivering messages to and from the front lines. On 28 August 1918, while the battalion was at rest near Morcourt, Fisher was playing cards in a dug-out when a small shell which had been lying inside the doorway exploded, seriously wounding one of his companions. In an astonishing piece of luck, Fisher’s spectacles deflected a flying splinter away from his left eye, leaving him with only a scratch to the face. REL/00877 Lowerson’s message book When the 21st Battalion attacked Mont St Quentin on 1 September 1918, Sergeant Alby Lowerson was one of its prominent leaders. Seeing the left-hand company halted by a strongpoint containing no less than 12 machine-guns, he quickly organised the six men with him into an assault party and rushed the position with bombs, capturing the guns and 30 prisoners. Lowerson was severely wounded in the right thigh, the bullet passing straight through this message book in his pocket, but he survived and was awarded the Victoria Cross.RELAWM01094 German klaxon Captured by the 20th Battalion when they pushed through Feuillaucourt and onto the slopes of Mont St Quentin on the morning of 31 August 1918, this unusual hand-held klaxon was probably used by the Germans as a gas alarm. Severely undermanned, like all of the 5th Brigade, the 20th Battalion captured more than 700 prisoners in this action, but came out of the line with a fighting strength of only 130 men. RELAWM04080

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Message streamer This streamer, dropped from a Royal Air Force observation aircraft on 1 September 1918, contained a message for Corps headquarters, stating that Mont St Quentin had been captured, and that Australian soldiers were also visible in nearby Péronne.RELAWM15926 The Kaiser in exile On 9 November 1918, Wilhelm II abdicated as Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. The following day, he travelled by train to Holland, where he lived in exile for the remainder of his life. This medallion, which features a caricature of Wilhelm’s ancestor Frederick the Great twisting the Kaiser’s ear, and the words Wilhelm der Deserteur on the reverse, symbolises the anger many Germans felt that their leader should escape his responsibilities and the consequences of his nation’s defeat.RELAWM13841 !!!

!Zero hour Zero hour shows a typical Australian Lewis gun team ready to begin the historic advance of 8 August 1918. Though steadily declining in manpower throughout the year, AIF infantry battalions were able to sustain their firepower and effectiveness by increasing the numbers of these machine-guns. Although two of the men portrayed are armed with rifle and bayonet, both carry extra magazines for the vital Lewis. Bronze cast in Melbourne in 1936; plaster cast Melbourne in 1935 acquired in 1941 Leslie Bowles (1885–1954) First World War enlisted British Army, Military History Section artist. ART12504

! !

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Notes:

1. Mont St Quentin Diorama (AWM Art Notes December 2014) The!hill!of!Mont!St!Quentin!overlooks!the!ancient!town!of!Peronne!and!the!Somme!River.!!Here,!in!August!1918,!the!Germans,!dispirited!and!wet!from!the!rain,!halted!their!withdrawal!and!prepared!to!make!a!stand!behind!barbed!wire!entanglements!and!amid!the!old!trenches!of!earlier!fighting.!!!

The hill was the strategic key, and it was vital that it be captured quickly. The task was given to the Australian 2nd Division, while the 5th Division was to take Peronne. The 3rd Division protected the Somme River crossings. Unlike the battles of a few weeks ago, this time there was thin support from the artillery and no tanks, but both sides had plenty of machine-guns. It quickly became an infantry battle, sometimes reduced to bitter hand-to-hand fighting. For a while the result hung in the balance, but by 1 September the town and hill were in Australian hands and well secured by the following day; yet the victory had cost 3,000 casualties. Many brave actions were recorded and eight Victoria Crosses were awarded. The Germans had been dealt a stunning blow and were forced to fall back towards their Hindenburg Line. Charles Web Gilbert (1867–1925), Louis McCubbin (1890–1952), Arlo Mountford (b.1976). Mont St Quentin was the first diorama produced in the First World War series. It depicts both a tactically difficult situation and the daring of the Australian soldiers. When making the diorama, its sculptor, C. Web Gilbert, stated, “I want to satisfy not only the art critic and the military enthusiast, but the Dinkum Digger critic.” Gilbert chose Mont St Quentin first “not only because it lends itself best to picturesque treatment, but because it typifies and crowns the great sweeping victories of the A.I.F. that preceded the smashing of the Hindenburg line—and then the Armistice”. One bereaved father followed the progress of the Mont St Quentin diorama very closely. John Garibaldi “Garry” Roberts had lost a son, Frank, in the attack on Mont St Quentin. Roberts befriended both his son’s comrades and Gilbert, and also kept a diary and a large collection of cutting books recording every aspect of his son’s part in the war (26 volumes of these volumes are now held by the State Library of Victoria). In 1919 Gilbert sent Roberts photographs of the small wax sketch model of the diorama. Beside a press photograph of Gilbert at work in front of the diorama, Roberts wrote a short, precise description of the action of Frank’s company noting the spot where he had been killed. In mid-1919 a comrade of Frank’s wrote to Roberts that a photograph of the model that he had sent him “brings everything back so vividly … The shattered brick wall is just as it actually was, and the trees too, all a perfect prototype of those which I saw over a year ago”. Like many bereaved relatives, Roberts had been unable to visit the battlefield for himself, but doubtless he felt moved by being able to view a model endorsed by someone who had been there and fought alongside his son. figures: paint on lead; modelling: paint on plaster over wood and wire; background: 6 channel HD digital animation, sound, [duration]. created in Melbourne in 1920–23; background created in Melbourne in 2013–14 .acquired under commission in 1923; background acquired under commission in 2014 ART41018 2. Mont St Quentin and Peronne: Australian Victories (AWM website December 2014) The end of August found German troops at their last stronghold at Mont St Quentin - overlooking the Somme River and the town of Péronne. Mont St Quentin stood out in the surrounding country,

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making it a perfect observation point and a vital strategic area to control. This area was key to the German defence of the Somme line. As it was such an important area, Lieutenant General Sir John Monash was keen to capture it and thus possess a valuable position. The Attack This Australian operation is sometimes regarded as the finest achievement of the AIF. The 2nd Australian Division crossed the Somme River on the night of 31 August, and attacked Mont St Quentin at 5 am, from the unexpected position of northwest. It was a difficult position as it was an uphill fight for the troops, across very open ground where they were vulnerable to attack from the German-held heights above. Rifle grenades and trench mortars were employed to outflank outpost positions. The battalions positioned to the right made a lot of noise to distract the Germans, while the centre and left battalions got a foothold on the hill and in Feuillaucourt. By 7 am, the troops had gained the village of Mont St Quentin and the slope and summit of the hill, by working in small groups. The five German divisions were confused and dispersed, and many had fled. By midnight on 31 August, Monash's troops had captured 14,500 prisoners and 170 guns since 8 August. Allied troops also broke through lines to Péronne by 8.20 am on 1 September. However, the Germans quickly regrouped and launched a counter-attack, and the first day of September saw fierce fighting and heavy losses. Germans attacked and heavily shelled Péronne. Much of the fighting was hand-to-hand combat. The outnumbered Australians were pushed back off the summit of Mont St Quentin, and lost Feuillaucourt. Relief battalions were sent, and with their reinforcement, all the areas were retaken by the Australians, but at the cost of 3,000 casualties. Private Alex Barclay of the 17th Battalion was shot in the head by a sniper's bullet during the attack. Miraculously the bullet passed right through his skull, and he survived to re-enlist in the Second World War! After heavy and exhausting fighting, the Australians established a stronghold on the area and forced the complete withdrawal of the Germans from Péronne. By the night of 3 September, the Australians held Péronne. They captured Flamicourt the next day, and advanced 2 miles to the east. Monash said of the Mont St Quentin and Péronne campaign that it furnished the finest example in the war of spirited and successful infantry action conducted by three divisions operating simultaneously side by side. The fight had also included battalions from every Australian state. British Commander General Lord Rawlinson remarked that this feat by the Australian troops under Monash's command was the greatest of the war. Forced out of Péronne, the Germans had to retreat to their last line of defence- the Hindenburg Line. 3. Mont St Quentin – the finest Australian feat , 1918 (http://www.awmlondon.gov.au/battles/mont-st-quentin) The Battle in Brief From the Battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918 until the Armistice on 11 November 1918 is the period known as the ‘Hundred Days’. This was a time of almost constant advance for the allied armies.

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The Australians, few in number, were unable to hold the summit of Mont St Quentin when German reserves counter-attacked but held on just below the summit until next morning when Australian reinforcements recaptured the summit. The same day, 1 September 1918, saw Australian forces break into Péronne and take most of the town. The next day it completely fell into Australian hands. On those three days, without tanks or protective barrage, the Australians, at a cost of 3000 casualties, dealt a stunning blow to five German divisions and caused a general German withdrawal eastwards to the Hindenburg Line. The taking of Mont St Quentin and Péronne is regarded as among the finest Australian feats on the Western Front and the intensity of the action is evident from the fact that eight Victoria Crosses were awarded to Australians between 31 August and 2 September 1918. On 29 September 1918, the strongly defended Hindenburg Line was attacked on a six-kilometre wide land bridge between Bellicourt and Vendhuille where the St Quentin Canal ran underground through a tunnel. After nearly two months of continuous action Australian units were numerically weak with the average battalion having only 300 men available for action. The Australians were reinforced by keen but inexperienced American troops whose unit strength was three times that of the exhausted Australians. In three days of hard fighting, with Lewis guns and grenades, the Australians captured the first two German lines which had been the American objectives. On 3 October 1918, Australian troops broke through the last defensive system of the Hindenburg Line, the third (Beaurevoir) line. Two days later, Australians, in a costly action, captured Montbrehain village. These were the last infantry actions fought by Australian soldiers on the Western Front. The five Australian divisions were now withdrawn for a rest and were heading up the line into battle again on 11 November 1918, the day the Armistice was declared. The last Australians in action on the Western Front were the men of the Australian Flying Corps and some artillery units.

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BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 10

THE FINAL BATTLES ON THE WESTERN FRONT &

BREAKING THE LINE

The final battles on the Western Front

From August 1918 the British army had turned strongly over to the offensive and was making important gains on the Western Front. With defeats on the battlefield, and acute shortages and civil disturbances at home, Germany was in serious trouble. In September Monash’s battle-weary Australians pushed on from Péronne recovering ground that had been given up in the German advance six months earlier. On the 18th, using clever tactics and good support, they fought their way beyond Hargicourt to where they could stand overlooking the Hindenburg Line. Beginning on 29 September, together with American and British troops, they fought their way through the Hindenburg Line. Their capture of Montbrehain on 5 October was their large significant action. For the diggers, the war ended on the high note of success in battle. The State of the Corps

In the last year of the war, the AIF was receiving less than half of its needed reinforcements. The casualty rate was too much for a volunteer army. Some battalions had fewer than 200 riflemen, while a strong one might have 350, less than half of its full establishment. The fighting troops were in need of a rest and, at last near the end of the war, some men who had joined up in 1914 and had not seen home for four years, were allowed leave to go to Australia. But their departure left a further gap. In April 1918 three proud battalions, low in numbers, had been forced to disband, and in September there was a loud outcry at proposals to disband more. In the end there was no choice. Had the war lasted another year it is likely that at least one of the divisions would have had to be broken up.

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Tunnel map The Bellicourt Tunnel encloses a 5-kilometre section of the St Quentin Canal, and was converted by the Germans into secure troop accommodation, with barges moored along the canal banks and other facilities excavated off the main tunnel. As part of the Hindenburg Line defences, the southern (Bellicourt) end of the tunnel was captured on 29 September 1918, but the northern (le Catelet) end remained in German hands until 1 October. This wooden plan, found by Australian soldiers, provided orientation for the tunnel’s inhabitants.RELAWM00983 An ingenious ruse For the 18 September 1918 attack on the Hindenburg Outpost Line, ten “dummy tanks” on wheels were constructed by the 4th Field Company Engineers to conceal the shortage of real tanks for the operation. It was planned that members of the 4th Pioneer Battalion would drag the dummy tanks into view at the start of the assault, causing panic among the defenders. In the event, the dummies were too flimsy to be moved readily, and poor visibility meant they were probably not even seen by the Germans. This 1/10th scale model of a dummy tank was constructed by 4 FCE to prove the concept.RELAWM00955 “Tank tape ” Even more than the infantry they supported, tank crews needed to be guided towards their objectives. Poor visibility and difficult terrain were likely to push them off course, and their slow speed could cause them to lag behind in an attack. Cloth tape laid across the ground before a battle provided a starting point and a direction. To distinguish it from the similar tape used for the infantry, a central black band was added to identify “tank tape”. This piece was used in September 1918 for an attack on the Hindenburg Line. REL/02097 Long-serving Lewis This Lewis gun, issued to the 27th Battalion when they arrived in France in March 1916, took part in every one of the unit’s engagements until finally it was put out of action at Grandcourt in October 1918, the 27th’s last battle of the war. A shell splinter damaged the gun’s barrel jacket and radiator, ending its career after it had fired more than 150,000 rounds in two and a half years. The battalion noted that, “Of the 60 men who passed through its team, four achieved commissioned rank, 10 became NCOs, 21 were killed and 32 wounded.” REL/02766 The “Devil’s kitchen” Within the Bellicourt Tunnel was found the infamous “Devil’s kitchen”, subject of rumour and speculation among allied troops. A shell penetrated the roof of a chamber used for cooking and burst inside, killing and wounding many of the German occupants. Blood covered the walls, and several bodies and severed limbs were hurled into the large cooking cauldrons. The story quickly circulated that in this “corpse factory”, the enemy were rendering down their own dead to obtain fat, and it was some time before the truth was discovered. This German insulated container for hot food shows evidence of the explosion which caused the carnage. RELAWM00965 Swimming across the Hindenburg Line When the Australian and American attack on the Hindenburg Line at Bellicourt was held up, it fell to the previously unheralded British 46th (North Midland) Division, on the right, to perform one of the great deeds of the war. Crossing the St Quentin Canal under fire, many men swimming across with the aid of life jackets, they captured several bridge crossings intact and pushed on through the Hindenburg Line. Their pressure on the German flank enabled the general advance to continue. RELAWM00998 “Indivisible” Raised in Victoria, primarily of men from Melbourne, Gippsland and the north-east, the 37th Battalion saw its share of the heavy fighting on the Western Front. On 21 September 1918, the unit

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was paraded and informed that it was being disbanded to reinforce other battalions. The men refused to march off, staging, in effect, a peaceful mutiny. This extraordinary event led to a stay of execution, and the 37th returned to the front line one more time. On 12 October, however, the men were finally split between the 38th, 39th and 40th Battalions, and the regalia of the unit, including its bandmaster’s mace, became orphans. RELAWM01073 ANZAC leave In September 1918, Defence Minister George Pearce announced that soldiers who had left Australia in 1914 were to be granted two months’ home leave. While welcome news for the now relatively few survivors of the Gallipoli campaign, this decision also contributed to the weakening of the Australian Corps at a time when it was still playing a major role in the allied advance. The first 800 lucky men departed later in the month, and were issued with these red, white and blue rosettes, worn on the sleeve to denote their veteran status. They were still at sea when the Armistice was signed. REL/05588.001

Breaking the line

With the 1918 winter approaching, it became a race against time to break through the Germans’ wide defensive zone of machine-guns, artillery, barbed wire, trenches and tunnels that was the Hindenburg Line. Monash kept attacking but his Australians were reaching the point of exhaustion. Then he was offered use of an American corps. In his climatic attack on 29 September against the Hindenburg Line he had more American infantry than Australians under his operational command. The battle began poorly, but with help from the adjoining British division, the Germans were forced to withdraw. During the next week the Australians fought their last battles around a string of defended villages before going off to rest and recover. There were no AIF battalions at the front when the war ended on 11 November. Breaking the Hindenburg Line (wall-mounted) On 29 September 1918, the vaunted Hindenburg Line, Germany’s last major defensive barricade against the advancing allies, was overrun by British, Australian and American troops. Will Longstaff’s portrayal of the scene emphasises the hand-to-hand combat that took place in the complex of trenches, dugouts and strongpoints, as well as the vital role of tanks and artillery. Machine-guns, which played a pivotal part in the German defence, lie abandoned as the attack pushes on. ART03023

Note: The battle of the Hindenburg Line, which began18 September 1918, was a key turning point in the Hundred Days Offensive that eventually led to the end of the First World War. British forces spearheaded the attack against the German line, continuing their effective use of tanks that started earlier in the offensive at the battle of Amiens. The battle was another sign that trench warfare was over, as the allies broke through the largest trench

system on the Western Front. Longstaff has captured the power of the tanks moving brutally across the battlefield where dead and wounded soldiers lie. Artillery fire, dust and smoke cover the battlefield, with Australian soldiers in direct combat with the Germans.

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Felt Pickelhaube Before steel helmets were issued to German combat troops in 1916, substitutes for the leather Pickelhaube (spiked helmet) were introduced to make up for shortages. The felt in this Filzhelme, or felt helmet, was made from pressed rabbit fur, like many hats, and has steel fittings, rather than the traditional brass ones. The badge on the front indicates that the wearer served in the ranks with a Prussian unit.REL41491 Paper boots By 1918, the use of substitutes had reached extraordinary lengths in Germany. These ersatz boots have wooden soles with steel hobnails, while parts of the uppers, lining and laces are made of paper. Woven paper “fabrics” were used for a multitude of purposes by the resource-starved Germans, and proved remarkably robust. RELAWM04452 “Corpse utilisation” This sign, collected from a depot near Froissy on the Somme, shows the attention paid by the German army to what would now be called recycling. It provided direction to a carcass plant, where dead animals – generally horses – were stripped of hide, fat, hooves and other usable materials, and the remains ground up for pig feed. It is perhaps not surprising, however, that Nach der kadaver-verwertung suggested to many English speakers a “corpse factory” for dead soldiers, like the famed, but mythical, “Devil’s kitchen” at Bellicourt.RELAWM00847 Paper-cloth camisole For civilian use, many textiles were replaced by an ersatz material known as “paper-cloth”. Thread made from spun paper was strong, but not enough to produce a fabric able to withstand the rigours of daily wear. The addition of a weft of tougher material such as cotton or flax produced a cloth which was suitable for regular use, although not considered robust enough for military wear. This delicate camisole is typical of the products available in German stores by 1918.RELAWM04416 Kornfranck coffee By as early as 1916, coffee had become a scarce commodity in Germany, and imports were almost unobtainable. Early substitutes used roasted barley and oats, but even supplies of these and their alternatives (acorns and beechnuts) eventually became scarce. By 1918, increasing quantities of vegetables were being used, in what had become effectively a substitute for a substitute for a substitute. RELAWM04439.001

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Sample of ersatz coffee This ersatz coffee seems to be mainly composed of dried and shredded carrots and turnips, and was probably flavoured with a small quantity of roasted barley to provide at least some semblance of the original beverage’s flavour. RELAWM04439.002 Rex tea The attractive packaging for this ersatz tea advertises it as “a mixture of German forest herbs”, which, allowing for a little poetic exaggeration, is an accurate description of the combination of tree buds and blooms it contained.RELAWM04440.001 Sample of ersatz tea Like coffee, tea quickly became unobtainable in Germany due to the allied blockade. Unlike coffee, however, substitutes for tea were readily available, and this mixture of linden blooms, beech buds, and pine tips is said to have produced a pleasant drink.RELAWM04440.002 Jägerpreis tobacco Tobacco, like other imports from distant lands, was soon in short supply in Germany. A wide range of substitutes were introduced, although in most cases some percentage of tobacco was essential if the product was to be accepted. This Jägerpreis (hunter’s trophy) variety announces its makeup to be 20 per cent tobacco, 30 per cent cherry leaves, and 50 per cent scented cherry leaves. RELAWM04442.001 Sample of ersatz tobacco Tobacco was a priceless essential for many soldiers and civilians, as the smoking of cigars, cigarettes, or pipes was widespread at the time. Existing German supplies were stretched as far as possible by adulterating tobacco with other herbs or leaves, including chestnut, oak, and cherry. RELAWM04441.002 Wood pulp in the bread One of the first food products to go through the “ersatz” process was bread, for which wheat was always in short supply. Early Kriegsbrot, or “war bread”, contained rye and potato meal; but as the conflict wore on, oats, corn, barley, peas, beans or buckwheat were substituted, depending on shortages. In 1918, Australian troops were shocked to find this fine wood pulp in a German army field bakery. Ironically, the same product has been used as a crude fibre-adding ingredient in modern breads.RELAWM04444.001 Metallsammlung ring Metallsammlung (“metal collection”) rings such as this one were a product of fund-raising events in Germany at the start of the war. Patriotic citizens who contributed valuable metals such as gold jewellery to the war effort would receive in exchange an iron ring, symbolising their contribution. REL33815 Rubber shortages By 1918, the allied blockade of Germany was having a major impact on both industrial activities and civilian life. Shortages of foodstuffs, oil, rubber, silk, cotton and many other strategic materials led to the introduction of “ersatz “ (substitute) materials to fill the gaps. Many substitutes were ingenious, such as this internally sprung iron and timber lorry wheel which did not need a rubber tyre; but they were inevitably less efficient than the original item. A bumpy ride Another solution to the German shortage of rubber was this bicycle wheel, fitted with a wooden tyre which was mounted to the rim by steel springs. It required a great deal of energy to pedal and must have delivered an uncomfortable ride.RELAWM04407

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Issue # 2 ( 06301802115)

BACKGROUNDER # 114

AUSTRALIA IN THE GREAT WAR PART 5

WESTERN FRONT 1918

SECTION 11

ARMISTICE

The armistice The Old Force passed down the road to history. The dust of its march settled. The sound of its arms died. Upon a hundred battlefields the broken trees stretched their lean arms over sixty thousand of its graves. C.E.W. Bean, The Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18. The end of the war came quite suddenly. In the early morning of 11 November, in a railway carriage at Compiegne north of Paris, Germany finally signed an armistice, and at 11am the fighting ceased. Only a few weeks earlier Turkey had also withdrawn from the war. Although the formal peace treaties would not be signed until the following year, the Great War was effectively over. For Australians what mattered most was to bring the troops home, and for most this would take almost another year. But there were 60,000 who would never return: They lay under simple markers scattered from the beaches of Gallipoli to the desert outposts of Egypt and the scarred landscape of France, or remained forever simply missing in action.