British Batteries in action in the open.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
British Batteries in action in the open.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
British troops going up the line near Albert.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
British troops going up the line near Albert.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
Amiens. Shell bursting in the Rue de Beauvais.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
Amiens. Shell bursting in the Rue de Beauvais.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
From April onwards, trench warfare began again. The Allied front was reformed, consisting of a continuous line of hastily dug trenches and rapidly constructed works, held by resolute troops, whosemoralewas intact and whose fighting spirit had never been better.
Once more the heavy artillery came into requisition, for the preparatory pounding of the adversaries' positions.
In April-May, sharp engagements frequently took place at certain points. On the Luce, in the region of Hangard, on the Avre, from Thennes to Mailly-Raineval, at Grivesnes, on the west bank of the Matz, and around Orvillers-Sorel. Of these, the attack of April 24, by its violence and scope, constituted a veritable offensive against Amiens.
See sketch below.
Map.
The plateau of Villers-Bretonneux dominates the ground between the Avre and the Somme.
It was held by the British. Slightly to the south, in Hangard Woods, close to Hill 99, was the point of junction of the Allied Armies.
One of the 11in. Guns which Bombarded Amiens.
One of the 11in. Guns which Bombarded Amiens.
The enemy's main effort was made at this point, as being the weakest.
The French line started at Anchin Farm, west of Moreuil, followed the western and northern outskirts of Castel, joined up with Hill 63 on the right bank of the Avre, took in Hangard, and linked up with the British near Hill 99, to the south of Hangard Wood. From this point the British line crossed the plateau between the Avre and the Somme, between Marcelcave and Villers-Bretonneux, and passed the eastern outskirts of Hamel.
At 5 a.m., after an artillery preparation lasting an hour, the German infantry attacked.
After a desperate struggle, the enemy captured Villers-Bretonneux. Hangard fell during the night and Cachy was threatened.
The next day, a Franco-British counter-attack won back the most important part of the lost ground. Villers-Bretonneux, Hangard and Hangard Wood were recaptured and held, in spite of all the subsequent efforts of the enemy, who finally abandoned this sector in favour of Flanders.
French Trenches in the suburbs of Cachy(see p. 59).
French Trenches in the suburbs of Cachy(see p. 59).
In his "Memoirs", Ludendorff wrote:The battle ended on April 4. It was a brilliant feat of arms and will always be so considered in history. What the British and French had been unable to do, we accomplished in the fourth year of the war.
Strategically, we did not attain what the events of March 23, 24 and 25 justified our hoping for.
That we failed to take Amiens, which would have rendered the communications of the enemy forces astride the Somme extremely difficult, was especially disappointing.
Long distance bombardment of the railways could not be considered an equivalent.
French 6in. Battery in action at Rocquencourt.(7 miles to the west of Montdidier).
French 6in. Battery in action at Rocquencourt.(7 miles to the west of Montdidier).
German heavy gun at Faverolles(2 miles east of Montdidier).Captured on August 9, 1918, during the offensive of General Debeney's Army. (See p. 42).
German heavy gun at Faverolles(2 miles east of Montdidier).Captured on August 9, 1918, during the offensive of General Debeney's Army. (See p. 42).
Clemenceau at the G.H.Q. of a British Division in 1918.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
Clemenceau at the G.H.Q. of a British Division in 1918.(Photo Imperial War Museum).
A German Tank Trap.Australian and American soldiers examine the charges of explosive withwhich this trap was fitted. One of them is looking through a German periscope. (July 11, 1918).
A German Tank Trap.Australian and American soldiers examine the charges of explosive withwhich this trap was fitted. One of them is looking through a German periscope. (July 11, 1918).