Ypres, 2022 18th July

It is great to be back at Ypres in Belgium. Arrived on Sunday evening ready to explore more World War I battlefields. Today Monday, 18^th July is an early start as I travel near to Amiens in France. The southern tip of the Somme and the dividing line between the British and French forces in 1918. I wanted to see the battlefields and movements during the German spring offensive of 1918 and how the Commonwealth forces pushed the Germans back leading to the surrender in November 1918.

The German offensive chose Amiens for the push as they wanted to split the French and British lines, hoping for a quick French surrender due to very low morale and to concentrate their efforts on the British before the American took root.

I started the day at Villers-Bretonneux and the Australian National Memorial. Climbing up the high ground with a very warm breeze sweeping between the grave stones. At the top is the Australian National Memorial. This was the last of the major memorials to the missing for WWI to be built as it was unveiled in July 1938, only one year before the outbreak of WWII.

Behind the Memorial is the Sir John Monash Centre, which is sunk into the ground and offers a great immersive experience.

Villers-Bretonneux had checked the German push towards Amiens and had to be held at all costs. The German Spring Offensive had started in March 1918 after the capitulation of Russia in early 1918 and allowed the Germans to move 48 divisions from the East to the Western Front. The advance was held at Villiers-Bretonneux and planning started to start moving the Germans back.

One of the battles was at Le Hamel on the 4^{th of} July and command was given to Sir John Monash who was a student of General Herbert Plumer, who was well known for his planning and combined tactics. Monash claimed he would win this battle in 90 minutes and set about to plan how this could be achieved. His main force was the Australian 4^th Division consisting of three depleted brigades. This was backed by another three brigades from two other Australian divisions. He also had new American troops and British Tanks using the new Mk V tanks. Starting with a creeping barrage fierce fighting took place to overcome Pear Trench and the battle was won is only 93 minutes. Thomas Axford and Henry Dalziel were both awarded the VC. Fourteen Americans were awarded medals by the British, with Thomas A Pope also being awarded the Medal of Honour.

Over the coming months the Allies would fight to push the Germans back to their starting point before the Spring Offensive. This roughly followed D1029 (Old Roman Road). One of the last strong points overlooking the Somme River was Mount Saint- Quentin and Monash was asked to plan an attack to remove the Germans from this vantage point west of the Hindenburg Line. Between the 31^{st of} August and the 3^{rd of} September Monash planned the uphill attack which resulted in a great victory. Four Australian soldiers were awarded the Victory Cross for their actions during this battle.

Adolf Hitler insisted to his troops that they were not to destroy or interfere with any WWI memorials. This was on the whole maintained by German WWII troops, yet the Australian Memorial for the battel at Mount Saint-Quentin is one which was destroyed by German WWII troops due to it depicting an Australian soldier bayonetting an Eagle. It was replaced after WWII with a standing soldier.

The Germans were now pushed back to the Hindenburg Line and now the Allies were ready to breakthrough this defensive line. One of the battles was at the Saint Quentin canal. Monash again was asked to plan the attack and was given two American divisions due to the depleted numbers of Australians. Overall, 32 divisions took part for the Allies with the main force being British. The Germans felt that the canal cutting could not be taken and was heavily defended. Between the 29th of September and the 10^{th of} October 1918, the Germans were defeated. The Australians were taken out of the line on the 5^{th of} October and would not return to the front line before the signing of the Armistice on the 11^{th of} October 1918.