Contents

Australian Army Corps Order of Battle March/April 1918

Prologue

PART ONE: Breakthrough

1  ‘. . . in the midst of universal madness’

2  ‘. . . the height of human felicity’

3  ‘Here goes the gallant Sixteenth!’

4  ‘It would be better to make peace on any terms . . .’

PART TWO: Battles for the Somme

5  ‘I recognised Marshal Foch and General Haig’

6  ‘. . . he willingly sacrificed himself’

7  ‘Fini retreat, Madame – beaucoup Australiens ici’

8  ‘. . . they had no objective’

9  ‘. . . he was left there’

10   ‘. . . a battery of four heavies . . . got onto them’

11   ‘. . . stop all stragglers and compel them to fight’

12   ‘This officer undoubtedly retrieved a very awkward situation’

13   ‘. . . shot for all they were worth’

14   ‘. . . a massed force of German infantry had broken through’

15   ‘. . . the 4th Division’s guns were geared only to move forwards’

16   ‘Men were lying dead all over the place’

17   ‘Put in your last ounce’

18   ‘Not a single man of my old patrol platoon . . . returned’

PART THREE: Saving Hazebrouck and the Channel Ports

19   ‘. . . only formed body of troops between here and the Channel Ports’

20   ‘Are you going to make a fight of it?’

21   ‘His actions seemed to absolutely stop the Huns’

22   ‘The French attack did not eventuate’

23   ‘Some of us had to stand on their bodies’

PART FOUR: Losing and Retaking Villers-Bretonneux

24   ‘Look out! Jerry tanks about’

25   ‘. . . you must let us do it our own way’

26   ‘It absolutely blew him to pieces . . .’

27   ‘They killed and killed’

28   ‘Tell them to go to hell!’

29   ‘Creeping in single file . . .’

Epilogue

Images

Acknowledgements

Notes

References

Maps

1  Operation Michael

2  Australians on the Somme

3  The First Battle of Dernancourt

4  3rd Division Advance

5  The First Battle for Villers-Bretonneux

6  The Second Battle of Dernancourt

7  The Battle for Hazebrouk

8  The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux