First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux

Coordinates: 49°52′03″N 2°31′15″E / 49.86750°N 2.52083°E / 49.86750; 2.52083
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
See also: Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux
First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux
Part of Operation Michael (German spring offensive)
Date30 March – 5 April 1918
Location
Villers-Bretonneux, Northern France
49°52′03″N 2°31′15″E / 49.86750°N 2.52083°E / 49.86750; 2.52083
Result British Empire victory
Belligerents

 British Empire

 German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Australia John Monash
• Australia Henry Goddard		 German Empire Georg von der Marwitz
Units involved
Australia 9th Australian Brigade
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 6th Battalion, London Regiment
Australia 15th Australian Brigade
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 18th (Eastern) Division
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 14th (Light) Division

German Empire 9th Bavarian Reserve Division
German Empire Guards Ersatz Division
German Empire 19th Division
German Empire

228th Division
Strength

Australian 9th Bde: 3500;

Other units: unknown		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
about 5,000–10,000 dead (Australian and British combined)[1] 8000–10,000 dead (estimated);[2]
at least 259 POW (taken by British 18th Division alone).
Villers Bretonneux is located in France
Villers Bretonneux
Villers Bretonneux
class=notpageimage|
Villers-Bretonneux, a commune in the Somme department of northern France

The First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux (30 March – 5 April 1918), took place during

9th Australian Infantry Brigade
and by British troops, late in the afternoon of 4 April, restored the line and halted the German advance on Amiens.

Background

In early 1918, following the

Somme River.[3] By 5 April, the Germans had gained 37 mi (60 km) of British held territory. Two other operations were launched, one near Armentières, one near Reims. All three operations were eventually halted by the Allies.[4]

Battle

In late March 1918, the German army advanced towards the vital rail-head at Amiens, pushing the British line back towards the town of

Marie-Eugène Debeney) that was positioned to the south. On 30 March, the Germans attacked around Le Hamel and although this was turned back, they succeeded in making gains around Hangard Wood
. [6] [5] On its left flank, the French First Army fell back, although a counter-attack regained much of the ground.

Australian troops near Villers-Bretonneux, 2 May 1918.

Five days later, the Germans renewed their drive towards Villers-Bretonneux,[6] now held by the Australian 9th Brigade, under its acting commander, Colonel Henry Goddard (also commander of the 35th Battalion). From north-west to south-east the line was held by the British 14th (Light) Division, the Australian 9th Brigade and the British 18th (Eastern) Division. The Australians held off the 9th Bavarian Reserve Division and the 18th (Eastern) Division repulsed elements of the Imperial Guards Ersatz Division and Prussian 19th Division.

On 4 April, the British 14th (Light) Division fell back, under pressure from the German

which?], helped consolidate the Australian gains.[10] Advancing in a staggered series of short rushes, across separate sectors, the Australians and British pushed two German divisions back towards Monument Wood, then north of Lancer Wood and then to retreat from Villers-Bretonneux itself.[10][11]

Aftermath

Analysis

Further fighting around the village took place later in the month during the

battle of attrition.[13]

Casualties

The 9th Australian Brigade had 2,400 casualties from c. 3,500 men engaged. German casualties were not known but there were 8,000 to 10,000 losses in two of the regiments engaged.[14] The 9th Australian Brigade recorded 4,000 dead German soldiers on their front and the 18th (Eastern) Division had "severe" losses and took 259 prisoners from the 9th Bavarian Reserve Division, Guard Ersatz Division]] and 19th Division.[15]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Australian 9th Bde: 2400 dead; 15th Australian Brigade, numbers unknown; British 18th Division: "severe", exact numbers unknown; British 14th (Light) Division, numbers unknown.
  2. ^ 4000 German dead were recorded by the Australian 9th Brigade.
  3. ^ a b Baldwin 1962, pp. 126–140.
  4. ^ "Villers Bretonneux (3rd Battle of the Somme) (Battle of Amiens)". Digger History. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  5. ^ a b Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 139.
  6. ^ a b c d Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 140.
  7. ^ Edmonds, Davies & Maxwell-Hyslop 1995, pp. 122–123.
  8. ^ Edmonds, Davies & Maxwell-Hyslop 1995, pp. 123–124.
  9. ^ Coulthard-Clark 1998, pp. 140–141.
  10. ^ a b Coulthard-Clark 1998, p. 141.
  11. ^ Godfrey 2002, pp. 200–202.
  12. ^ Edmonds, Davies & Maxwell-Hyslop 1995, pp. 385–408.
  13. ^ Edmonds, Davies & Maxwell-Hyslop 1995, p. 137.
  14. ^ Bean 1937, pp. 353–354.
  15. ^ Nichols 2004, p. 316.

References

Further reading

Books

Websites

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Battle_of_Villers-Bretonneux&oldid=1210807225"