Battle of Amiens - Prelude

The Battle of Amiens, which began on 8 August 1918, was the opening phase of the Allied offensive, later known as the Hundred Days Offensive, that led ultimately to the end of World War I. The Australian and Canadian divisions that spearheaded the attack managed to advance over eight miles on the first day, one of the greatest advances of the war. The battle marked the end of trench warfare on the Western Front and the return to the mobile warfare that would prevail until the armistice was signed on 11 November. Battle o ...

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• Battle of Amiens - Prelude
• Battle of Amiens - The plan
• Battle of Amiens - The battle
• Battle of Amiens - Conclusion
• Battle of Amiens - Suggested Reading

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On 21 March 1918, Germany had launched Operation Michael, the first of a series of attacks that would drive the Allies back along the length of the Western Front. Michael itself was aimed at the town of Amiens, a vital railway junction, but the advance had been halted at Villers-Bretonneux by the Australians on 4 April. Subsequent German offensives — Operation Georgette (9–11 April), Operation Blücher-Yorck (27 May), Operation Gneisenau (9 June) and Operation Marne-Rheims (15—17 July) — had made advances bu ...

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Battle of Amiens, Battle of Amiens - Prelude, Battle of Amiens - The plan, Battle of Amiens - The battle, Battle of Amiens - Conclusion, Battle of Amiens - Suggested Reading

Read more here: » Battle of Amiens: Encyclopedia II - Battle of Amiens - Prelude

The initial attack would be made by the British Fourth Army, commanded by General Sir Henry Rawlinson, who had also been in command on 1 July 1916, the disastrous first day on the Somme when the British army suffered nearly 60,000 casualties. The British went to great lengths to deceive the Germans as to their intentions and achieve surprise. On this occasion there would be no preliminary bombardment. The massed artillery would open fire at zero hour, at the same time as the infantry advanced. The movement and assembly of tanks was dr ...

See also:

Battle of Amiens, Battle of Amiens - Prelude, Battle of Amiens - The plan, Battle of Amiens - The battle, Battle of Amiens - Conclusion, Battle of Amiens - Suggested Reading

Read more here: » Battle of Amiens: Encyclopedia II - Battle of Amiens - The plan

The battle began in dense fog at 4.20am on 8 August. From north to south the attacking formations of the Fourth Army were the British III Corps (north of the Somme), the Australian Corps and the Canadian Corps. The French First Army would keep contact in the south before making its own attack later. In the first phase seven divisions attacked, the British 18th (Eastern) and 58th (2/1st London) divisions, the Australian 2nd and 3rd divisions, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian divisions. These troops were to capture the first German position, advancing about 4000 yards, ...

See also:

Battle of Amiens, Battle of Amiens - Prelude, Battle of Amiens - The plan, Battle of Amiens - The battle, Battle of Amiens - Conclusion, Battle of Amiens - Suggested Reading

Read more here: » Battle of Amiens: Encyclopedia II - Battle of Amiens - The battle