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The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux (also Actions of Villers-Bretonneux, after the First Battles of the Somme, 1918) took place from 24 to 27 April 1918, during the German spring offensive to the east of
Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
. It is notable for being the first occasion on which tanks fought against each other; it was the biggest and most successful tank action of the German army in the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Three German
A7V The A7V was a heavy tank introduced by Germany in 1918 during World War I. One hundred chassis were ordered in early 1917, ten to be finished as fighting vehicles with armoured bodies, and the remainder as ''Überlandwagen'' cargo carriers. Th ...
s engaged three British
Mark IV tank The Mark IV (pronounced ''Mark four'') was a British tank of the First World War. Introduced in 1917, it benefited from significant developments of the Mark I tank (the intervening designs being small batches used for training). The main impro ...
s, two of which were
female tank The "Female" tank was a variation of the British heavy tank deployed during the First World War. It carried multiple machine guns instead of the mix of machine guns and cannons mounted on the "male" tank. Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Swinton, who p ...
s armed only with machine-guns. The two Mark IV females were damaged and forced to withdraw but the male tank, armed with 6-pounder guns, hit and disabled the lead A7V, which was then abandoned by its crew. The Mark IV continued to fire on the two remaining German A7Vs, which withdrew. The "male" then advanced with the support of several Whippet light tanks which had arrived, until disabled by artillery fire and abandoned by the crew. A counter-attack by two Australian brigades and a British brigade during the night of 24 April partly surrounded Villers-Bretonneux and on 25 April the town was recaptured. On 26 April, the role of the Moroccan division of the French army was crucial in pushing back German units. Australian, British and French troops had almost restored the original front line by 27 April.


Prelude

In late 1917 and early 1918, the end of the fighting on the Eastern Front allowed the Germans to transfer large numbers of men and equipment to the west. Buoyed by this, but concerned that the entry of the United States into the war would negate their numerical advantage if they did not attack quickly, and that massed tank attacks like that at
Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department and in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, regio ...
in November 1917 had made more areas vulnerable to attack, the German commander,
Erich Ludendorff Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff (9 April 1865 – 20 December 1937) was a German general, politician and military theorist. He achieved fame during World War I for his central role in the German victories at Liège and Tannenberg in 1914. ...
, chose to use his temporary numerical advantage to punch through the front line and advance north towards the sea. In March, the Germans launched the Spring Offensive, against the British
Third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...
and Fifth Armies on the Somme, which were understrength due to the small numbers of replacements being sent from Britain. In unfinished defences, the Fifth Army was forced back quickly after the first two days, as the Germans advanced under a heavy bombardment of high explosives and gas. As the Germans advanced steadily west, the Third Army also fell back on its southern flank and the crucial railhead at
Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...
was threatened with capture; Paris was bombarded by long-range guns. The Allies moved reinforcements to the Somme front and by the end of May, the German advance of the 1918 Battle of the Somme had been halted in front of Hamel. In preparation for a further attack, German railway construction companies were brought up and work undertaken to repair damaged railways in the captured ground. In early April, the Germans renewed their efforts, simultaneously beginning the Battle of the Lys in
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
. The Germans managed to advance towards
Villers-Bretonneux Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway. Villers-Bretonneux border ...
, a town on the high ground to the south of the
Somme River The Somme ( , , ) is a river in Picardy, northern France. The river is in length, from its source in the high ground of the former at Fonsomme near Saint-Quentin, to the Bay of the Somme, in the English Channel. It lies in the geological ...
. The terrain allowed artillery observers to see bombardments on Amiens, which was only away, which was of great tactical value. On 4 April, the Germans attempted to capture the town with 15 divisions but were repulsed by troops from the British 1st Cavalry Division and Australian 9th Brigade during the
First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux The First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux (30 March – 5 April 1918), took place during Operation Michael, part of the German spring offensive on the Western Front. The offensive began against the British Fifth Army and the Third Army on the Somm ...
with the help of the Canadians. After the first battle, the forces that had secured the town were relieved and by late April the area around Villers-Bretonneux was largely held by the
8th Division 8th Division, 8th Infantry Division or 8th Armored Division may refer to: Infantry divisions * 8th Division (Australia) * 8th Canadian Infantry Division * 8th Air Division (People's Republic of China) * 8th Division (1st Formation) (People's Repu ...
. Although it had been one of the best British divisions it had suffered badly in the German attacks of March, losing and about reducing its infantry by half. Replacements in the latest draft from Britain included 18-year-olds with little training.


Battle


German 2nd Army attack

On the Germans bombarded the area behind Villers-Bretonneux with mustard gas, causing casualties. On the evening of an
artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
barrage was fired, using
mustard gas Mustard gas or sulfur mustard is a chemical compound belonging to a family of cytotoxic and blister agents known as mustard agents. The name ''mustard gas'' is technically incorrect: the substance, when dispersed, is often not actually a gas, b ...
and high explosive rounds. Next morning, the Germans attacked the village with four divisions. The German infantry, with thirteen supporting
A7V The A7V was a heavy tank introduced by Germany in 1918 during World War I. One hundred chassis were ordered in early 1917, ten to be finished as fighting vehicles with armoured bodies, and the remainder as ''Überlandwagen'' cargo carriers. Th ...
tanks, broke through the 8th Division, making a wide gap in the Allied line. Villers-Bretonneux fell to the Germans and the railway junction of Amiens became vulnerable to capture. After the Germans took Villers-Bretonneux, the first engagement between opposing tanks took place. Three British
Mark IV tank The Mark IV (pronounced ''Mark four'') was a British tank of the First World War. Introduced in 1917, it benefited from significant developments of the Mark I tank (the intervening designs being small batches used for training). The main impro ...
s from No. 1 Section, A Company, 1st Battalion,
Tank Corps An armoured corps (also mechanized corps or tank corps) is a specialized military organization whose role is to conduct armoured warfare. The units belonging to an armoured corps include military staff, and are equipped with tanks and other armo ...
had been dispatched to the
Cachy Cachy () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Cachy is situated on the D168 road, some southeast of Amiens and near to Villers-Bretonneux Villers-Bretonneux () is a commune in the Somme de ...
switch line, at the first reports of German advance and were to hold it against the Germans. One was a "male" (the No. 1 Tank of the section) armed with two 6-pounder guns and machine guns, under the command of Lieutenant Frank Mitchell. It was crewed by only four of the normal crew of eight, as the others had been gassed. The other tanks were "females" armed with machine-guns, for use against infantry. All were advancing when they encountered a German A7V, "Nixe" of Imperial German Tank Force, commanded by 2nd Lieutenant
Wilhelm Biltz Wilhelm Biltz (8 March 1877 – 13 November 1943) was a German chemist and scientific editor. In addition to his scholarly work, Biltz is noted for commanding the principal German tank involved in the first ever tank-on-tank battle in histor ...
. ''Nixe'' fired on the two "females", damaging them to the extent that it left holes in the hull leaving the crew exposed. Both retreated; their machine guns were unable to penetrate the armour on the German tank. Mitchell's "male" Mark IV continued to fire at the A7V, while on the move to avoid German artillery fire and the gun of the German tank. The movement meant Mitchell's gunner had difficulty in aiming the 6-pounders. The tanks fired at each other on the move, until the Mark IV stopped to allow the gunner a clear shot and the gunner scored three hits (a total of six shell hits). ''Nixe'' heeled over on its side, possible as a result of crossing an incline at the wrong angle. The surviving German crew (out of 18 men), including Biltz, alighted from the vehicle and the British fired at them as they fled on foot, killing nine. The British tank was next faced by two more A7Vs, supported by infantry; Mitchell's tank fired several ranging shots at the German tanks and they retreated. Mitchell's tank continued to attack the German infantry, firing
case-shot Canister shot is a kind of anti-personnel artillery ammunition. Canister shot has been used since the advent of gunpowder-firing artillery in Western armies. However, canister shot saw particularly frequent use on land and at sea in the vario ...
. Seven of the new British
Whippet The Whippet is a dog breed of medium size. It is a sighthound breed that originated in England, descended from the Greyhound. Whippets today still strongly resemble a smaller Greyhound. Part of the hound group, Whippets have relatively few ...
medium tanks arrived, attacked the Germans, encountered some battalions "forming up in the open" and killed many infantry with their machine-guns and by running them down. Mitchell later remarked that when they returned their tracks were covered with blood. Only four of the seven Whippets came back, the rest were destroyed by artillery and five crew were killed. Being the last tank on the field and slow moving, the Mark IV became a target for German artillery and Mitchell ordered the tank back, manoeuvring to try to avoid the shells but a mortar round disabled the tracks. The crew left the tank, escaping to a British-held trench, much to the surprise of the troops in it. ''Leutnant'' Biltz and his crew re-boarded "Nixe" and attempted to return to their base, but had to abandon the vehicle again when the engines failed. Attempts by the Germans to recover it were unsuccessful, and it was blown up by a demolition crew during the night of April 23–24. Earlier in the day, another A7V, , became ditched in a crater and was abandoned by its crew. It was recovered by British and Australian troops some three months later, and is now held at the
Queensland Museum The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland, dedicated to natural history, cultural heritage, science and human achievement. The museum currently operates from its headquarters and general museum in South Brisbane with specialist mu ...
.


Fourth Army counter-attack

About noon the 1st Battalion of the
Sherwood Foresters The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to f ...
had attempted a counter-attack. The British 25th Brigade was considered for an attack but this was cancelled. A tank with troops from the 2nd
Royal Berkshire Regiment The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1959. The regiment was created in 1881, as the Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment), b ...
made a spontaneous attack from the north, pushing the German line back about . General Henry Rawlinson had responded even before he received orders from Marshal
Ferdinand Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general and military theorist who served as the Supreme Allied Commander during the First World War. An aggressive, even reckless commander at the First Marne, Flanders and Art ...
to recapture the town. At he ordered an immediate counter-attack by the Australian 13th Brigade under Brigadier General
Thomas William Glasgow Major General Sir Thomas William Glasgow (6 June 1876 – 4 July 1955) was a senior Australian Army officer and politician. Glasgow rose to prominence during the First World War as a brigade and later divisional commander on the Western Front ...
and the 15th Brigade under Brigadier General H. E. "Pompey" Elliott, both in reserve, though the 13th Brigade had suffered many casualties at
Dernancourt Dernancourt (; pcd, Dèrnincourt) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Dernancourt is situated on the D52 road, some northeast of Amiens. Population Places and monuments The commune was con ...
nearby. Rawlinson intended an enveloping attack, the 15th Brigade attacking north of the town and the 13th Brigade attacking to the south. British troops would support and the 2nd Battalion,
Northamptonshire Regiment The Northamptonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1960. In 1960, it was amalgamated with the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment to form the 2nd East Anglian Regiment (Duchess of Gloucester's Ow ...
and the 22nd
Durham Light Infantry The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...
would follow through in the gap between the Australians and "mop up" the town, once it was isolated. Artillery support was available but since German positions were unknown and to avoid alerting the Germans, there was no preparatory barrage to soften up the German positions. Instead the artillery would bombard the town for the hour once the attack began and then move its line of fire back beyond the line held by the Allies before the German attack. Meanwhile, the 14th Brigade held its positions to the north, and provided guides to the 15th Brigade. The attack took place on the night of after a postponement from Glasgow argued that it would still be light, with terrible consequences for his men and that the operation should start at and "zero hour" was eventually set for The operation began with German machine gun crews causing many Australian casualties. A number of charges against machine-gun posts helped the Australian advance; in particular, Lieutenant
Clifford Sadlier Clifford William King Sadlier, Victoria Cross, VC (1892 – 28 April 1964) was an List of Australian Victoria Cross recipients, Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be award ...
of the 51st Battalion, was awarded the
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
, after attacking with hand-grenades. The two brigades swept around Villers-Bretonneux and the Germans retreated, for a while escaping the
pocket A pocket is a bag- or envelope-like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing to hold small items. Pockets are also attached to luggage, backpacks, and similar items. In older usage, a pocket was a separate small bag o ...
along a railway cutting. The Australians eventually captured the German positions and pushed the German line back, leaving the German troops in Villers-Bretonneux surrounded. The British units attacked frontally and suffered many casualties. By 25 April, the town had been recaptured and handed back to the villagers. The battle was a great success for the Allies, who had defeated the German attempt to capture Amiens and recaptured Villers-Bretonneux while outnumbered; the village remained in Allied hands to the end of the war.


Role of the Moroccan Division

According to Romain Fathi, in ''New Directions in War and History'', the role of the Moroccan Division at the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux has been neglected by Australian popular historians. On 26 April, the French Moroccan Division attacked south of the town and rescued the Australian 51st and 52nd Battalions. The personal diaries of journalist Charles Bean and a later account of the battle by the commanding officer of the 52nd Battalion, Lt. Colonel J. L. Whitham describe myriad problems arising from this being the first time the Australians and French had fought together on the Western Front. In particular, with the way each defended newly occupied ground and in the manner that the French expected to undertake relief of the Australian line. While costly, the attack of the Moroccan division was a success, pushing the line further east than Australian troops had due to the strong German resistance they had encountered. The Moroccan Division's contribution to Second Villers-Bretonneux was crucial to the success of the whole operation. For its engagement, the ''8e régiment de marche de zouaves'' of the Moroccan division was awarded a ''Légion d’honneur'' by the French President with the following citation: "The year 1918 finds them ready, once again, for all acts of boldness and all sacrifices. On 26 April they attacked Villers-Bretonneux and blocked the road to Amiens".


Aftermath


Analysis

Fighting continued in Villers-Bretonneux and the vicinity for months after the counter-attack. The Australians spent
Anzac Day , image = Dawn service gnangarra 03.jpg , caption = Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kings Park, Western Australia, 25 April 2009, 94th anniversary. , observedby = Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands New ...
in hand-to-hand fighting and the town was not secured until 27 April with the contribution of the French Moroccan Division. On 3 May an attack by the Australian 12th Brigade towards Monument Wood south-east of Villers-Bretonneux failed, with the 48th Battalion losing over . The German offensive in the Australian sector ended in late April. As the Germans turned their attention to the French sectors in May and June, a lull occurred on the Somme, during which the Australians exploited their success at Villers-Bretonneux by conducting "peaceful penetration" operations, that slowly advanced the front eastwards. French historian Romain Fathi has written that "In the case of Villers-Bretonneux for example, Australian accounts have significantly over-estimated the significance of the town for they have failed to consider the much fiercer German push at
Moreuil Moreuil () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Moreuil is situated on the D920 and D935 crossroads, some southeast of Amiens, on the banks of the river Avre. Moreuil station has rail connectio ...
and Bois Sénécat, a few kilometres further south. Broadening the front under consideration, from
Albert Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Alber ...
to Montdidier and looking at the German push therein, would relativise the strategic importance of Villers-Bretonneux". As the German offensive ended on the
Marne Marne can refer to: Places France *Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine *Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river * La Marne, a commune in western France *Marne, a legislative constituency (France) Nethe ...
in early July, more fighting took place around Villers-Bretonneux, as part of diversionary moves by the Australians in support of the
Battle of Hamel The Battle of Hamel was a successful attack by Australian Army and US Army infantry, supported by British tanks, against German positions in and around the town of Le Hamel, in northern France, during World War I. The attack was planned and co ...
. Corporal Walter Brown, of the 20th Battalion, received the Victoria Cross for his actions. Later in the month, the 25th Battalion and 26th Battalion of the 7th Brigade attacked around Monument Wood; for his actions during the assault and German counter-attack, Lieutenant Albert Borella of the 26th Battalion received the Victoria Cross. After the Anzac Day counter-attack, British and French commanders lavished praise upon the Australians, who were all volunteers. Brigadier-General
George Grogan Brigadier General George William St George Grogan, (1 September 1875 – 3 January 1962) was a career officer in the British Army and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarde ...
, a witness, later wrote that it was "perhaps the greatest individual feat of the war" for troops to attack at night, across unfamiliar ground, at short notice and with no artillery preparation. These factors had proved essential to the Australian success. Foch spoke of their "astonishing valiance ic.." and General Sir Henry Rawlinson attributed the safety of Amiens to the "...determination, tenacity and valour of the Australian Corps". After the battle, the worst examples of looting by AIF soldiers of the war occurred. In 2011, King wrote that one culprit was Barney Hines, the "Souvenir King" of the AIF, who was something of a celebrity. According to King, Hines raided a number of houses, looting alcohol and expensive clothes, with which he threw a party for his friends that ended abruptly when the Germans shelled the house, wounding Hines and several others. King wrote that the Australians shared rations with French civilians in the town. Due to the coincidence of the day in which the counter-attack occurred, the battle holds a significant place in Australian military history, nevertheless it was a combined Allied effort.


Casualties

The fighting around Villers-Bretonneux in April resulted in the following Allied casualties: the Australian brigades had taken British casualties were and French losses were German losses were


Memorial

In the 1930s an impressively towering memorial was established at the top of the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery to honour the Australian soldiers who fell in France in the Great War. The cemetery is located between Villers-Bretonneux and Fouilloy on the hill (belonging to the latter but overlooking the former) from which the famous night attack was launched. Some east of Amiens and north of the Roman road to St-Quentin, it rises gently to a plateau overlooking Amiens, the Somme valley and the town. The cemetery contains of which Australian. A further ten Australian casualties of the battle are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux Communal Cemetery. The smaller Crucifix Corner British Military Cemetery just east of the town, in the shadow of a motorway embankment, contains the graves of Australian, British and French metropolitan and colonial (Moroccan) troops, the former including many Australians who fell in the area in fighting, which moved further to the east only on 8 August 1918 (but from then on rapidly). The victory gained at Villers-Bretonneux on the third anniversary of the Gallipoli landings is yearly commemorated by Australians. In 2008, to mark the ninetieth anniversary, the Australian and New Zealand Anzac Day dawn service was held for the first time on the Fouilloy Hill, as well as the traditional one held on the Gallipoli Peninsula.


Notes


Footnotes


References


Books

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Journals

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Theses

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Further reading

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External links


AWM, Villers-Brettoneux

Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux
ww1westernfront.gov.au

historyofwar.org



* ttp://media.theaustralian.news.com.au/multimedia/gw-villers/index.html Multimedia Presentation of Villers-Bretonneux* {{DEFAULTSORT:Villers-Bretonneux, Second Conflicts in 1918 1918 in France Battles of World War I involving Germany Battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom Battles of World War I involving Australia Battles of the Western Front (World War I) Tank battles involving France Tank battles involving Germany Tank battles involving the United Kingdom April 1918 events Tank battles of World War I