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1918 March
Germans launch a major offensive gaining a lot of
ground. The 4
th
Division closed the gap in the allied
lines and all divisions except the 1
st
Division fought
at Villers Bretonneux and Dernancourt. Many claim
that this is a crucial point in the war as the Germans
could have made a direct attack on Amiens and
therefore made a direct break out that would have
endangered the whole allied Front.
1918 April
1
st
Division stops German advance at Hazebrouck
1918 April
onwards
Sees Australian successes culminating at Hamel on
4
th
July and the successful defence of Amiens.
1918 August
onward
All divisions push Germans back to the Hindenberg
Line. This involves Battles at Mont St Quentin and
Peronne.
1918 November On Armistice Day, 11
th
November, 1918, all
Australian Divisions were resting behind the front
lines.
Despite, Hitler’s protestations as to the effects of the
“subversives” at home in Germany’s final defeat, at
the end of the war the German army was in complete
disarray with young boys and old men manning their
trenches. Haig’s war of attrition, with the assistance
of American industries and forces, had proved to be
decisive,
but
with the Commonwealth forces,
including the AIF, suffering terrible casualties and
long term personal physical and mental effects.
1919 early
Soldiers return home in rough embarkation order
with the soldiers who embarked first for the war
being returned home first. A Nominal Roll was
completed to ascertain the fate of all AIF soldiers
and to arrange the pensions for all that required the
pension.
Further Research
You will see that none of the divisions fought
continuously in the front lines. They fought for 4 - 5 days and then had 9 -
10 days out of the front line. Why do you think this is the case?
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