The British Campaign in France and Flanders—July to November, 1918Doyle, Arthur Conan
History
The British Campaign in France and Flanders—July to November, 1918
Doyle, Arthur Conan
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western Front
On August 22 and the following days, the Fourth Army, with only two
Corps--the Third and the Australians--in front, renewed its attack,
greatly strengthened by the movement of the Third Army on its left,
which ensured that at least five British corps were all moving
forward together, distributing the advance over so wide an area that
the Germans were less able to concentrate reserves of men or of guns
at any one point--a result which was much aided by the fine work of
General Mangin's Army on the right.
The main part of the fighting on the front of the Fourth Army on
August 22 was north of the Somme, where the Third Australian Division
covered the right flank of the Third Corps. On the south of the
river the Australian Corps advanced on a front of 4½ miles, and took
all their limited objectives, which represented a depth of 1½ miles.
This was effected by the Fifth Australian Division on the right and
the Fourth on the left, supported and finally supplanted by the First
Australian and Lambert's Thirty-Second British Divisions, the latter
on the right. The advance, which began at dawn, was no easy one, as
the country was much cut about with many obstacles, seamed with
trenches, and dotted with scattered woods. The determined infantry
would take no denial, however, and Herleville, Chuignies, and several
other small village sites were captured. The heaviest fighting was
in the woods, but a skilful system of encircling points of danger had
been carefully worked out, and the losses were less than might have
been anticipated. {45} Sixteen guns, 80 officers, and 2463 men were
the trophies of the day. Early in the morning of August 24 the Third
Australian Division moved suddenly forward north of the river,
captured the town of Bray, and formed a permanent line upon the
further side. On August 25 this same unit advanced 3000 yards on a
4000-yard front with very little resistance, always covering the
right of the Third Corps.
Let us now follow the work of this Corps from August 22 onwards.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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