Somme, Spring 1918 & Villers Bretonneux

Somme, Spring 1918 & Villers Bretonneux

This tour combined the events of 1916 and 1918 to illustrate how tactics (and the British Army) changed as the war developed.

The day on the Somme concentrated on the right flank, where the divisions involved achieved a measure of success. We walked through the battlefield following events from the 1^st July through to the end of September 1916.

In February 1917 the Germans abandoned the Somme and withdrew to the Hindenburgh Line. This manoeuvre considerably shortened the front line and resulted in two factors which influenced the battle we discussed on our second day. Firstly the Germans freed up resources, which supplemented by the forces released from the Eastern Front, allowed them to build up a striking force. Secondly the British came under pressure from the French to take over a significant portion of additional frontline.

1917 was a year of little offensive activity from the German Army. However, on the 21^st March 1918 the German hammer blow struck. The British Fifth Army, despite numerous isolated last stands retired nearly 40 miles in ten days.

"Savage Rabbits" - A part of the defensive strategy was to hide tanks in strategic locations to attack the German flanks. These tanks were lost near the river Somme when the bridges were blown too early.

Eventually absorbing the German impetus, with German supply lines becoming overextended, the line stabilised at Villers Bretonneux, just short of the lateral railhead at Amiens .

Further to the North the second German Spring offensive hit the Portuguese on the Lys and to the South and in Champagne , further German attacks hit weak or vulnerable parts of the front.

On the Villers Bretonneux Front, on the 4^th July, a set piece battle took place at Hamel to push the Germans back one more ridge to fully disengage Amiens . In a brilliant example of all arms co-operation the objective was achieved. Thereby setting the scene for the “Black Day of the German Army”.

In front of Villers Bretonneux, in the early morning mist of the 8^th August, the British and Empire divisions launched the final offensive that was to result in the Armistice 100 days later and was to cross the old Somme battlefield in only three days.

Villers Bretonneux Australian Memorial

This tour provided an insight into those momentous events.

Thursday 19th

Travel to our hotel.

Friday 20th

Our day on the Somme provided an overview of the Great offensive of 1916, which following the seven day barrage, commenced on the 1^st July.

The emphasis of the day was on the right flank where the 30^th Division made one of the few gains of the day. The walking route took us from the front line near Maricourt to Montauban and thence towards Bernafray and Trones Woods. Lunch will be in Longueval.

The afternoon walk included Delville Wood, Guillemont (a six week long battle with six VCs) and Ginchy. This series of battles around the right flank of the original battlefield were aimed at securing the high ground of the Le Transloy spur – hence opening the way to Bapaume. As we portrayed, this dream was not realised until the German withdrawal to the Hindenburgh line in February 1917.

Our return route to Arras took us to Thiepval, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme .

Saturday 21st

The second day commenced with a drive to the area of St Quentin – the British front line of March 1918. Here we visited the famous “Manchester Hill” where Elstob won his VC is a desperate attempt to delay the German advance.

We also visited the front line of the 16^th Irish Division, then followed the line of their retirement towards the Somme .

We then visited Albert railway station which was defended on the 28^th / 29^th March by the 7^th Suffolks. Albert became the hinge in the withdrawal with, to the North, the old front line being re-manned. Albert was lost. Close to Auchonvillers and Mailley Maillet, the New Zealanders, supported by the new Whippet tanks stemmed the German advance. This action will perhaps provide a new perspective of the Serre battlefield.

From Albert we continued to the West to Dernancourt, where the Australians slowed the German advance. The day concluded on the Morlancourt Ridge.

Sunday 22nd

The final full day on the battlefield was spent in the Villers Bretonneux area.

Here, in a series of visits to key sites and short walks, we presented the first ever tank vs tank action near Cachy, the British and Empire defence of Villers Bretonneux and the Australian memorial.

Memorial near Cachy to the first Tank vs tank action

In the afternoon we looked at the Battle for Hamel and Vaire Wood in some detail, before returning to the front line of the 8^th August to discuss the Final Offensive.

The distance of the advance on the 8^th August precluded us walking it! We, however, visited some of the main sites and present some of the actions of the Australians, Canadians, tanks and even the cavalry.

Unknown Australian soldiers of the Great War

Monday 23rd

Monday morning was an opportunity to visit the newly re-dedicated Vimy Memorial. This has been closed to the public for two years.

Go back to the 2007 Tour Programme, the Flanders Tours Home Page or the Flanders Tours Booking Form