The Battle Of Bellicourt Tunnel: Tommies, Diggers And Doughboys On The Hindenburg Line, 1918
by Dale Blair /
2011 / English / EPUB
10 MB Download
In November 1918 the BEF under Field Marshal Haig fought a series
of victorious battles on the Western Front that contributed
mightily to the German army’s defeat. They did so as part of a
coalition and the role of Australian ‘diggers’ and US ‘doughboys’
is often forgotten. The Bellicourt Tunnel attack, fought in the
fading autumn light, was very much an inter-Allied affair and
marked a unique moment in the Allied armies’ endeavors. It was the
first time that such a large cohort of Americans had fought in a
British army. Additionally, untried American II Corps and
experienced Australian Corps were to spearhead the attack under the
command of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash with British
divisions adopting supporting roles on the flanks.
In November 1918 the BEF under Field Marshal Haig fought a series
of victorious battles on the Western Front that contributed
mightily to the German army’s defeat. They did so as part of a
coalition and the role of Australian ‘diggers’ and US ‘doughboys’
is often forgotten. The Bellicourt Tunnel attack, fought in the
fading autumn light, was very much an inter-Allied affair and
marked a unique moment in the Allied armies’ endeavors. It was the
first time that such a large cohort of Americans had fought in a
British army. Additionally, untried American II Corps and
experienced Australian Corps were to spearhead the attack under the
command of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash with British
divisions adopting supporting roles on the flanks.
Blair forensically details the fighting and the largely forgotten
desperate German defense. Although celebrated as a marvelous feat
of breaking the Hindenburg Line, the American attack failed
generally to achieve its set objectives and it took the Australians
three days of bitter fighting to reach theirs. Blair rejects the
conventional explanation of the US ‘mop up’ failure and points the
finger of blame at Rawlinson, Haig and Monash for expecting too
much of the raw US troops, singling out the Australian Corps
commander for particular criticism.
Blair forensically details the fighting and the largely forgotten
desperate German defense. Although celebrated as a marvelous feat
of breaking the Hindenburg Line, the American attack failed
generally to achieve its set objectives and it took the Australians
three days of bitter fighting to reach theirs. Blair rejects the
conventional explanation of the US ‘mop up’ failure and points the
finger of blame at Rawlinson, Haig and Monash for expecting too
much of the raw US troops, singling out the Australian Corps
commander for particular criticism.
Overall, Blair judges the fighting a draw. At the end, like two
boxers, the Australian-American force was gasping for breath and
the Germans, badly battered, backpedalling to remain on balance.
Overall the day was calamitous for the German army, even if the
clean break-through that Haig had hoped for did not occur. Forced
out of the Hindenburg Line, the prognosis for the German army on
the Western Front – and hence Imperial Germany itself – was bleak
indeed.
Overall, Blair judges the fighting a draw. At the end, like two
boxers, the Australian-American force was gasping for breath and
the Germans, badly battered, backpedalling to remain on balance.
Overall the day was calamitous for the German army, even if the
clean break-through that Haig had hoped for did not occur. Forced
out of the Hindenburg Line, the prognosis for the German army on
the Western Front – and hence Imperial Germany itself – was bleak
indeed.