by Peter Brune
aerial mapping, problems after first day at Amiens 166
aerial photography and spotting (late 1917) 39–40
aerial photos, improvements in 59; for maps of German defences 143; in Sep 277
aerial reconnaissance aircraft, losses 60
aeroplanes, in 1914 57; at Amiens 135; noise used to conceal sound of tank engines 202–3; replacing cavalry for reconnaissance 58–9
The Age newspaper (Melbourne), Murdoch works for 75–6
AIF, decisions by Hughes 299–300; desire for unification of five divisions 85; rapidly diminishing resource by end Aug 215–16
air superiority, challenge for RFC 61–2
aircraft patrolling, low-level 61
Aisne, River 23, 269
Aisne, Second Battle of (Apr 1917) 10
Aizecourt-le-Haut 254
Albatros fighter (German) 61
Albert, AIF at 23; Fourth Army advances to 196
Albert-Arras railway 196
Allaines 255
Allen, Capt (17 Btn) 253
Allenby, Gen Sir Edmund, at the Somme 33
American Expeditionary Force 11
American II Corps, attack Albert (22 Aug) 267; offered to Monash 315
American inadequacies in field (27, 29 Sep) 325, 326–7, 332, 335, 336, 342
Amiens 19, 23
Amiens, 9–11 August 1918 (map) 188
Amiens, guns at 42; Monash’s objectives at 133; tanks at 140–41
Amiens, Battle of 132–61; as crushing Fourth Army victory 192; last two days on southern front 184; preparations for 129–32
Amiens offensive, Phases 137–8
Amiens–Péronne Road (Roman Road) 133
Amiens–St Quentin Road 183
ammunition, carried by tanks and men 117; problems keeping up supply 165; supplied for Amiens 143; used by BEF artillery in Operation Michael 21
ammunition wagons, noise reduction in 146
Ancre, Battle of (13–14 Nov 1916), disaster for tanks at 49
Ancre, River 132
Andrews, Alf, killed (3 Sep) 261
Andrews, Eric, on Bean 379; on British disorganisation 101
Anvil Wood 244
Anzac Army, formation (May 1916) 85
‘Anzac Leave’, Hughes decides on (Sep) 299–300; proposed by Pearce (29 May 1917) 299; shipping found 300
Armitage, Gnr James 119–20, 148–50, 151–2, 208–9, 217–18, 341–2, 351, 370–72
armoured cars, at Amiens 155–7, 163–4
Army Council, receives telegraph from Australia and replies (30 Jul) 87–8; suggests to Haig that reduction of bde btns be done asap (29 Aug) 298
Arras 4, 10, 19, 22, 196
Arras, Battle of, 106 fuse first used 37–8; tanks at 50
Arras-Cambrai front, breach of ‘Winter Line’ 268
artillery, advances at Amiens 143–4; bombardment prior to the Somme 35–6; German barrage in Operation Michael 6; improvements after the Somme 36–7; intensity and accuracy 290; objectives at Hindenburg Main Line 322; plans for 18 Sep offensive 277; preparation for 23 Aug attack 203; problems with shells (1916) 33; production 21–2; resources at Hindenburg Main Line 323; sophistication by 1918 44; support for infantry-tank operations 52; transport problems with 220
artillery barrage, absence on 9 Aug 172
artillery boards 41, 120
artillery bombardment (4-day) of Hindenburg Main Line 322, 323
artillery duel, Great War as 30
artillery support, for 14 Bde at Péronne 250; at Mont St Quentin 237–8; for capture of Mont St Quentin and Péronne 217–18; importance for Hindenburg Line crossing 316–17
Artillery’s Astrologers, Peter Chasseaud, on artillery accuracy 277
Ashmead-Bartlett (British journalist) 77–8
Atack, Lt, pros and cons of tanks 124–5
attacks by BEF, characteristics of 199
Aubigny 170
Australian Corps, at Amiens 132–3, 140; casualties and captures (8 Aug–5 Oct) 365; in Fourth Army offensive (18 Sep) 276; guns at Amiens 142; message from Monash to 148; Monash holds conferences (25–26 Sep) 321–2; pursuit from Péronne (5 Sep) 272, 274; sector of Hindenburg Line to attack 270; strength (Sep) 280; striking victories in battles 31 Aug–3 Sep 262–3; to thrust south of the Somme (23 Aug) 201; on western bank of R. Somme (29 Aug) 220
The Australian Corps – Ground Captured (map) 367
Australian Corps engineers, work done by (1 Sep) 254
Australian Corps Mission, created 319–20
Australian Corps (proposed), staffing by Australians 87
Australian divisions, at Ypres (Sep–Oct 1917) 43; desire by Britain to control 86
Australian Flying Corps (AFC), No. 3 Squadron, difficulties with observations 325–6; key role in artillery plans for 18 Sep 277
Australian Flying Corps Official Historian, allied advance on Hindenburg Line 274; on Battle of Hamel 126; on contact patrols 144–5
Australian Government, approves Birdwood’s proposals for Australian Corps 90
Australian Intelligence Corps (Vic Section), Lt-Col Monash commands (1908) 82
Australian troops, characteristics of 380; to winter in France 299–300
The Australian Victories in France in 1918, Sir John Monash, Canadians at Amiens 158; performance of Divisional Commanders 265–6; on Phase A of Amiens 137
Australian War Memorial, Bean major advocate for 381
aviation (military), German funding for 57–8
Bapaume 4, 196, 201, 267–8
Barleux 227
battalions, disbandment of 297–8, 300–301
Battle of Amiens, 8 August 1918 (map) 134
Battle of Amiens see Amiens, Battle of
Battle Tactics of the Western Front, Paddy Griffith, drawing and painting as war analogy 26; on phone cables 64
Bayonvillers, 13 Btn at 166
Bean, Charles (C E W) 6–7, 13, 14–15; on 1 Div (AIF) attack (23 Aug) 205–6; 1 Div dispenses with artillery barrage 172; activities and later life 379–82; American task (27 Sep) 324; background 72–5; clouded judgment of 98; conflict between 12 Bde (AIF) and 1 Div (British) orders 293; diminishing strength of 5 Bde 2 Div 215–16; Dyson’s view of White 91; flawed briefing of Murdoch 93, 94; great strain on British troops 293; Haig’s attitude after fall of Mont St Quentin and Péronne 268; Haig’s misplaced faith in cavalry 163–4; inaccurate criticisms of Monash 98; inaccurate information by 1 Div (British) commander 293–4; intrigues by 90–91; letter to White 96; letter to White in full (28 Jun) 406–410; mis-assessment of White and Monash 93, 94; on Monash 358–9; Monash and Blamey interpret events differently (29 Sep) 339; Monash’s command in Hindenburg Line attack 295–6; on Monash’s plans for Mont St Quentin and Péronne 264–5; no record of 1 and 2 Div timing 182; poor visibility in advance and creeping barrage 197–8; shortcomings of American army 337; toll taken on 3 Div at Cléry 233–4; tribute to soldiers of First AIF 381–2; on use of guns at Amiens 142
Bean, Charles, Official History, Australian Corps casualties (31 Aug–2 Sep) 262; men’s opinions of Monash 357; reasons for heavy casualties (9–11 Aug 18) 187, 189; two incidents of mutiny (Sep) 306
Bean, Charles, Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–18, praise for 381
Bean, Charles, On the Wool Track (1910) 74, 75, 99
Bean, Charles, The Dreadnought of the Darling (1911) 74, 75, 99
Bearer Sub-Division, 15 Field Ambulance 335
Beaucourt 196
Beaurevoir Line 315, 319
BEF Field and Heavy Artillery, classification 395–6
Bellenglise 318, 323
Bellicourt 318, 323
Bellicourt–Bony Line 315
Bellicourt–Vendhuile tunnel, dimensions 322
Below, General Otto von 4, 6
Benjamin Post trench system 337
Biaches 227, 229
‘Big Willie’ tank prototype (2 Feb 1916) 46
Birdwood, Gen William (‘Birdy’), advocates delay in btn r
eduction 298–9; appointed Commander, Fifth Army (May) 89; assessment of Foch’s Montdidier plan 129; background and Old Cliftonian 71, 73; Haig’s distrust of 86; retains command of First AIF 99; threatened by Hughes if troops not withdrawn from front by 15 Oct 300
Birkett, Gnr, wounded at Hamel 122
‘bite and hold’ concept 34–5
‘bite and hold’ operation, at Amiens 161; on ‘Hamel Spur’ 103–4
‘bite and hold’ strategy, Rawlinson happy with 211
Blamey, Brig-Gen Thomas, appointed Chief of Staff (May) 90; describes Monash’s Amiens planning 136; disagrees with Hamel plan 109; has spirited discussion with Gellibrand 339–40; Monash’s assessment of 102
Blangy-Sur-Ternoise 57
Blue Cross gas 261
Bonar Law, Murdoch meets 78
Bond, L/Cpl, wounded at Hamel 122
Bony 323, 346; German infantry evacuating 349
Bony Point 351
Bouchavesnes Spur 221–2, 230, 233, 263, 265; importance to German defences 228
Bourne, J M, casualties in commander ranks 65; vilification of Western Front generals 62
Bourne, J M, Australian Army History Conference (1998), Monash’s personal qualities 357
Braithwaite, Lt-Gen Sir Walter, British IX Corps joins Fourth Army 276; error of judgement by 292; too great expectations of 294–5
Brasy–Friscourt Road, cavalry charge along 199
Bray 197, 200, 207; captured (24 Aug) 208, 233
Bray–Corbie Road 183, 200
break-in, at Amiens (8 Aug 18) 185; in Battle of Amiens 158; to German perimeter 66
break-out, into mobile warfare 66
Brewery Farm, Querrieu, Australian correspondents’ HQ 91
Briand, Premier 10
Brickworks 258
bridge crossings of R. Somme 221
bridges on Omiécourt-Brie front covered or destroyed 232
Brie 220, 227; R. Somme bridge at 221, 232
Bristol F.2b fighter (British) 61
British Army, strength in mid-1916 33
British Expeditionary Force (BEF) 2, 4, 16–17, 19; ammunition use in Operation Michael 21; casualties at the Somme (1 Jul 1916) 32; expansion 28; perceived as ‘Imperial Army’ (May 1916) 85
British Logistics on the Western Front, Ian Brown, achievements by Aug 219
British Regular Army, numbers (1914) 26–7
Broodseinde Ridge 43; Monash and 3 Div at 83–4
Brook, Col David, RAA (Retd), on ammunition 32; learning in battle 28–9
Brosse Wood 283
Brown, Ian, logistics of BEF 21–2; Staff College limitations 27–8
Brown, Ian, British Logistics on the Western Front, achievements by Aug 219
Browne, D G, The Tank in Action 45
Bruchmüller, Oberst (Col) Georg 6, 7, 18; use of predicted fire by 43–4
Bullecourt, First AIF casualties at (1917) 70; tanks at 50–51
bush soldier image (Bean) 379
Bussu 254
Butler, Lt-Gen, ability to command III Corps questioned 160; at Amiens 132, 133, 168–9; in Fourth Army offensive (18 Sep) 276; requests relief support for attack on 21 Sep 309–310; on sick leave 183
Byng, Gen 17; advocates attack on Hindenburg Line 275; Third Army line 192, 194; Third Army to advance on Bapaume (Aug) 196; Third Army to attack Hindenburg Line 275–6
Byrnes, Les (3 Sep) 261
Cabaret Farm 346
Cabaret Wood Farm 347
cable (buried), phone communication by 63–5
Cambrai 6, 7, 314
Cambrai, Battle of (20 Nov–7 Dec 1917) 43–4, 54–5; casualties 12; tanks at 54–5
cameras, improvements for aerial photos 59
Canadian Corps, accomplishments under Currie match those of Australians under Monash 361; advance on 9 Aug 18 168; breaks through Drocourt-Quéant switch line (2 Sep) 268; deployment at Amiens 135, 158–9; timing problems (9 Aug 18) 170–71
Canadian divisions, at Amiens 133
canal crossing, innovative plan for (29 Sep) 329
Canal du Nord 221, 232, 247, 260
Cannan, Brig-Gen, advised to employ strong patrolling (29 Sep) 339; at Hindenburg Line (29 Sep) 337; thrust to Bony Ridge (30 Sep) 348
Caporetto 6
captured maps 324
Carlyon, Les, The Great War, attitudes to Mont St Quentin and Péronne 264
Carson, Sir Edward, Murdoch meets 78
casualties, in First AIF 70
casualties see also losses
casualties and captures, at Amiens (8 Aug) 158
cavalry, attempted break-through (22 Aug) 199; redundancy of for break-out 66
Central Workshops for tanks 56
Cerisy Valley 150; 15 Btn at 166
chain of command, problems after 8 Aug 168
Chair Wood, seized (4 Sep) 260
Chalk Pit position, captured (22 Aug) 200
Chapman, Capt (5 Div AIF), evaluates captured Hindenburg Line intelligence 271
characteristics of AIF soldiers 380
Chasseaud, Peter, Artillery’s Astrologers, on artillery accuracy 277
Chaulnes 170, 178
Chauvel, Gen, compared with Monash 363
Chief of General Staff (Melbourne), replies to Army Council’s refusal to support AIF requests 88
Chipilly Spur, at Amiens 133; German guns at 151; III Corps failure to capture 159–60; Monash’s concerns about 147; taken (10 Aug) 183
Chuignes 201, 202; smokescreen around (23 Aug) 203
Chuignes Ridge 205
Chuignolles 169, 201, 205
Chuignolles Wood 203
Churchill, Winston, and tanks 46; on timing of supplies 269
Clarkson, Len, at Amiens (8 Aug 18) 154–5; deaths at Mont St Quentin 262; fighting German rearguard action (28 Aug) 212; letter to father on rum (24 Sep) 372; letters home (25 & 30 Dec) 374; letters to parents (12 & 23 Oct) 373; war and later life 372–4; wounded and evacuated (30 Sep) 344–5
Clemenceau, George 11, 22
Cléry 220, 230, 232; 3 Div clears (30 Aug) 234; bridgework at 254; German defences at 233
Cléry Copse 234, 236, 245
Clifton College (Bean’s school in England) 73
Coffman, Edward M, intense fighting along Outpost Line (27 Sep) 324–5
Cologne, River 221, 250, 270
Command on the Western Front, Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson 33–4; comments on Rawlinson 131, 160;condition of Fourth Army troops by 11 Aug 185; on counter-battery programme 191; evaluation of Hamel 132; inadequacy of barrages 291; on interlocking arms 145; scathing criticism of Americans by Rawlinson and Monash (29 Sep) 342
commanders, casualty rates 65
communication problems, in American attack (27 Sep) 325
communications, breakdown on 9 Aug 181; by buried cable 63–5; difficulties on 9 Aug 170–73; effects of lack of 62–3; ground-to-air 60–61; problems after 8 Aug 167–8
‘concentration of force’ Principle of War 139
conference method of Monash 114–15
conscription referendums, instigated by Hughes 70–71; Murdoch supports 86
contact patrols by aircraft 144–5
continuous wave (CW) wireless communications 168
Cook, Joseph (Dep PM), with Hughes and Murdoch on visit to troops (Jul) 97
Cook, Professor Tim, views on Currie 362
coordination, difficulties on 9 Aug 170–73
Corps engineers, duties of 230
Corps HQ, General Officer Commanding Royal Artillery on staff 37
counter-battery fire, at Hindenburg Main Line bombardment 323, 324; by heavy guns 142
counter-battery programme (8 Aug) 191
counter-battery support for infantry-tank operations 52
Counter-Bombardment staffs 41
Courage, Bdr-Gen Anthony 57, 104–5; acquiesces to absence of artillery barrage (9 Aug 18) 173; submits tank plan to Monash (20 Jun) 105–6
Court of Enquiry, into 5 Div mutinies 308–9
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br /> Court Martial, 127 men tried by 310–311; judgment and sentences 312
Cox, Gen 16
Coxen, Bdr-Gen Walter, disagrees with Hamel plan 109; observes Monash (4 Jul 18) 119
creeping barrages 198, 203, 205, 277, 279, 333, 346
Curlu, 38 Btn (10 Bde) at 234
Currie, Gen Arthur, at Amiens 133, 158–9; breaks through Drocourt-Quéant switch line (2 Sep) 268; Haig moves Canadians northwards 192; has similar approach to Monash 362; opposes extension of offensive (13 Aug) 186–7
Cutlack, F M (Fred), on aerial photography 40; aeroplanes in 1914 57; with Bean 91; supports White as Australia Corps commander 92; on vertical aerial photos 59–60
Dawson, Geoffrey (editor, The Times), Murdoch meets 77
Debeney, Gen (First French Army), advance on 9 Aug 18 168
defensive advantages of Germans at bend in R. Somme 220–22
Degoutte, Gen Jean, at R. Marne 128
Démuin 132
Deputy Chief Censor, Monash appointed as (1914) 82
Dernancourt, AIF at 23
disbandment of Btns 297–8, 300–301
disobeyment by men of orders to disband 302–3
Doingt 223, 254
Doullens conference (26 Mar) 22
Draper, Lt C T, at Hamel and Vaire Wood 123–4
The Dreadnought of the Darling (1911), Charles Bean 74, 75, 99
Drocourt-Quéant switch line 268
dummy tanks 279
Dunlop, Lt (Tank 9385), report on operations (29 Sep) 334–5
Dyson, Will (official AIF artist), anti-Monash views of 91
Eastern Front 3, 6
‘economy of force’ Principle of War 280
18-pounder guns at Amiens 142
Elles, Hugh 104; Old Cliftonian 73
Elliott, Brig-Gen ‘Pompey’ (5 Div), 15th Brigade handicaps on 9 Aug 171–2; addresses 60 Btn on mutiny (26 Sep) 303–4; attempts to cross R. Somme 251–3; meets difficulties and surmounts them (2 Sep) 259–60; orders received for disbandment of a 15th Bde Btn (24 Sep) 303; persuades men to acquiesce in Btn mergers (26 Sep) 304–5; troops take Cabaret Wood Farm 350
Elsa Trench 248
Elveden Camp, Norfolk 48
engineers (Australian Corps), work done by (1 Sep) 254
Entente, chain of command 131
esprit de corps of battalions 301
Estrées, attack on (29 Sep) 333
Eterpigny, R. Somme bridge at 221
Etherton, Lt G H, Commander, Tank 9044 121–2
Etinehem Spur 183, 184
‘exemplary Australian’, Bean’s concept of 379