Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

World War 1, Europe, France, Hamel,1918

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1918

Overview

Aerial view of area near Accroche Wood

Historical information

Accroche Wood lay beyond the village of Hamel and featured in the Australian action there on 4 July 1918. The southern flank of the attacking front stretched east along the Roman Road. Once the attack was launched, the 21st Battalion went in on the left, and supported by the creeping barrage and tanks, overcame relatively light German resistance. The 23rd also advanced "smoothly", although it was resisted more strongly. The 25th, however, fared the worst. Due to their exposed position on the right of the Australian line, the 25th Battalion was supported by the Australian Heavy Trench Mortar Battery; nevertheless the 25th suffered heavily, losing almost two entire platoons as German machine-gun positions cut through their ranks. As the Germans launched a counter-attack, a request for emergency artillery support was sent via a distress flare, and another platoon was brought up to stem the tide and eventually the 25th secured their objective north of the Roman Road. The tanks were instrumental in breaking the German will for further counter-attacks, aggressively pushing 1,100 yards (1,000 m) beyond the Allied line, moving into Accroche Wood to harass the German rear during the second phase of the attack.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-P2009.91.1z

Item type

Photographs

Themes

War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 1

Year

1918

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Organisation Details
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