Battle of Amiens
Battle of Amiens | Part of the Western Front of the First World War | Amiens, the key to the west by Arthur Streeton, 1918. | Date | 8–12 August 1918 (major combat) | Location | East of Amiens, Picardy, France | Result | Decisive Allied victory | | Belligerents | British Empire * Australia * Canada * United Kingdom France United States | German Empire | Commanders and leaders | Ferdinand Foch Sir Douglas Haig Henry Rawlinson Sir John Monash Sir Arthur Currie John Pershing | Georg von der Marwitz Erich Ludendorff | Strength | 12 French divisions
5 Australian divisions
4 Canadian divisions
3 British divisions
1 American division
1,104 French aircraft
800 British aircraft[1]
532 tanks[2] | 10 active divisions
4 reserve divisions
365 aircraft[2] | Casualties and losses | 22,200 dead, wounded, or missing | 30,000 dead, wounded, or missing |
The strategic importance of the battle * was the opening phase of the Allied offensive later known as the Hundred Days Offensive that ultimately led to the end of the First World War * The battle is also notable for its effects on both sides' morale and the large number of surrendering German forces. This led Erich Ludendorff to describe the first day of the battle as "the black day of the German Army". Amiens was one of the first major battles involving armoured warfare and marked the end of trench warfare on the Western Front * The Battle of Amiens was the first to incorporate an all-armed co-ordinated attack, bringing together artillery, tanks,infantry and aircraft.
The course of the battle * The battle began at 4:20 am on 8 August 1918. Under Henry Rawlinson's Fourth Army, they attacked north of the Somme, the Australian Corps to the south of the river in the centre of Fourth Army's front, and the Canadian Corps to the south of the Australians. * in the first phase, seven divisions attacked: the British 18th the Australian 2nd and
5 Australian divisions
4 Canadian divisions
3 British divisions
1 American division
1,104 French aircraft
800 British aircraft[1]
532 tanks[2] | 10 active divisions
4 reserve divisions
365 aircraft[2] | Casualties and losses | 22,200 dead, wounded, or missing | 30,000 dead, wounded, or missing |
The strategic importance of the battle * was the opening phase of the Allied offensive later known as the Hundred Days Offensive that ultimately led to the end of the First World War * The battle is also notable for its effects on both sides' morale and the large number of surrendering German forces. This led Erich Ludendorff to describe the first day of the battle as "the black day of the German Army". Amiens was one of the first major battles involving armoured warfare and marked the end of trench warfare on the Western Front * The Battle of Amiens was the first to incorporate an all-armed co-ordinated attack, bringing together artillery, tanks,infantry and aircraft.
The course of the battle * The battle began at 4:20 am on 8 August 1918. Under Henry Rawlinson's Fourth Army, they attacked north of the Somme, the Australian Corps to the south of the river in the centre of Fourth Army's front, and the Canadian Corps to the south of the Australians. * in the first phase, seven divisions attacked: the British 18th the Australian 2nd and