nom de guerre NormaOlive Brown Maggie Commercial
nom de plume Dorothea Mason Marriott Photography
thebuoycommpany@gmail.com
1917 began with a German consolidation of their Front Line and an orderly withdrawal through what were called 'The Outpost Villages' through which they conducted a delaying defence. The AIF was tasked to follow this up and a series of engagements ensued, culminating in April with the first of two attacks on Bullecourt. First Bullecourt was an exclusively 4th Division attack which although successful in breaking in to the German line was not adequately supported and it subsequently failed. Second Bullecourt followed in May and involved the 1st 2nd and 5th Divisions. Tactically it was very similar to First Bullecourt with a break-in being achieved, the tanks failing - again - and inadequate artillery support because of di ffi culties getting the guns far enough forward. From a casualty perspective, it was Pozieres all over again. The 1st Division was reconstituted and reinforced during the period May -end July, when all of the AIF (for the first time including the 3rd Division) was committed to the Third Ypres campaign. The 1st Division was committed to fighting at Menin Road in late September 1917 and at Broodseinde Ridge on 4th October. The Third Ypres campaign bogged down in misery of 1st and 2nd Passchendaele in late October and November. The Battalion helped to repel the German Spring O ff ensive in March - April 1918 in Flanders. The
AIF had been sent south to bolster the British 5th Army which was crumbling io front of the German onslaught. Then it was realised that an attack was to be made in Flanders as part of ‘Operation Georgette’, towards the rail head of Hazebrouk, so the 1st Division was rushed back to be told by British General Harrington CoS British 2nd Army, on arrival at Hazebrouk station, that they (the 1st Division) were the only formed body of troops between here and the Channel Ports (Calais and Bolougne). javascript:; They became a rallying point around which other troops consolidated. and the Operation Georgette attacks were blunted. As a result, the Battle Honours Lys Hazebrouck and Kemmel were awarded. The troops of the 1st Division were later transferred south to the Somme once again to take its place in the Australian Corps consolidated under General Monash’s command, and to take part in the Great Allied o ff ensive, the "Last Hundred Days" campaign beginning on the 8th August 1918.
Page 18 of 72
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online