100 Years Ago

AUGUST 9, 1918

A brilliant success

Troubles are multiplying for the Germans. Today, with French cooperation, we launched the first offensive on a large scale this year, recalling the great attacks of the Somme, the battle of Arras, or that of Flanders. It was admirable in its organization and execution, taking the enemy completely by surprise.

The attack was made by the Fourth Army, under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson, in conjunction with French troops, both being under command of the British Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief. The front of attack was about 15 miles, of which British troops had charge of the northern 12 miles from near Mericourt to a point south of the River Luce and the Amiens-Roye road below Hangard, while the French extended the attack for another three miles to and across the River Avre. The time chosen was half-past 4 this morning.

It was an anxious night, for we had no idea whether the Germans had any warning of our plans. They took some prisoners in the fighting below Morlancourt two days ago, and it was possible that these men might have given some information away. From prisoners, indeed, we gathered that the Germans anticipated some sort of local operation hereabouts some time soon, but they had no inkling that the blow was to come so quickly, or that it was to be of anything like the shattering force with which it was delivered. The night passed well, therefore, and when the critical moment came there was no sign of apprehension on the enemy’s part. Then, out of the silence, it sounded to onlookers as if our barrage was as splendid and as heavy as any that the war has known. It lasted only for a few minutes before the attack started, but those few minutes were enough to flatten the enemy defences and to leave him stunned and naked. Our men as they went forward all seem to have had the same impression of the enemy being completely smothered, so that only scattered machine-guns here and there opposed our advance in the frontline positions, and these were easily accounted for either by Tanks or infantry with the help of smoke screens. Tanks joined in the attack everywhere, and did magnificent service. In little more than two hours we had heard of the capture of the whole tier of nearer villages.

AUGUST 10, 1918

The new allied offensive

The new Franco-British offensive under the command of Sir Douglas Haig on the Allied front before Amiens is one of the greatest and most gratifying surprises of the war. It surprised the British public just as much as the enemy for, with the exceptions of the battles of Messines and Cambrai, never has a secret been better kept. Most people have been speculating about the possibility of an early German attack in the neighbourhood of the Lys, and the whole country hailed with deep delight the news that on Thursday the British Fourth Army and the French First Army had struck swiftly and deeply astride the Somme, and between the Somme and the Avre.

From the outset the attack went forward at unusual speed. The new “whippet” tanks and squadrons of armoured cars greatly assisted the infantry in their rapid advance. No offensive in which the British Army has participated has made so much progress on the opening day. By nightfall Amiens was free from the danger of any recurrence of the bombardment which has wrought so much destruction. The advance of the French on the right has freed the main railway line to Paris from menace, and yesterday trains were once more running from Amiens to St Just. All the testimony tends to show that the rout of the Germans was complete, at any rate in the broad centre of the attack. By noon yesterday the count of prisoners had reached 17,000, 4,000 taken by the French and 13,000 by the British. The number of guns captured is estimated at between two and three hundred. This battle differs from any in which we have engaged, for tanks and cars, and even cavalry, are operating considerably in advance of the main fighting line. We know that the Germans have suffered one of the worst reverses since the war began. The prospects of effective retaliation on a great scale in the West this autumn are diminishing. For the moment the initiative has clearly passed to the Allies. The plans of Hindenburg and Ludendorff are more deranged than ever, and the outlook for the Allies was never more promising. We may add that though our total casualties are said to be light, last night’s aviation report showed that losses among our gallant young airmen are exceptionally heavy. Fifty of our machines are reported as “missing”.