PublishedViking, February 2018 |
ISBN9780143788614 |
FormatSoftcover, 416 pages |
Dimensions23.4cm × 15.3cm |
The compelling account of the Australian troops fighting on the Western front in March and April 1918.
In Australians on the Western Front 1918 Volume 1, the first in a two-part series, David Cameron tells the extraordinary story of Australian troops on the Western front in March and April of 1918. These troops were directly responsible for pushing back the German advances on the Somme towards Amiens at Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux and further north at Hazebrouck, saving the Channel Ports, and their actions resulted in the collapse of the German offensive which was to finally win the war for Germany. This book bears witness to the sacrifice and victories of the Australian Army Corps, which continued to provide critical support for the British forces as 'shook troops' despite their ongoing casualties and dwindling reinforcements.
With vivid descriptions drawing on the diaries and letters of soldiers on the battlefields, Cameron weaves together a thrilling narrative around the significant moments that marked the defeat of the great German offensive, placing their actions within the broader strategic context. The Australian victories in April 1918 enabled the British to launch their own great offensive in August 1918, in which the Australian Army Corps now led by General John Monash, would play a pivotal role in the defeat of Germany three months later (which will be covered in Volume 2).
Bill is one of the founders of Boffins and has been involved in selecting the books we stock since our beginning in 1989. His favourite reading is history, with psychology, current affairs, and business books coming close behind. His hobbies are reading, food, reading, drinking, reading, and sleeping.
March 1918, the final year of World War 1, saw a major German offensive in France. It commenced on 21 March, a 100 years ago. If successful, it would have changed the outcome of the war. The Germans did make significant advances through British lines (with feints against French lines that dissuaded the French from moving forces away to support the British). The Australian Army Corps played a pivotal role in pushing back the German advance – their “shock troops” providing critical support for the British. David Cameron has written a riveting account of the Australian involvement in this campaign, using diaries and letters from the soldiers involved to give a feel for what it was like on the ground. It is the first of two volumes that deal with Australia’s role on the Western Front in World War 1.
