ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide

The Western Front in France and Belgium was the decisive theatre of the First World War. It was there that Australia and New Zealand, fighting between 1916 and 1918 in often unspeakable conditions and at a terrible cost, made their greatest contribution to Germany′s defeat. In so doing, they earned the esteem of the world. The experience helped to forge the identities of the two nations and the close relationship between them.

With rare photographs and documents from the Australian War Memorial archive and extensive travel information, ANZACS on The Western Front is the most comprehensive guide to the battlefields of the Western Front. The book covers not just the battles, but the often larger–than–life personalities who took part in them. Following a chronological order from 1916 through 1918, the book will lead you through every major engagement the Australian and New Zealanders fought in and includes tactical considerations and extracts from the personal diaries of soldiers. Going beyond the battlefields, the guide also includes details on relevant cemeteries, museums, memorials and nearby places of interest, as well as general travel information.

ANZACS on The Western Front is the perfect book for anyone who wants to explore the battlefields of the Western Front, either in–person or from the comfort of home. It does far more than show where the lines that generals drew on their maps actually ran on the ground and retrace the footsteps of the men advancing towards them. It is a graphic and wide–ranging record of the Australian and New Zealand achievements, and of the huge sacrifices both nations made, in what is still arguably the most grueling episode in their history.

Foreword ix

Preface xi

About the author xii

Acknowledgements xiii

Note to second edition xiv

Introduction xv

The ANZACS on the Western Front xxiii

1 1916: Bois–Grenier/Fleurbaix 1

Driving the battlefield 6

Local information 12

2 1916: Fromelles 13

Walking the battlefield 20

Local information 31

3 1916: Somme: Pozières/Mouquet Farm 37

Driving/walking the battlefield 46

Local information 68

4 1916: Somme: New Zealanders at Flers 73

Driving/walking the battlefield 78

Local information 88

5 1916 17: Somme: Australians at

Flers and Gueudecourt 91

Driving/walking the battlefield 96

Local information 101

6 1917: Australian Advance, German Counterattack 105

Driving the battlefield 112

Local information 131

7 1917: Bullecourt 135

Walking the battlefield 144

Local information 160

8 1917: Ypres 165

Walking Ypres 166

Local information 171

9 1917: Messines 183

Driving the battlefield 190

Local information 204

10 1917: menin road 209

Driving/walking the battlefi eld 214

Local information 225

11 1917: Polygon wood 227

Driving/walking the battlefi eld 232

Local information 244

12 1917: Broodseinde 247

Driving/walking the battlefield 250

Local information 263

13 1917: Passchendaele 267

Walking the battlefi eld 274

Local information 287

14 1918: From la signy Farm to Puisieux 289

Driving the battlefield 294

Local information 305

15 1918: dernancourt and morlancourt 307

Driving the battlefield 312

Local information 322

16 1918: villers–Bretonneux 327

Driving the battlefield 334

Local information 346

17 1918: Hazebrouck 351

Driving the battlefield 354

Local information 362

18 1918: Hamel 363

Walking the battlefield 370

Local information 379

19 1918: the German army s Black day 381

Driving the battlefield 386

Local information 398

20 1918: somme south 401

Driving the battlefi eld 404

Local information 415

21 1918: somme north 417

Driving the battlefi eld 420

Local information 427

22 1918: mont st quentin and peronne 429

Driving the battlefield 434

Local information 448

23 1918: Hindenburg outpost line 451

Driving the battlefi eld 454

Local information 462

24 1918: Hindenburg line 465

Driving the battlefield 470

Local information 486

25 1918: montbrehain 489

Walking the battlefield 492

Local information 498

26 1918: tHe new zealanders at BaPaume 499

Driving the battlefi eld 504

Local information 511

27 1918: the new zealand advance 513

Driving the battlefield 516

Local information 527

28 1918: the new zealanders at le quesnoy 529

Driving the battlefield 532

Local information 540

Useful information 543

Glossary 545

Select bibliography 546

Sources of illustrations 547

Index 549

PETER PEDERSEN, PHD, was Head of the Research Centre at the Australian War Memorial and is one of Australia′s leading military historians. On retiring from the Memorial, Dr. Pedersen was appointed consultant historian for the Australian government′s commemorative projects on the Australian battlefields of the Western Front. He appears frequently on Australian television and radio and has spoken at military history conferences and seminars in Australia and abroad.