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surrendered and the
Australians continued to the main German trench-line. In the rear, other Australians crossed the Somme by a bridge which Australian engineers had saved and repaired. The Australians were unable to hold their gains on Mont St Quentin and German reserves regained the crest. However, the Australians held on just below the summit and next day it was recaptured and firmly held. On that day also, 1 September, Australian forces broke into PĂ©ronne and took most of the town. The next day it completely fell into Australian hands. In three days the Australians endured 3,000 casualties but ensured a general German withdrawal eastwards back to the
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for half an hour trying to establish visual communication. When this failed, he at once ran at a line to bde
Forward Station through very heavy machine gun and artillery fire and remained out on the line the whole day, keeping it in order. Throughout the whole operation he showed an utter disregard of danger and set a fine example to all his men."
671:
spirited resistance. Later during the consolidation, he personally supervised the placing of the six
Company Lewis Guns, moving around the Company front in spite of fierce enemy fire. His work throughout was of the highest order, and his fighting spirit throughout was of the greatest value to the success of his Company."
670:
William
Stevens, 23rd Australian Infantry Battalion, originally from Melbourne was awarded a Bar to his Military Medal for his work during the battle. In part, his citation from Rosenthal reads: "In the Village fighting he personal lead a party of five which accounted for 16 of the enemy who put up a
573:
Australians of the 2nd
Division crossed to the north bank of the Somme River on the evening of 30 August. At 5 am on 31 August, supported by artillery, two significantly undermanned Australian battalions charged up Mont St Quentin, ordered by Monash to "scream like bushrangers". The Germans quickly
666:
Other medals awarded included the
Military Medal. Robert James Young, 25th Battalion, originally from Brisbane, was one such awardee. During the attack, according to Rosenthal, the recommending general, "he selected a position on a hill which was being heavily shelled at the time. He remained there
459:, described the Australian advances of 31 August – 4 September as the greatest military achievement of the war. During the battle Australian troops stormed, seized and held the key height of Mont Saint-Quentin (overlooking Péronne), a pivotal German defensive position on the line of the Somme.
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to cross a series of marshes to attack the heights. This plan failed when the assaulting troops could not cross the marshes. After this initial setback, Monash manoeuvred his divisions in the only free
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Looking back after the event, Monash accounted for the success by the wonderful gallantry of the men, the rapidity with which the plan was carried out, and the sheer daring of the attempt. In his
565:
483:
was only 100 metres high but was a key to the German defence of the Somme line, and the last German stronghold. It overlooked the Somme River approximately 1.5 kilometres north of
510:, "German archives show that the 51st Corps anticipated the offensive... The line divisions were ordered to increase their depth and the counter-attack divisions to 'stand to.
605:(the same position from which the Germans had launched their offensive in the spring). A total of 2,600 prisoners were taken at a cost of slightly over 3,000 casualties.
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594:, who was in charge of the operation. But Monash and his staff were responsible for the conception of the project and the working out of the plans.
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Official
History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 – Volume VI – The Australian Imperial Force in France during the Allied Offensive, 1918
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796:. Australian Government: Department of Veterans' Affairs together with Board of Studies NSW. 12 February 2008. Archived from
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569:"The gaps in the wire near Anvil Wood were death traps", reads the caption of a contemporary photograph of the battlefield.
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The Allied victory at the Battle of Mont Saint
Quentin dealt a strong blow to five German divisions, including the elite
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882:"Young Robert James : SERN 282 : POB Aberdeen Scotland : POE Brisbane QLD : NOK F Young James"
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in pursuit was Mont Saint-Quentin which, situated in a bend of the river, dominated the whole position. The
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966:. Australian Department of Veteran's Affairs and Board of Studies NSW. 2007. Archived from
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for their role in the battle, all to members of the
Australian 2nd Division:
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662:, 3rd Division, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the battle.
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The
Australian Imperial Force in France during the Allied Offensive, 1918
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of any consequence undertaken by the Australians on the Western Front.
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731:"The Battle for Mont St Quentin: 31 August 1918 – 3 September 1918"
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553:; Monash planned a high-risk frontal assault which required the
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790:"Mont St Quentin – Péronne 31 August – 2 September 1918"
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Sir John Monash – An effective and competent commander?
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on the Western Front in the late summer of 1918, the
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871:, (1st ed., 1942), Volume VI, Chapter XVIII, p. 862.
960:"Mont St Quentin, 2nd Australian Division Memorial"
522:. The German 94th Infantry Regiment (part of the
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705:Australian Victories: 1918 Australians in France
16:1918 battle on the Western Front of World War I
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506:. According to Australian official historian
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940:"Mont St Quentin: Australian Military Units"
475:, and the greatest obstacle to crossing the
964:Australians on the Western Front: 1914–1918
763:, Sydney, Angus and Robertson, pp. 916–917.
514:" Bean states that LI Corps controlled the
998:Battles of World War I involving Australia
993:Battles of the Western Front (World War I)
794:Australians on the Western Front 1914–1918
681:Mont Saint-Quentin Australian war memorial
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1003:Battles of World War I involving Germany
733:. Penrith City Council Library Service,
608:The following soldiers were awarded the
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439:on the night of 31 August and broke the
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849:from the original on 30 September 2007
549:The offensive was planned by General
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1033:Australia–Germany military relations
1008:Military history of Hauts-de-France
914:Honours and Awards (Recommendation)
526:) was also involved in the battle.
494:Australian forces faced the German
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825:Dictionary of Australian Biography
711:from the original on 7 August 2007
76:31 August – 3 September 1918
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45:Second Battle of the Somme (1918)
701:"Mont Saint Quentin and PĂ©ronne"
487:. Its location made it an ideal
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886:National Archives of Australia
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828:. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
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776:. Australian Defence College,
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588:Australian Victories in France
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539:Capture of Mont Saint Quentin
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414:Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin
26:Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin
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942:. Australian War Memorial.
707:. Australian War Memorial.
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518:, 1st Reserve Division and
516:5th Royal Bavarian Division
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845:. www.diggerhistory.info.
660:43rd Battalion (Australia)
656:Lawrence Carthage Weathers
916:. Australian War Memorial
818:Serle, Percival (1949). "
647:2nd Machine Gun Battalion
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737:. 2005. Archived from
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759:C. E. W. Bean, 1942,
617:Albert David Lowerson
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296:Mont Saint-Quentin
119:49.9472°N 2.9325°E
86:Mont Saint-Quentin
839:"Mont St Quentin"
772:Fidge, AC. 2003.
592:Charles Rosenthal
424:. As part of the
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308:Havrincourt
291:2nd Bapaume
193:John Monash
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987:Categories
920:25 January
687:References
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498:, part of
463:Background
375:Le Quesnoy
318:St.-Mihiel
303:2nd Scarpe
286:3rd Albert
107:49°56′50″N
974:31 August
950:31 August
853:31 August
804:18 August
745:31 August
715:31 August
582:Aftermath
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343:5th Ypres
281:2nd Somme
161:Australia
110:2°55′57″E
944:Archived
847:Archived
709:Archived
675:See also
500:2nd Army
496:LI Corps
399:2nd Mons
353:Courtrai
81:Location
43: :
649:, from
485:PĂ©ronne
473:Germans
449:PĂ©ronne
420:during
276:Ailette
94:Picardy
90:PĂ©ronne
88:, near
545:(1920)
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441:German
426:Allied
370:Sambre
358:Burkel
271:Amiens
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98:France
64:(1918)
910:(PDF)
891:1 May
365:Selle
323:Épehy
976:2007
952:2007
922:2018
893:2023
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