The attack at Amiens on 8th August 1918 was the most decisive day of the Great War. It marked the beginning of the 'Hundred Days' which brought about ultimate victory in the West. The long agony on the Western Front was nearly over.
Led by Australian and Canadian Corps, with British and French troops on the flanks, and spearheaded by tanks, armoured cars and supported by the RAF, the attack saw the first convincing use of mobile mechanised warfare.
Drawing on international sources including eyewitness testimonies, former Royal Tank Regiment officer Charles Messenger vividly recreates this decisive battle - how the attack was conceived, the preparations, the assault itself - and explores its historic lessons. His dramatic account shows how Amiens paved the way for the final victorious Allied advance.
List of Illustrations vii
Introduction xix
1 Setting the Scene 1
2 Planning 24
3 Preparation 42
4 The Green Line 78
5 To the Blue Line and Beyond 104
6 In the Air 146
7 What To Do Next? 155
8 Days Three and Four 191
9 The Impact of Amiens 221
Postscript: The Man Who Won the War? 234
Appendix: Orders of Battle 240
Select Bibliography 249
Notes 255
Index 265
Overview
The attack at Amiens on 8th August 1918 was the most decisive day of the Great War. It marked the beginning of the 'Hundred Days' which brought about ultimate victory in the West. The long agony on the Western Front was nearly over.
Led by Australian and Canadian Corps, with British and French troops on the flanks, and spearheaded by tanks, armoured cars and supported by the RAF, the attack saw the first convincing use of mobile mechanised ...