This battle stabilised the Allied line north of the Somme by repulsing German advances toward Amiens during the 1918 spring offensive.
Key Facts
- Date range
- 28–30 March 1918
- Front
- Western Front, World War I
- Allied unit
- Australian 3rd Division
- German unit
- German 18th Division (elements)
- Strategic objective
- Fill gap in Allied line north of River Somme
- Follow-on actions
- Two further minor actions fought around Morlancourt
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the German spring offensive of 1918, a gap opened in the Allied line north of the River Somme. The Australian 3rd Division was ordered to advance and fill this breach, moving toward Morlancourt to prevent German forces from exploiting the opening and threatening the strategically vital city of Amiens.
Australian troops advanced toward Morlancourt but were checked by German forces before reaching their objective of the spur overlooking the village. Elements of the German 18th Division then launched counter-attacks against the Australian positions. These counter-attacks were repulsed with heavy German casualties over the period 28–30 March 1918.
The successful repulse of the German counter-attacks blunted the German advance toward Amiens and stabilised the Allied line north of the Somme. Fighting subsequently shifted south. Over the following months, two additional minor actions were fought near Morlancourt as Australians consolidated their positions ahead of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent