A British and Dominion victory in 1918 that recaptured Bapaume and advanced Allied lines eastward as part of the Hundred Days Offensive.
Key Facts
- Duration
- 21 August – 3 September 1918
- Duration (days)
- 14 days
- Bapaume captured
- 29 August 1918 by New Zealand Division
- British divisions involved
- 5th, 37th, 42nd, 63rd Divisions
- Corps engaged
- IV Corps
- Follow-on objective
- Bancourt Ridge, east of Bapaume
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Battle of Albert had driven German forces back toward Bapaume, and the Allied Hundred Days Offensive sought to maintain pressure on retreating German lines. IV Corps was ordered to continue the advance and seize Bapaume, building on momentum gained in the preceding weeks of fighting.
From 21 August to 3 September 1918, British IV Corps — comprising the 5th, 37th, 42nd, and 63rd Divisions alongside the New Zealand Division — attacked German positions around Bapaume. After heavy fighting, the New Zealand Division entered Bapaume on 29 August as German forces withdrew, marking the battle's central achievement.
With Bapaume secured, Allied forces pushed east onto the Bancourt Ridge, extending the gains of the Hundred Days Offensive. The battle demonstrated the continued deterioration of German defensive capacity on the Western Front and contributed to the broader Allied advance that would end the war in November 1918.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent