Key Facts
- Dates
- 21–23 August 1918
- Front pushed back
- 50 miles (80 km)
- Albert captured
- 22 August 1918 by 18th (Eastern) Division
- Bapaume fell
- 29 August 1918 to New Zealand forces
- Somme River crossed
- 31 August 1918 by Australian Corps
Strategic Narrative Overview
The battle opened on 21 August 1918, with the British Third Army making the main thrust and the Fourth Army providing support. On 22 August, the 18th (Eastern) Division captured Albert, while British and American troops advanced toward Arras. The following day, the Australian 1st Division attacked German fortifications at Chuignes and captured the town. The offensive transitioned into the Second Battle of Bapaume on 25 August, with New Zealand forces seizing Bapaume on 29 August.
01 / The Origins
By mid-1918 the Allies had halted Germany's spring offensive and were preparing a counteroffensive along the Western Front. The German 2nd Army occupied positions near Albert, France, having advanced from the Hindenburg Line earlier that year. Allied commanders, including forces from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, coordinated a push to retake lost ground and press the German armies back toward their original defensive line.
03 / The Outcome
The Australian Corps crossed the Somme River on 31 August and broke German lines at the Battle of Mont St. Quentin. The entire Westheer was forced to withdraw to the Hindenburg Line, the very position from which Germany had launched its spring offensive months earlier. This retreat marked a decisive shift in momentum on the Western Front, setting the stage for the final Allied offensives that would end the war.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Commander, British Third Army, Commander, British Fourth Army.
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.