Battle of the Avre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of the Avre
Part of Operation Michael (German spring offensive)
Date 4–5 April 1918 Location The Avre, Amiens 49°53′00″N 02°20′25″E / 49.88333°N 2.34028°E / 49.88333; 2.34028 Result British victory
Belligerents
British Empire  Australia  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
	Erich Ludendorff

The Battle of the Avre took place on April 4–5, 1918, during World War I. It was a major fight where German soldiers tried to capture the important French city of Amiens. This battle was part of a bigger German plan called Operation Michael, which was a large attack to try and win the war. The Germans came very close to Amiens during this battle. However, Australian and British soldiers stopped their advance. This battle was a turning point, showing that the German spring offensive was starting to fail.

Why the Battle Happened

Before the main battle, German forces had been moving slowly. Their attacks in other areas had not gone as planned. So, between April 1 and 3, 1918, they paused to let their soldiers rest and get ready. Their main goal was to capture Amiens, a key city. Taking Amiens would have hurt the Allied forces badly.

The Battle Begins

April 4: A Fierce Fight

The final German attack towards Amiens began on April 4. Fifteen German divisions (large groups of soldiers) attacked seven Allied divisions. This attack happened on a line east of Amiens, near the Avre River.

Erich Ludendorff, a top German general, wanted to capture the town of Villers-Bretonneux. This town was part of Amiens' outer defenses. If the Germans took Villers-Bretonneux, they could use artillery (big guns) from its high ground to destroy Amiens.

The fighting on April 4 was special for two reasons:

• It was the first time both sides used tanks at the same time in the war.
• Australian and British soldiers launched a surprise night counterattack. They were very tired, but they managed to take back Villers-Bretonneux. This stopped the German attack.

British and Australian troops held the battle line. These included the British 14th (Light) Division and 18th (Eastern) Division. The 35th Australian Battalion was also there.

Heavy rain was falling when the German bombardment (shelling) started at 5:15 AM. The main attack began at 6:30 AM. The Australians fought off the German 9th Bavarian Reserve Division. The British 18th Division held back the German Guards Ersatz Division and 19th Divisions. This was part of the First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux.

The British 14th Division faced strong attacks from the German 228th Division. They had to fall back about 2 miles (3.2 km). Brigadier-General G.N.B Forster, a British commander, was killed. But then, the Allied artillery stopped the German advance.

Artillery's Role

The artillery (big guns) played a huge part in stopping the Germans. Even though many guns and soldiers had been lost, they kept firing. German soldiers were hit hard by shells, especially when the mist cleared.

A battery of 18-pounders in action in the open during the German Spring Offensive.

One British commander ordered that the attack "can and must be stopped by artillery fire." He said that if any battery (group of guns) couldn't stop the enemy from its spot, it should move forward. They were to fire at the enemy directly, even in the open. The artillery had to hold the line.

Soldiers called "signallers" kept telephone lines open for the artillery. This allowed them to direct fire even under heavy attack. At times, guns were moved forward to fire directly at the enemy. One gun fired for two hours straight. Another battery used gas shells to stop attacks.

The modern clock tower of Le Hamel church.

Some artillery units suffered many losses. One battery lost most of its gunners but quickly got new men. Despite the dangers, the artillery kept fighting. By 3:30 PM, the Germans had pulled back. The guns had fired about 500 rounds each in 10 hours of continuous fighting.

The Germans tried to attack again at 5:00 PM. They got very close to the last British guns as they were moving. But an Australian counter-attack pushed them back.

April 5: The End of the Attack

On April 5, the Germans tried to attack again, but they failed. By early morning, British and Australian troops had pushed the enemy out of Villers-Bretonneux. The Germans had reached their furthest point towards Amiens, but they were finally stopped. General Ludendorff then ordered a halt to the entire offensive.