The Val de Somme and the Battle of Amiens, August 1918.

On 21 April 1918, the famous ‘Red Baron’, Manfred von Richthofen, took off from Cappy on a mission over the Somme. After pursuing a Canadian aeroplane, he was ambushed and came under enemy fire. Despite his skill, his red triplane was hit by Australian fire from the vicinity of Corbie. Mortally wounded, he managed to make an emergency landing in a field opposite the brickworks at Vaux-sur-Somme. That day marked the end of the greatest flying ace of the First World War, credited with 80 aerial victories. In the second photograph, you can see Jacques Léo Bienaimé, born in Albert in 1885, a farmer in Vaux-sur-Somme. Called up for military service during the First World War, he was on the Somme front in 1918, very close to his village. There, he served alongside the Australian and Canadian troops stationed in the region. Gassed between Sailly-le-Sec and Vaux-sur-Somme by a German shell fired from Le Hamel, he survived and returned to his farm after the armistice. Elected mayor in 1919, he died in Vaux on 23 November 1923, aged 38, weakened by the after-effects of the war. As you leave Vaux-sur-Somme heading towards Sailly-le-Sec, you can find his grave in the local cemetery

As you enter the village, you will pass the entrance to a larri on your left. These dry limestone hillsides, typical of the Somme region, provided natural shelter during the First World War. Known as “Shrapnel Ravine”, this larri offered a protected route to the top of the hill, where the surrounding area could be observed. The Australians naturally made use of this hidden location, establishing dugouts and headquarters there, safely out of sight of German forces. However, the site was not beyond the reach of German shelling, which gave rise to its name. Feel free to follow the track ahead to reach the memorial dedicated to the 3rd Australian Infantry Division.

Sailly symbolises the Australians’ first heroic battles to defend Amiens and the Somme Valley. These victories marked the beginning of the Australian Army’s emergence as an independent force, contributing to its global recognition. This path towards military independence would culminate in the famous Battle of Villers-Bretonneux on 24 and 25 April 1918, which would, in fact, become the central venue for the annual Anzac Day ceremonies. The village of Sailly-Le-Sec remained the scene of repeated clashes in 1918. Several battles took place between March and August 1918. The final German offensive against the village was repelled by the Allies on 6 August, just two days before the major counter-offensive.

Shortly after the armistice, work began on a memorial dedicated to the 3rd Australian Division on the hills above the village. German prisoners of war were employed to help build the monument.By the autumn of 1919, the monument had already been completed, and many people (soldiers, local residents and families) came to visit it before its official unveiling in 1920. This memorial stands as a testament to the collective memory and the tribute paid to these Australian heroes who fell far from their homeland.

On 8 August 1918, Sailly-Laurette was the first village to be captured by the British Army’s 3rd Army Corps. This paved the way for the Allied push eastwards. In the days following the offensive, columns of prisoners being sent to the rear regularly passed through the village. This route for prisoners passed through the village of Sailly-Laurette, then through Sailly-le-Sec, before crossing the Somme and heading towards Villers-Bretonneux and then Amiens.

Wilfred Owen, the famous English poet, volunteered for service on 21 October 1915. He arrived in France on 1 January 1917. Wounded on 14 March 1917, he was evacuated to Cerisy-Gailly. He returned there in May following his second injury. Sadly, Owen was killed on 4 November 1918, just one week before the end of the war. A memorial stone has been erected along the canal to commemorate his time there. This memorial features a stone plinth topped by a dove of peace in its nest. It is the work of the German artist Titus Reinarz. It was unveiled on 28 June 1998.

The heights to the north of Chipilly were of vital importance to the Allies during the offensive of 8 August 1918. Indeed, from this position held by the Germans, they were able to engage the Australian troops advancing to the south on the other side of the Somme. The German lines held firm and the village remained in German hands throughout that first day. It was finally liberated on 9 August by British and American troops. The monument in front of the church pays tribute to the men of the 58th Division who liberated the village. The depiction of a dying horse was requested by the statue’s patron, to ensure that the sacrifice of animals during the Great War was remembered alongside that of the soldiers. As you cross the street, you can see the village’s war memorial, typical of those erected in small villages in the immediate post-war period. The capture of the village of Chipilly was greatly facilitated by the initiative of Company Quartermaster Sergeant Jack Hayes and five of his men. The six Australians played a crucial role in the capture of Chipilly by entering the village after a British unit had been held up, neutralising several German positions and facilitating the deployment of a machine gun that cut off the enemy’s retreat. Their action, though decisive and confirmed by historians, was not mentioned in the British report. Harold Dudley Andrews, whom you can see on the picture, was awarded the DCM for his action. The sector then came under Australian control to enable the Allied advance to continue.

The village of Cerisy was affected by the war from August 1914 onwards, but remained outside the line of fire. From then on, it served as a rear-area village, gradually developing into a major logistics hub. Hospitals were set up, soldiers were sent there to be billeted, and a railway station was established to facilitate the transport of supplies, in addition to the transport by boat made possible by the river. The village played a special role during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, particularly in the evacuation of the wounded. A hospital was set up. The three military cemeteries in the town bear witness to the human cost of that battle. Cerisy was liberated by the Australians as early as 8 August 1918. The advance of the troops was made particularly difficult by German fire coming from Chipilly. The three tanks that took part in the liberation of the village were in fact destroyed by German artillery positioned in the neighbouring village. The village was finally taken from the rear by troops advancing towards Morcourt, forcing the Germans to retreat.

The Cerisy French National Cemetery contains the graves of 990 French soldiers who died for their country during the 1916 Somme Offensive. Located near a major casualty clearing station, the cemetery was reorganised in 1923 to bring together the remains of soldiers exhumed from the military plot of the communal cemetery. Nearby are two Commonwealth war cemeteries created and maintained by the CWGC. The Cerisy-Gailly French National Cemetery contains the graves of soldiers who fell during the Battle of the Somme. The Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery, located slightly further away, was used by Australian units involved in the liberation of the village.

On 8 August 1918, the villages of Warfusée-Abancourt and Lamotte-en-Santerre (now Lamotte-Warfusée) were the first two villages to be liberated by the Australian Army Corps. The ‘Green Line’, the offensive’s primary objective, lay to the east of both villages. Sheltered by thick fog, the Australians, accompanied by tanks, managed to liberate the villages by 7.00 am. Taken by surprise, the Germans offered little resistance. Nearly 1,200 prisoners were taken, whilst the Australians lost 150 men. Although there had been no preliminary bombardment to maintain the element of surprise, both villages lay in ruins after five months of German occupation and fighting.

As you head down towards the « route de Péronne », and turn right at the war memorial, you will see a house where a meeting was held to review the attack plans of the 2nd Colonial Infantry Division, scheduled for 1 July 1916. This division was tasked with capturing the sectors of Dompierre, Herbécourt and Flaucourt from the Germans. This assault was a success for the French troops.  

The village of Marcelcave was the first village to be liberated by the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 8 August 1918. The 2nd Canadian Division’s objective was to capture a position situated approximately 800 metres beyond the village. The Canadians were transported into the area from Belgium by surprise to carry out this attack. Protected by tanks, the men of the 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion managed to liberate the village, encountering little resistance. During the course of the day, Sergeant Robert Hollidge distinguished himself through his actions. His unit was pinned down by machine-gun fire coming from the north of the village. He managed to seize the machine gun and turn it against the Germans. He then succeeded in outflanking the enemy troops, crossing the village alone and taking numerous prisoners. He was awarded the DCM for his actions.

Where the present church stands, the Château de Marcelcave once stood. It was destroyed during the war. In 1916, the castle was used to house French troops. In October 1916, the President of the Republic, Raymond Poincaré, visited the village to assess the gains made during the Battle of the Somme. In the foreground, we can see cannons, machine guns and flamethrowers captured from the Germans.

Durant la guerre, la proximité du front conduit à l'installation à Marcelcave de l'hôpital d'évacuation composé de baraquements en bois. Les soldats décédés des suites de leurs blessures sont inhumés dans un petit cimetière attenant, tandis que la gare voisine facilite l'évacuation des blessés par trains sanitaires et le ravitaillement du front. Une nécropole est créée en 1916 afin d'accueillir les sépultures de soldats morts lors de la terrible bataille de la Somme. La nécropole rassemble aujourd'hui 1610 soldats français.

The village of Le Hamel was liberated on 4 July 1918 by the Australian Army Corps, with the aim of recapturing the high ground occupied by German artillery and thereby averting the threat to Amiens. This battle was the first to be planned by Lieutenant-General John Monash and proved a resounding success. The main objectives were captured in just 93 minutes thanks to the coordinated efforts of the infantry, tanks, artillery and air force. This new tactic was to be employed again during the fighting in August 1918. As we can see in the photograph, on 4 July, the Australians continued to comb the village in search of the wounded or German soldiers still hiding there. To find out more about this battle, do visit the Australian memorial before continuing on your way. During the capture of the village of Le Hamel, Captain John Thomas Moran of Company A, 43rd Australian Infantry Battalion, hoisted the tricolour flag on one of the ruined houses.He had brought the flag with him, having been challenged by one of his friends to hoist it during the fighting. Captain Moran hoisted it whilst the Germans had not yet been completely driven out of the village.The house, which was badly damaged, was not rebuilt after the war.

Situated on the heights of Le Hamel, this memorial commemorates the battle of 4 July 1918 led by General Monash. Around twenty information panels explain what made this battle unique: it was won in 93 minutes thanks to the combined efforts of artillery, infantry, the air force, armoured units and paratroopers. The Australian Defence Force insignia is affixed to the memorial, along with an extract from the speech delivered by Georges Clemenceau following this victory.

When the Germans advanced towards Villers-Bretonneux on 25 April 1918, the village of Vaire-sous-Corbie found itself on the front line. Although the Australians managed to drive the Germans back towards Le Hamel, the village remained close to the enemy front line. The troops stationed in the village during April played an important role in keeping the command informed of enemy movements. Indeed, patrols and observers were deployed from Vaire-sous-Corbie to monitor troop movements. In this photograph, we can see an Australian soldier dressed in civilian clothes, whilst the village had been abandoned by its inhabitants. He may have been a man from the 8th Australian Infantry Brigade, which was occupying the sector at the time.

Until 1928, the towns of Vaire-sous-Corbie and Vaux-sur-Somme were not connected by a bridge. To cross the canal, people therefore had to take a ferry. Whilst stationed in the area, the Australians even named the place ‘Circular Quay’, in reference to the famous ferry terminal in Sydney. You could board the ferry with your car and horse.