#australian corps

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Soldiers of the 5th Australian Brigade alongside a Mark V* of the 15th Tank Battalion. Both units were part of the first wave at Amiens, crossing the start line at 4:20am on 8 August 1918. The tanks led the advance, as their armour could stand up to German machine gun fire and friendly artillery shrapnel. The infantry followed close behind. However the infantry were the main attacking force – the tanks were assigned to support and protect them as they captured German defences, not the other way round.

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© IWM (E(AUS) 1312) Frank Hurley and George H(Hubert) Wilkins: An Australian billet among the ruins of a house near Ypres. Soldiers prepare a meal and rest.

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King George V and General John Monash inspecting troops of the Australian Corps and captured German guns on his visit to the Corps headquarters at Bertangles, 12 August 1918.

[herprivateswe]

Tanks and infantry worked together to break through the German lines during the Battle of Amiens. This photograph was taken near Lihons. The village of Lihons had been an objective on the 9th August for the 1st Australian Division. They hadn’t been able to capture it, and resumed their attack the next day.

Despite hard fighting all day, they were unsuccessful. It was finally captured the next morning.

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Image: IWM (Q 946) General William Birdwood, Commander of the ANZAC, conversing with Australian troops in a wood near Contay, 1916.

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The Battle of Amiens, 8 August 1918, showing the Australian Artillery moving forward from Villers-Bretonneux. Ludendorff said this was the black day of the German Army, " (der Schwarze Tag des deutschen Heeres).”

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Image: IWM (Q 1047) Troops from one of Australian Divisions returning from the trenches near Contay, August 1916. Note a mascot dog on the top of the limber.

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Lieutenant C. O. Clark MC MM, Intelligence Officer of the 3rd Battalion, with a 6 inch rule inset in the muzzle of the wrecked 15 inch naval gun taken by the Australian troops in a bayonet attack, at Arcy Wood, near Chuignolles, on 23 August 1918.