{"html":" \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-images\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor \"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/39152/photo/zoom_awm-e03804.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/115747/photo/zoom_Dernancourt.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/121636/photo/zoom_Dernancourt1.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/121637/photo/zoom_Dernancourt2.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/5701/photo/zoom_Dernancourt_map.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/5704/photo/zoom_Dernancourt_III.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-image js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor hidden\"\n style=\"background-image: url(https://digitize-vwma.s3.amazonaws.com/I/images/5702/photo/zoom_Dernancourt_aerial.jpg)\"\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"timeline-details-description with-image\"\u003e\n \u003ch4 class=\"js-timeline-anchor timeline-anchor\"\u003eDernancourt/Ancre\u003c/h4\u003e\n \u003ch4 class=\"tiny-mce-align-left tiny-mce-heading-color\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDernancourt / Ancre / Hebuterne 18 March - 5th April 1918\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-left\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eSee the links in the sidebar\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore the Battle\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Russians had surrendered on the Eastern Front in November 1917, following the Bolshevik revolution. The Germans were thus able to transfer 35 divisions to the Western Front. Having built up a great army, on 21 March 1918 the Germans launched the strongest offensive of the war, named \u003cem\u003eKaiserschlacht\u003c/em\u003e (\u003cem\u003eEmperor’s Strike\u003c/em\u003e). This was a fully fledged attempt to win the war on the battlefield, and consisted of a series of attacks against the vital communications centres of Amiens on the Somme and Hazebrouck in Flanders.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Somme phase of the operation was called \"Operation Michael\" and in its early stages it swept all before it. Storm troopers armed with flamethrowers, the new Bergman sub-machine guns and hand grenades attacked on a narrow front to punch holes in the Allied defences and then flood through to rear areas.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOn the Somme the Germans broke through the British front and forced the British into retreat. The Australian Corps was rushed in to plug the gap, and the Australians reassured French civilians in one town, “\u003cem\u003eFini retreat, Madame, beaucoup Australiens ici\u003c/em\u003e” (\u003cem\u003eThe retreat is over, Madam, there are many Australians here\u003c/em\u003e). The 4th and 3rd Divisions were fed into the line by brigade rather than by division, in order to quickly plug gaps opening in the collapsing British line. The 4th Brigade held the line at Hebuterne, and the 10th and 11th Brigades at Morlancourt. The 9th Bde stopped the Germans before Villers Bretonneux, but the hardest fighting fell on the 12th and 13th Brigades on the railway embankment at Dernancourt. This was the strongest attack made against Australian troops in the War. The brigades held firm and counter-attacked effectively, and the Germans’ greatest offensive was stopped.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe 4th Division’s battles just before 2nd Dernancourt on 5 April 1918 were:\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e Hebuterne, 27 March-5 April 1918, 4th Brigade; and\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e 1st Dernancourt, 28 March 1918, 12th and 13th Brigades.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cimg src=\"//s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/rslvwm/comfy/cms/files/files/000/002/450/original/4th_Division_AIF.jpg\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch5 class=\"tiny-mce-align-center\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e4th Division Order of Battle\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h5\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"tiny-mce-align-left\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Battlefield\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe battlefield is in the shape of an 'amphitheatre' facing the 'stage' of the railway embankment with the town behind, where the Gerrmans assembled. It is described looking towards the railway embankment with the town beyond, from the centre of the 'amphitheatre'. The Dernancourt communal cemetery is on the right, forward of the embankment.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe attacking enemy was XXIII Reserve Corps. On the half left, the 79th Reserve Division. To the front, 50th Reserve Division, with 230th Reserve Infantry Regiment in the assault. To the half-right, 13th Division. \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Australians were outnumbered by about five to one. The \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/168\"\u003e47th Battalion\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/168)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e of the 12th Brigade was dug in to repel the 50th Reserve Division assault on the centre front. To the left, the \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/5\"\u003e48th Battalion\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/5)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e was dug in to repel the 79th Reserve Division assault. To the right rear, the \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/7\"\u003e52nd Battalion\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/7)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e of the 13th Brigade was dug in to repel the 13th Division assault. To the rear, \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/802\"\u003eHQ 12th Brigade\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/802)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e and the other two Battalions of the Brigade; the \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/250\"\u003e45th\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/250)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/128\"\u003e46th\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/128)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e. To their right rear, \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/474\"\u003eHQ 13th Brigade\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/474)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e and the other three Battalions of the Brigade; the \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/204\"\u003e49th\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/204)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/6\"\u003e50th\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/6)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"/explore/units/152\"\u003e51st\u003cspan class=\"link-domain\"\u003e (/explore/units/152)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eBattle Joined\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOn the morning of 5 April 1918, a dense mist restricted visibility to 180 metres. The German bombardment descended at 7:00 am. Three German divisions attacked in line, with a division pitched at each of the 47th (Qld, Tas) and 48th (WA, SA) Battalions. In the mist, the Australian signal flares could not be seen, and therefore the artillery bombardment that could have shattered the assault was not fired.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe German 261st and 262nd Reserve Infantry Regiments had little success against the 48th Battalion. This was a mighty feat of arms; for one battalion to stop two whole regiments, with another regiment in reserve. The most vulnerable sector of the defensive line however was that held by the 47th Battalion opposite Dernancourt. Of necessity, it was only thinly held by widely spaced platoons. The first two attacks by the 230th Reserve Infantry Regiment against the 47th Battalion’s positions on the railway embankment were repulsed, but the third swarmed over the embankment on both sides. Due to folds in the ground, the mist, and smoke from the German bombardment, the penetration was not observed, and the Germans were able to pour through the gap in their hundreds. The first news of this was when men of the 47th Battalion reported that their right company had been wiped out.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the Germans gained the 47th Battalion’s forward positions, they were able to enfilade the 52nd (Tas, SA, WA) Battalion, and make their vulnerable positions untenable. They also got behind the 48th Battalion in strength, and the Australian front line had to withdraw to avoid capture. Some Australians were holding out, and others had been sent forward to reinforce the front line. The situation was confusing.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe 47th, 48th and 52nd Battalions were then told that the 49th (Qld) Battalion would counter-attack, and that they should support it by fire and conform to its movements. The counter-attack commenced at 5:15 pm, with the 45th (NSW) Battalion on the 49th Battalion’s left. The soldiers knew that the 4th Division was fighting with its back to the wall, and Charles Bean described this counter-attack as “\u003cem\u003eone of the finest ever carried out by Australian troops\u003c/em\u003e”.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eMany of the counter-attackers were killed on leaving their trenches, and those who crossed the crest of the hill were met by machine gun fire, which one officer described as the heaviest he had ever known. They kept steadily on however until they were about 90 metres from their objective, when they charged with fixed bayonets. After hand-to-hand fighting, the enemy retreated in disorder, leaving behind prisoners and machine guns. Superior fighting qualities had told, and by 6:30 pm the Germans were in full flight. The counter-attack did not recapture the original positions down on the railway, but did recover the support lines. A German regimental history said “\u003cem\u003eThe enemy’s defence was so strong that a further advance was not to be thought of\u003c/em\u003e”.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe assault against the two brigades of the 4th Division at Dernancourt had been the strongest ever met by Australian troops, and given the necessarily dispersed defensive positions, was one of the most difficult to resist. Yet the Australians held, and the Germans were left with the bitter frustration that their strike against Amiens had failed. On 7 April the 12th Brigade was relieved and marched out. The Commanding Officer of the 48th Battalion noted, “\u003cem\u003eIt rained during the march, but the men marched well and sang most of the journey”.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe Australians suffered 1,259 casualties at Dernancourt, and were awarded the Battle Honour ‘Ancre 1918’.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Narrative by the late LtCol Peter Morrissey - used with his personal permission\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAn electrifying account of the battle is given in \"\u003cem\u003eBacks to the Wall\u003c/em\u003e\" by Captain George Mitchell, MC, DCM a colourful South Australian who had transferred from the 10th Battlion to the 48th after Gallipoli. He was commisioned after distinguishing himself at Bullecourt. Some excerpts are quoted in the stories section of this campaign page.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAlso noteworthy is the story of the '\u003cem\u003eHero of Dernancourt\u003c/em\u003e' Sergeant McDougal of the 47th and later the 48th Battalions who singlehandedly, on two occasions wrought such fearful toll on the attackers that their assault was broken. \"\u003cem\u003eThe prompt action of this non-commissioned officer saved the line and enabled the enemy's advance to be stopped\u003c/em\u003e\".\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eCompiled by Steve Larkins July 2015\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}