Battle of Havrincourt

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Havrincourt
partof=The Hundred Days Offensive, on the Western Front (World War I)


caption=
date=September 12, 1918
place=Havrincourt, France
casus=
territory=
result=British victory
combatant1=flagicon|UK United Kingdom
flagicon|New Zealand New Zealand
combatant2=flagicon|German Empire German Empire
commander1=flagicon|UK Julian Byng
commander2=Unknown
strength1=3 divisions
strength2=4 divisions
casualties1=unknown
casualties2=unknown
notes=

The Battle of Havrincourt was a World War I battle fought on September 12, 1918, involving the British Third Army (under the command of General Sir Julian Byng) against German troops, including those of the 3rd and 10th Corps, in the town of Havrincourt, France.

Three divisions of Third Army attacked the village of Havrincourt; the 62nd Division, New Zealand Division and 2nd Division. Defending Havrincourt were four German divisions, from the 3rd and 10th Corps. In the normal course of events, 62 Division would not have been there but they had been given the Havrincourt sector out of respect for their performance there in 1917.

In 1918, despite their numerical superiority and strong fortifications within the town, the Germans were unable to hold their position and by the day's end Havricourt was in British hands. The victory was not particularly showy or impressive, but it highlighted a growing lack of fighting spirit among the German soldiers on the Western Front. While some took no notice of this small battle, others noted its significance - indeed, Byng himself saw it as a turning point of sorts;

:"He reckons his most important day with the 3rd Army to have been the capture of Havrincourt by the 56th Divisionref|division in September 1918. He supported it quickly with two other divisions, and the Boches threw two of the old Vionville divisions of their 3rd and 10th Corps, Brandenburgers and Hanoverians, against him with two more in reserve. They were well beaten, and the heart was out of the enemy afterwards." - as recounted by Colonel Charles à Court Repington.

This victory encouraged Field Marshal Douglas Haig to approve an attack on Epéhy the following day, along with other operations to prepare for the assault on the Hindenburg Line.

References

*cite web
author = Michael Duffy
year = 2001
url = http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/havrincourt.htm
title = Battles: The Battle of Havrincourt, 1918
format =
work =
publisher =
accessdate = 2006-02-03
*cite book
first = John
last = Terraine
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1978
month =
title = To Win A War: 1918 The Year Of Victory
chapter =
editor =
others =
edition =
pages =
publisher = Cassell & Co
location =
id = ISBN 0-304-35321-3
url =
*cite web
author = Chris Baker
year = Unknown
url = http://www.1914-1918.net/bat30.htm
title = British Order of Battle: The Battles of the Hindenburg Line
format =
work =
publisher =
accessdate = 2006-02-03

Notes

# - a mistake on the part either of Byng or of Repington, as it was actually the 62nd Division.