Battle of Mont St. Quentin

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Mont St. Quentin
partof=the Western Front of World War I
Hundred Days Offensive : Second Battle of the Somme (1918)


caption="Mount St Quentin" painting by Arthur Streeton (1918)
date=31 August 1918 – 3 September 1918
place=Mont St. Quentin, near Péronne
Picardie, France
result= Allied victory
combatant1=flagicon|UK British Empire
*
combatant2=
commander1=
commander2=
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=Twenty percent of the attacking force were listed as casualtiescite web | url = http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww1/france/mont-quentin.htm | title = Mont St Quentin | work = Western Front | publisher = www.diggerhistory.info | accessdate = 2007-08-31]
casualties2=

The Battle of Mont St. Quentin was a battle on the Western Front during World War I. As part of the Allied counteroffensives on the Western Front in the late summer of 1918, the Australian Corps crossed the Somme River on the night of August 31, and broke the German lines at Mont St Quentin and Péronne. The British Fourth Army's commander, General Henry Rawlinson, described the Australian advances of August 31 – September 4 as the greatest military achievement of the war.cite web | url = http://www.awm.gov.au/1918/battles/mtstquentin.htm | title = Mont St Quentin and Péronne | work = Australian Victories: 1918 Australians in France | publisher = Australian War Memorial | accessdate = 2007-08-31] During the battle Australian troops stormed, seized and held the key height of Mont St Quentin (overlooking Péronne), a pivotal German defensive position on the line of the Somme.

Background

The Allies were pursuing the Germans, and the greatest obstacle to crossing the Somme River in pursuit was Mont St. Quentin which, situated in a bend of the river, dominated the whole position. Mont St Quentin was only 100 metres high but was a key to the German defence of the Somme line, and the last German stronghold. It overlooked the Somme River approximately 1.5 kilometres north of Péronne. Its location made it an ideal observation point, and strategically, the hill's defences guarded the north and western approaches to the town. [cite web | year = 2005 | url = http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/print.asp?id=1049 | title = The Battle for Mont St Quentin: 31 August 1918 – 3 September 1918 | work = | publisher = Penrith City Council Library Service, Penrith City Council| accessdate = 2007-08-31 ]

Battle

to cross a series of marshes to attack the heights. This plan failed when the assaulting troops could not cross the marshes. After this initial setback, Monash manœuvred his divisions in the only free manœuvre battle of any consequence undertaken by the Australians on the Western Front. [Fidge, AC. 2003. [http://www.defence.gov.au/adc/docs/Publications/Geddes%20Papers%202003/05%20Sir%20John%20Monash_Major%20Fidge.pdf Sir John Monash – An effective and competent commander?] . Australian Defence College, [http://www.defence.gov.au/ADC/hqadc_geddes2.htm Geddes Papers] ]

Australians of the Second Division crossed to the north bank of the Somme River on the evening of 30 August. At 5 am on 31 August 1918, supported by artillery, two Australian battalions, charged up Mont St Quentin. The Germans quickly surrendered and the Australians continued to the main German trench-line. In the rear, other Australians crossed the Somme by a bridge which Australian engineers had saved and repaired. The Australians were unable to hold their gains on Mont St Quentin and German reserves regained the crest. However, the Australians held on just below the summit and next day it was recaptured and firmly held. On that day also, 1 September 1918, Australian forces broke into Péronne and took most of the town. The next day it completely fell into Australian hands. In three days the Australians lost 3000 casualties but ensured a general German withdrawal eastwards back to the Hindenburg Line. [cite web|url = http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/battlefields/mont-st-quentin-peronne-1918.html|title = Mont St Quentin – Péronne 31 August – 2 September 1918 |publisher = Australian Government: Department of Veterans' Affairs together with Board of Studies NSW| work = Australians on the Western Front 1914–1918| date = 12 February 2008|accessdate = 2008-08-18]

Aftermath

Looking back after the event, Monash accounted for the success by the wonderful gallantry of the men, the rapidity with which the plan was carried out, and the sheer daring of the attempt. In his "Australian Victories in France", Monash pays tribute to the commander of the 2nd Division, Major-general Charles Rosenthal, who was in charge of the operation. But Monash and his staff were responsible for the conception of the project and the working out of the plans. [Serle, Percival (1949). " [http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogMa-Mo.html#monash1 Monash, John] ". "Dictionary of Australian Biography". Sydney: Angus and Robertson.]

The Allied victory at the Battle of Mont St Quentin dealt a strong blow to five German divisions, including the elite 2nd German Guard Division. As the position overlooked much of the terrain east of Mont St. Quentin, it guaranteed that the Germans would not be able to stop the allies west of the Hindenburg Line (the same position from which the Germans had launched their offensive in the spring). 2,600 prisoners were taken at a cost of slightly over 3,000 casualties.

The following soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross for their role in the battle:
*Albert David Lowerson, 21st Battalion, originally from Myrtleford, Victoria
*Robert MacTier, 23rd Battalion, originally from Tatura, Victoria
*Edgar Thomas Towner, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, from Blackall, Queensland

All three men were with the Australian 2nd Division.

References

External links

*cite web | url = http://www.awm.gov.au/units/event_63.asp | title = Mont St Quentin: Australian Military Units | publisher = Australian War Memorial | accessdate = 2007-08-31
*cite web | year = 2007 | url = http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/mont_st_quentin/index.html | title = Mont St Quentin, 2nd Australian Division Memorial | work = Australians on the Western Front: 1914–1918 | publisher = Australian Department of Veteran's Affairs and Board of Studies NSW | accessdate = 2007-08-31