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Australians Deployed on the Western Front
In March 1916, the Australian Imperial Force was moved to France to fight on the Western Front. The 5th division was the first to encounter Germans on the 19th July 1916. -
The Battle of Fromelles
Starting on 19 July 1916, the battle of Fromelles was the first major battle fought by Australian troops on the Western Front, aiming to stop the Germans from reinforcing their unit on the Somme. This attack was unsuccessful, with the Australians alone suffering over 5500 casualties. -
Battle of Pozières
On Sunday 23 July, the Australian 1st division attacked and seized the German front, reaching Pozières an hour later. The Australian 2nd division took over Pozières by 27 July, and failed the following attack on Pozières heights, suffering 3500 casualties. Attacking again, the Australian 2nd division seized Pozières heights. After this, the Australian 4th division reached Mouquet Farm after 10 days. -
Battle of Mouquet Farm
Between 8 August and 3 September 1916, Three Australian Divisions made nine attacks on the Germans on Mouquet Farm, near the high ground of Pozieres ridge. Suffering the loss of over 11,000 casualties, none of the attacks succeeded in capturing or holding the farm. -
The Battle of Arras
On 9 April 1917, the British forces attacked Arras to draw the German reserves away from a planned French attack. During the battle, Australian forces attacked near the town of Bullecourt (the southern flank of the main advance), and 12 kilometers south-east of Arras. Although the attack was a success, the planned French offensive was a failure. -
Battle of Messines
The battle commenced a few minutes after 3am on 7 June 1917 with the detonation of mines planted under the German trenches. The mines obliterated the German front line, leaving the survivors stunned. Unopposed over much of the front, the Allied forces easily captured the ridge and thousands of prisoners. The Australians were withdrawn in July to fight at the Battle of Ypres in September. -
Third Battle of Ypres
In the countryside near Ypres, Australians fought in one of their most costly campaigns of World War I. Most of them were killed or wounded, with over 38,000 (Australian) casualties. After eight British attacks over more than 3 months, Canadian troops captured Passchendaele early in November, marking the end of the offensive and the failure of the British plan. -
Spring Offensive
After the Third Battle of Ypres, the Australians held the Messines-Wytschaete sector and prepared defences for an expected German attack in spring. Between 21 March and 5 April 1918, the German Imperial Army mounted the Spring Offensive, driving British forces west towards Amiens. On 4 April, the Germans nearly captured the town of Villers-Bretonneux, but the Australian and British troops prevented German success. -
The Battle of Amiens
From 8 -12 August 1918, The battle of Amiens was a decisive Allied victory which marked the beginning of the Hundred Days Campaign, leading to the defeat of the German army on the Western Front and the end of WWI -
Last Australian left the Western Front
On the 5th October 1918, the last Australian divisions were withdrawn from the Western Front after capturing Montbrehain village por a period of rest and refitting.