The Battle That Won the War: Bellenglise

Breaching the Hindenburg Line, 1918

Peter Rostron

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9781526711625
• eBook ISBN:
  9781526711649
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

It is no exaggeration to claim that 46th North Midland Divisions action on 29 September 1918 was the hammer blow that shattered the will of the German High Command.Painting the strategic picture from early 1918 and the dark weeks following the Germans March offensive, the Author lays the ground for the Allied counter-strike. Ahead of them was the mighty Hindenburg Line, the Kaisers formidable defensive obstacle given added strength by the St Quentin Canal.Undaunted the Allies attacked using American, Australian and British formations. Led by Major General Boyd, 46 Division stormed the Canal and, thanks to a combination of sound planning and determined courageous fighting, seized their Hindenburg Line objective by the end of the day.The psychological damage to the German will, already weakened by the failure of the Spring offensive, is demonstrate by Ludendorffs collapse and opening of negotiations that led five weeks later to the Armistice.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Plates
• List of Maps
• Preface
• Chapter 1 ‘I was not surprised … at the decision to remove me from the War Office’ Field Marshal Lord Robertson, on the events of February 1918
• Chapter 2 ‘There can be no question of going back a single step further. We must show … that any further attacks on the Hindenburg Line will be utterly broken, and that that line is an impregnable rampart.’ Order by Ludendorff, 1918
• Chapter 3 ‘The dead of the 5th Leicestershire Regt were lying with their rifles and bayonets still with them and with all wounds in front.’ War Diary, 5th Bn Leicestershire Regiment
• Chapter 4 ‘The inexperience of the Americans and the losses amongst their front-line officers both further contributed to their eventual, and it must be said, rapid disorganization.’ Dale Blair, The Battle of Bellicourt Tunnel
• Chapter 5 ‘Major General G.F. Boyd had a most attractive personality … When the 46th Division was placed in his hands he seized it as an expert swordsman seizes a priceless blade …with it he would leap to victory. And he did.’ John Milne, 4th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment
• Chapter 6 ‘The Division has been given the important and honourable task of forcing the Canal, breaking the Hindenburg Line and leading the IX Corps through, joining hands with the Americans coming from the NORTH. I am more than confident that you will all be equal to the occasion and win through.’ Major General G.F. Boyd, commanding 46th Division, 28 September 1918
• Chapter 7 ‘If the great Napoleon had been in Major-General Boyd’s boots on September 29th, 1918, he could not have handled the 46th Division more successfully.’ John Milne, 4th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment
• Chapter 8 ‘My Dear Mama and Papa, I am going to take part in a very big battle. I hope to get out OK, and that my luck holds good, and I acquit myself well.’ Captain Haward Thomas, 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters, 27 September 1918
• Chapter 9 ‘Only about 140 stretcher cases came through, mostly carried by Germans … Buck (C of E Chaplain Leicesters) was killed.’ Canon F.H. Drinkwater, Roman Catholic Chaplain 46th Division
• Chapter 10 ‘At Div HQ I heard the candid opinion of Sir J. Monash on their [the Americans’] prowess. Never have I heard such an elegant flow of language in the Army or out. He called them all the names under the sun – nothing was too bad for them.’ Arthur Marshall, Royal Engineers, 46th Division
• Chapter 11 ‘Here’ said Foch, ‘here is the immediate result of the British piercing the Hindenburg Line. The enemy has asked for an armistice’. Conversation between Haig and Foch, 6 October 1918
• Chapter 12 ‘Our Brigade Commander gave us a speech in a quiet spell, patting us on the back. “You boys have made history,” he said, “your deed today will never be forgotten.” I wonder.’ Corporal Parker, 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters.
• Epilogue: From Footprints of the 1/4th Leicestershire Regiment by John Milne
• Sources
• Plate section