Battle of Hamel – Combined Arms and a genuine, clever, Aussie Bastard:
Australian General Sir John Monash watches defeat:
French village of Le Hamel, World War 1. This is a story of defeat, despair, slaughter, setback and one clever Australian Bastard, General John Monash, who changed the course of the War. 21st March 1918, the Western Front France. Germany’s Spring Offensive commences. By close of day 20,000 British troops are dead, and 35,000 wounded. By the end of day two, the British 5th Army is in retreat. German General Erich Ludendorff launched his last role of the dice, committed all remaining resources into pushing Britain back into the sea, leaving France no choice but surrender. The Allies lost nearly 255,000 men (British, British Empire and French).
The intent of this article.
I’m going to discuss the following interrelated subjects: the Battle of Le Hamel, combined arms warfare, and the Australian General Sir John Monash. Yes, I will, where relevant, present the historical context. But this is not a Post about history as such. These are certainly interesting subjects, and I will provide links to articles I found informative. This article about the Battle of Le Hamel is a good start. So, what is my writing intent?
My intent is to explore how General Monash used existing weapons systems, but in creative new ways. How he advanced the theory and practice of combined arms warfare. How his planning and teamwork excelled previous processes. And also, his psychological understanding of his troops, his adored Aussie Diggers of the Australian Imperial Force.
And finally, I am briefly looking to draw historical lessons that may provide some insights into the future of the Ukraine conflict.
Retreat! It’s over, have we have failed?
After four years of slaughter and sacrifice, the Allies were going backward.
The German Spring Offensive artillery bombardment began at 4.40am on March 21. The bombardment hit targets over an area of 150 square miles (390 km2), the biggest barrage of the entire war. Allied troops receive 1,100,000 high explosive and gas shells in five hours. This will not be matched until the Russian attack on Berlin in 1945. So, an Army in retreat is finished? Not necessarily, it depends on issues such as morale, leadership and immediate planning.
The allies may have been in retreat, but they held – Just!
There is an immediate parallel in Ukraine. Ukraine has been fighting for three years. Their summer offensive of 2023, failed to obtain the forward momentum Ukraine and its supporting Nations hoped for. With United States support faltering, despite European ongoing efforts to increase theirs, Ukraine finds themselves much like the Allies in March 1918.
Retreat? – Nuts! It isn’t over till it’s over.
Allied forces will be shocked and shattered on the 21st of March 1918. But then leadership and teamwork kicked in. The retreat had generally been in good order. Small arms and heavy weapons were pulled back, alongside the exhausted but increasingly stiffening and determined troops. Additionally, the United States would soon enter the war, fresh new troops in the hundreds of thousands were arriving.
By comparison German ability to find new troops was close to expended. The Spring Offensive may have gone forward, but at shocking cost in men, and equipment, none of which was easily replaceable. German troop losses were 239,000 men, many of them specialist shock troops who were irreplaceable. Shock troops created by taking the best, strongest, most experienced troops from other units. With such troops destroyed, Germany’s remaining units are largely composed of demoralized and exhausted old men, 18-year-old boys and the previously crippled and lame.
Allied troops also had the advantage of retreating back through country they knew; they had been here before. Back to previously prepared defensive positions. Their supply lines grew shorter and more reliable with abundant United States food, fuel, weapons, and machinery. Putin would do himself a favour and reflect on these typical issues when those you attack retreat.
The Spring Offensive Stalls.
In terms of morale, the initial German jubilation at the successful opening of the offensive soon turned to disappointment, as it became clear that the attack had not achieved decisive results. The German advance was through unfamiliar country. Land devastated by their own artillery. (Sound familiar Mr. Putin?) Supply lines grew longer. And actual food and weapons supplies to bring forward increasingly lacking. It was not only the German soldier who was hungry, their horses were equally worn out. Yes, the German Army of WW1 was not the mechanized instrument we recognize today. If you wanted food and ammunition, old Brandenburger had to haul it to you – Assuming someone didn’t eat him on the way!
General John Monash strikes back.
4th July 1918, Le Hamel France. German soldiers panic, with approaching British tanks, they leap unarmed from trenches, raise their hands, prepare to have their property ransacked by the rampaging Australian Infantry. Many already have their watches off, prepared to hand these to smirking, smoking, and aggressive Aussie Diggers. As Winston Churchill would later say:
“I love a man who smirks whilst he fights”.
Winston Churchill
As General Rommel would later say, “Only these bloody Australians steal whilst they fight”. The Australian digger of World War 1 was notoriously vicious in combat but usually friendly and caring to opponents when they surrendered. Well, after they had relieved them of their watches and ‘souvenirs’. Australians were the primary infantry at the Battle of Le Hamel, though for the first time in the War, American forces took part. My Countrymen of WW1, justifiably stand front and centre in the Aussie National Myth. I explore such myths at this link.
A tale of two Generals – One lost in past wars, the other just knew how to do stuff.
The German high command is as wild as a hessian bag full of kittens, they have just been informed all the gains of the Spring Offensive are lost. And indeed, Australian forces have runover and recaptured Le Hamel, German General Erich Ludendorff screams, “Der schwarze Tag!” – The Black Day of the German Army.
So, what happened in these 3 months 21st March 1918 to 4th July 1918? Australian General Sir John Monash happened!
The Australian War Memorial has short biography of Sir John, linked here.
General John Monash has a Plan.
John Monash had been seeing slaughter since going ashore at Gallipoli in 1915. In August 1915 Gallipoli, 600 Australian Light Horseman conducted a bayonet attack on the Turkish line in the infamous ‘Nek Battle’. They attacked in three waves minutes apart. They only needed to run 20 metres to get at the Turks. But a failed artillery bombardment left them exposed. The first wave will run to their slaughter. So, they sent the second, and the third, they too are mown down. My Grandfathers generation suffered 400 dead in minutes, not one Turk was injured. Turkish troops were heard to yell, ‘Don’t come, stop!”
With such motivations, General Monash adopted the principle, “Infantry should not have to fight their way forward on their own”. We would recognise this as a ‘Combined Arms Offensive’.
One clever Aussie Bastard, who swam against the tide of military thinking.
Sir John’s development and refinement of what we would now call ‘Combined Arms’, contributed to the conclusion of WW1. He described his view of his precious Australian Infantry:
“The true role of infantry was not to expend itself upon heroic physical effort, not to wither away under merciless machine-gun fire, not to impale itself on hostile bayonets. On the contrary, it was to advance under the maximum possible protection of an array of mechanical resources: Artillery, machine-guns, tanks, mortars, and aeroplanes. The goal was to advance with as little impediment as possible, relieving them of the obligation to fight their way forward.”
Australian General Sir John Monash, 1919.
Combined Arms – A concept as old as Alexander the Great.
Combined arms hit the enemy with two or more arms simultaneously in such a manner that the actions he must take to defend himself from one make him more vulnerable to another. In the case of Le Hamel, General Monash’s plan combined aircraft, tanks, artillery, and his beloved Australian Infantry. However, combined arms as a concept existed in the Ancient World, for instance.
Phillip II of Macedon (390BC), Alexander the Greats father, combined the Macedonian phalanx with heavy cavalry and other forces. The phalanx would hold the opposing line in place, until the heavy cavalry could smash and break the enemy line by achieving local superiority.
Combined Arms Norman Tactics changed British History.
At the Battle of Hastings (1066AD) British infantry fighting from behind a shield wall were defeated by a Norman army consisting of archers, infantry, and cavalry. One of the tactics used by the Normans was to tempt the English to leave the shield wall to attack retreating Norman infantry only to destroy them in the open with cavalry under a creeping barrage put up by Norman Archers.
The concept of Combined Arms time travelled down to us. This ability of historical fact and concept, to travel across time and place, is but one reason I find history so fascinating. I explain my views on Time Travel and history at this link.
General John Monash certainly did not invent the Combined Arms concept, so what did he do?
General Sir John Monash’s contribution:
By July 1918 the Australian and New Zealanders (ANZAC) forces were fighting as their own units, under command of their own officers. The much-promoted John Monash was now in control at Le Hamel. This change came in consequence of events such as the Gallipoli Battle of the Nek. Previously ANZAC forces were subjugated to British control. The lads from Downunder didn’t like the results!
Some of the combined arm’s tactics employed at Le Hamel had been practiced before. There was nothing new about tanks or creeping artillery barrages. The Allies and indeed Germany and Turkey were trying all manner of innovations to get this war done. Admitting my Aussie bias, history seems to prove that John Monash’s contribution is indeed:
- The extent and quality of coordination, planning and control of combined arms assets;
- The training implemented in building teamwork between British tanks and Aussie infantry;
- Reserve tanks will carry ammunition and supplies forward, and return with the wounded; and
- The dropping of ammunition by aircraft.
Coordination, planning and control of Combined Arms Assets.
Determined to reduce any confusion or doubts, Monash held multiple staff conferences to initiate and discuss proposals and decide on the best course of action. As the plans developed further, and became more complex, more officers were added to provide expertise. The final conference at Bertangles on 30 June included 250 officers, 133 agenda items, and ran for 4 hours and 20 minutes. This is far cry from the earlier tactic such as: “At H Hour I will blow a whistle and you will all run headlong into the interlocked arcs of multiple machine guns“.
Monash’s exemplary planning and logistical skill reflects his civilian life of a civil engineer. He understood both science, mathematics, and the logistical imperative to have things where needed in the correct order. John certainly had an ego, he knew he was the boss, would not hesitate to let you know that fact. But teamwork was his objective, he delegated, he went looking for people who knew what he didn’t.
In his memoir, Lieutenant Rule of the 4th Australian Division describes a pre-Le Hamel Orders Group that would be at home in 2024 in Sandhurst, West Point, or Duntroon.
“We were given our plans and orders, and conference followed conference, until we all had our part down pat; each knew what his brother officer had to do and could take command in case of anyone else getting ‘cracked’ (killed). The men then familiarized themselves with a terrain model of the Hamel area to better understand their unit’s role in the coming days”.
Lt Edgar J. Rule, Jacka’s mob. 1933
British Tanks and Aussie Infantry – Deep seated mistrust.
Allied tanks, the Mark I, were first used in action on the morning of 15 September 1916 during the Somme Offensive. The Battle of Hamel would see the introduction of the Mark V.
General John Monash understood the unique personality of his Australian diggers. For instance, he knew well their refusal to salute British officers, after all he’d received plenty of demands for their punishment. A constant military offence that made the British officer’s ‘Sam Brownes’ glow red! Monash, like most Australian and New Zealand officers, simply ignored the issue. They knew well that when it came to fighting, and application of the 2 1/2-foot bayonet, few could rampage like the ANZAC’s. Monash also knew his Australians were cynical of tanks after their experience at Bullecourt in April 1917.
Charles Bean, war correspondent, and author of the definitive ‘Official history of Australia in the war of 1914–1918’ said of the Australians experience with tanks as Bullecourt:
“The tanks were to advance in front of the infantry, crushing wire and clearing enemy resistance. Unfortunately, four of the eight tanks intended to support the Australians, were late, disabled, or broke down; and the Germans had been alerted by the approach of the tanks. The Australians withered under intense machine-gun fire along insufficiently broken entanglements without a single tank ahead of it to clear a passage. The failure of the tanks placed the infantry at unnecessary risk and contributed to over 3,000 casualties. This led to a deep-seated distrust in the tanks. This intense bitterness was grounded in the fact that the whole tanks experiment had been based on a gross overestimate of the tanks capabilities.”
Charles Bean. 1919.
General Monash has some work to do.
The Monash dilemma – How to get cynical and distrustful Aussies to work with something they despise?
The introduction of the Mark V in mid-1918 culminated advancements in tank technology. This tank could move as fast as a running infantryman,
was driven by one man (as opposed to four), had better visibility, and dramatically increased mobility. All useless if the Australian infantry would not work with them, did not trust them. What about these ideas thought Monash:
- Each Australian unit will have its own designated tanks. The tanks will carry the Australian units markings;
- Furthermore, the British Tank crews will start living with the Australians. Extra rum rations all round. You bloody ripper!
- A training location will be established: trenches constructed, strongpoints, and wire entanglements to demonstrate to the Australians the capability of the tanks in overcoming them; and
- A bell system will allow Australians to communicate with the tank commander; Thus, the Australian troops will communicate as they advance with the tanks and mark with phosphorous grenades what resistance they wanted eliminated.
Amateurs discuss tactics, professionals discuss logistics.
Since his experience at Gallipoli, Monash had seen his Australian’s storm and cease ground, at tremendous cost and sacrifice. Such ground was then abandoned because of the inability to resupply. Resupply required men to manhandle ammunition, food water, hessian bags and barbed wire across a destroyed battlefield. A broken battlefield exposed to artillery, machine gun and sniper fire – More casualties. Monash’s solution – Some of the sixty provided Mark V tanks, will do nothing but haul critical supplies, on return they can bring back the wounded.
Simple practical solutions, just what you would expect from a civil engineer. Ok, what’s the next problem?
Hey mate, do you think that RE8 Aircraft can drop some tobacco along with the ammo?
General Monash had air support in the form of two squadrons of the Australian Royal Flying Corp (RFC), equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8s. They provided the usual support: Trench strafing, reconnaissance, suppressing counter battery fire, and so on.
General Monash needed more, and with planning, creativity and some practice they used the following solutions during the Hamel Battle:
- The RFC will use precisely the same maps in intelligence collection and reconnaissance as Monash’s staff officers;
- Thus, upon dropping such completed maps back to HQ, such intel can expeditiously be used in the battles conduct;
- The RFC will parachute drop ammunition from their bomb racks as required direct to fighting troops; and
- (Off course that had never been done before! Another clever bastard worked out how)
- Aircraft will fly artillery suppression fire in support of the tanks.
93 Minutes! You mean it actually worked! General John Monash never had a doubt.
The Battle of Le Hamel was a small battle, an experiment in the possible. Monash’s experiment in how cynical, hardened, Australian infantry might actually work effectively with British tanks. Reliable resupply from tanks and ammunitions drops from aircraft will sustain offensive advance.
While a coordinated offensive was not a new approach to warfare, Hamel represented the culmination of three years of learning and innovation on the Western Front, testing an all-inclusive approach to mobile warfare. The flawless execution of the operation resulted in Hamel becoming a model for future operations on the Western Front. Monash described his battle plan:
“The perfected modern battle plan is like nothing so much as a score for an orchestral composition, where the various arms and units are the instruments, and the tasks they perform are their respective musical phrases.”
General Sir John Monash, ‘The Australian victories in France in 1918’.
The Australian diggers will achieve all Monash’s strategic objectives in 93 Minutes. Three minutes over that allocated by General Sir John Monash!
As for the ultimate objective, stopping this slaughter:
World War 1, the guns fell silent on 11th November 1918.
Lest we forget.
John Monash – Civil Engineer, Combined Arms General, and British Knight: Time Traveller.
I intended to offer more of Sir John’s wisdom, but I have largely summarized all there is. For directly after WW1 Monash simply returned to his normal Job, that of a Civil Engineer. See John was the epitome of the Citizen Soldier, in 1914 he was an Officer in the Army Militia, we might understand it better as Army Reserve, Territorial Army or National Guard. By 1920 he was back in Australia building power systems, roads, and bridges.
John Monash was a hero to my Grandparents, and Parents generation.
He even appears on the Aussie $100 note:
I would be surprised if my kids had any idea. He has a university named after him, and several academic prizes.
In times of emergency, Citizens become excellent soldiers, we have seen that with Ukraine’s warriors of both sexes. But warriors require Leadership, and Leadership that will swim against the tide of status quo thinking. Perhaps a Leader, who says, “No thanks, I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition”.
We must not give up on Ukraine, we just need some clever bastard, to empower a unified effective plan, and see it executed.
When I see video of one solitary Ukrainian Bradley Fighting vehicle, taking on three Russian heavy battle tanks – And I consider how Ukrainian’s took existing domestic drone technology, and commenced destroying Putin’s oil capacity, having sunk 30% of his Black Sea Navy, well:
I think Australian General John Monash would smile and say: “It’s not over whilst some Bastard still has a clever Plan”.
