The battles of Bullecourt 1917 / David Coombes
- Bib ID:
- 7384170
- Format:
- Book
- Author:
- Coombes, David, author
- Description:
-
- Canberra, ACT : Army History Unit, 2017
- ©2017
- vii, 185 pages : illustrations (some colour), colour maps, portraits (some colour) ; 24 cm.
- ISBN:
- 9781925520248 (paperback)
- Series:
- Australian Army campaigns series ; Book 17.
- Summary:
-
"In April-May 1917 the sleepy hamlet of Bullecourt in northern France became the focus of two battles involving Australian and British troops. Given the unique place in this nation's military history that both battles occupy, surprisingly little has been written on the AIF's achievements at Bullecourt. The First Battle of Bullecourt marked the Australians' introduction to the latest battlefield weapon - the tank. This much-lauded weapon failed dismally amid enormous casualties. Despite this, two infantry brigades from the 4th Australian Division captured parts of the formidable Hindenburg Line with minimal artillery and tank support, repulsing German counter-attacks until forced to withdraw. In the second battle, launched with a preliminary artillery barrage, more Australian divisions were forced into the Bullecourt 'meat-grinder' and casualties soared to over 7000. Again Australian soldiers fought hard to capture parts of the enemy line and hold them against savage counter-attacks. Bullecourt became a charnel-house for the AIF. Many who had endured the nightmare of Pozieres considered Bullecourt far worse. And for what? While Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig considered its capture 'among the great achievements of the war', the village that cost so many lives held no strategic value whatsoever." --Back cover.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliography (pages 177-178) and index.
- Subject:
-
- Great Britain. Army. Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
- Australia. Army. Australian Imperial Force (1914-1921)
- Bullecourt, Battle of, Bullecourt, France, 1917
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, Australian
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- France
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Tank warfare
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Trench warfare
- Bullecourt (France) -- History, Military
- Australian
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
You may copy under some circumstances, for example you may copy a portion for research or study. Order a copy through Copies Direct to the extent allowed under fair dealing. Contact us for further information about copying.
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Published status:
- Published
- Publication date:
- 2017
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
Request this item
Request this item to view in the Library’s reading room.
Feedback
Similar items
- Bullecourt 1917 : breaching the Hindenburg line / Paul Kendall
- Bloody Bullecourt / David Coombes
- Bullecourt Anzac Day services 2017
- A greater sum of sorrow : the battles of Bullecourt / David Coombes
- Vie et mort des Francais 1914-1918 : simple histoire de la grand guerre / by Andre Ducasse, Jacques Meyer, Gabriel Perreux ; presentation de Maurice Genevoix