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The Resource Victory at Villers-Bretonneux : why a French town will never forget the Anzacs, Peter FitzSimons ; [maps chiefly by Jane Macauley]

Victory at Villers-Bretonneux : why a French town will never forget the Anzacs, Peter FitzSimons ; [maps chiefly by Jane Macauley]

Creator
Author
Illustrator
Contributor
Summary
It's early 1918, and after four brutal years, the fate of the Great War hangs in the balance. On the one hand, the fact that Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks have seized power in Russia - immediately suing for peace with Germany - means that no fewer than one million of the Kaiser's soldiers can now be transferred from there to the Western Front. On the other, now that America has entered the war, it means that two million American soldiers are also on their way, to tip the scales of war to the Allies. The Germans, realising that their only hope is striking at the Allied lines first, do exactly that, and on the morning of 21 March 1918, the Kaiserschlacht, the Kaiser's battle, is launched - the biggest set-piece battle the world has ever seen. Across a 45-mile front, no fewer than two million German soldiers hurl themselves at the Allied lines, with the specific intention of splitting the British and French forces, and driving all the way through to the town of Villers-Bretonneux, at which point their artillery will be able to rain down shells on the key train-hub town of Amiens, thus throttling the Allied supply lines. For nigh on two weeks, the plan works brilliantly, and the Germans are able to advance without check, as the exhausted British troops flee before them, together with tens of thousands of French refugees. In desperation, the British commander, General Douglas Haig, calls upon the Australian soldiers to stop the German advance, and save Villers-Bretonneux. If the Australians can hold this, the very gate to Amiens, then the Germans will not win the war. 'It's up to us, then,' one of the Diggers writes in his diary. Arriving at Villers-Bretonneux just in time, the Australians are indeed able to hold off the Germans, launching a vicious counterattack that hurls the Germans back the first time. And then, on Anzac Day 1918, when the town falls after all to the British defenders, it is again the Australians who are called on to save the day, the town, and the entire battle. Not for nothing does the primary school at Villers-Bretonneux have above every blackboard, to this day, 'N'oublions jamais, l'Australie.' Never forget Australia. And they never have
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xx, 764 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Isbn
9781742759524
Instance
Label
Victory at Villers-Bretonneux : why a French town will never forget the Anzacs
Title
Victory at Villers-Bretonneux
Title remainder
why a French town will never forget the Anzacs
Statement of responsibility
Peter FitzSimons ; [maps chiefly by Jane Macauley]
Creator
Contributor
Author
Illustrator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
It's early 1918, and after four brutal years, the fate of the Great War hangs in the balance. On the one hand, the fact that Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks have seized power in Russia - immediately suing for peace with Germany - means that no fewer than one million of the Kaiser's soldiers can now be transferred from there to the Western Front. On the other, now that America has entered the war, it means that two million American soldiers are also on their way, to tip the scales of war to the Allies. The Germans, realising that their only hope is striking at the Allied lines first, do exactly that, and on the morning of 21 March 1918, the Kaiserschlacht, the Kaiser's battle, is launched - the biggest set-piece battle the world has ever seen. Across a 45-mile front, no fewer than two million German soldiers hurl themselves at the Allied lines, with the specific intention of splitting the British and French forces, and driving all the way through to the town of Villers-Bretonneux, at which point their artillery will be able to rain down shells on the key train-hub town of Amiens, thus throttling the Allied supply lines. For nigh on two weeks, the plan works brilliantly, and the Germans are able to advance without check, as the exhausted British troops flee before them, together with tens of thousands of French refugees. In desperation, the British commander, General Douglas Haig, calls upon the Australian soldiers to stop the German advance, and save Villers-Bretonneux. If the Australians can hold this, the very gate to Amiens, then the Germans will not win the war. 'It's up to us, then,' one of the Diggers writes in his diary. Arriving at Villers-Bretonneux just in time, the Australians are indeed able to hold off the Germans, launching a vicious counterattack that hurls the Germans back the first time. And then, on Anzac Day 1918, when the town falls after all to the British defenders, it is again the Australians who are called on to save the day, the town, and the entire battle. Not for nothing does the primary school at Villers-Bretonneux have above every blackboard, to this day, 'N'oublions jamais, l'Australie.' Never forget Australia. And they never have
http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/bookUI
10548990
Cataloging source
YDXCP
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
FitzSimons, Peter
Dewey number
940.4144
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • maps
  • portraits
  • plates
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorName
Macauley, Jane
http://library.link/vocab/resourcePreferred
True
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • World War, 1914-1918
http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/titleRemainder
why a French town will never forget the Anzacs
Label
Victory at Villers-Bretonneux : why a French town will never forget the Anzacs, Peter FitzSimons ; [maps chiefly by Jane Macauley]
Instantiates
Publication
Copyright
Bibliography note
Includes bibiliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • text
  • still image
  • cartographic image
Content type code
  • txt
  • sti
  • cri
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
Control code
ocn953495535
Dimensions
25 cm.
Extent
xx, 764 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Isbn
9781742759524
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations, maps, portraits
System control number
(OCoLC)953495535
Label
Victory at Villers-Bretonneux : why a French town will never forget the Anzacs, Peter FitzSimons ; [maps chiefly by Jane Macauley]
Publication
Copyright
Bibliography note
Includes bibiliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • text
  • still image
  • cartographic image
Content type code
  • txt
  • sti
  • cri
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
Control code
ocn953495535
Dimensions
25 cm.
Extent
xx, 764 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Isbn
9781742759524
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations, maps, portraits
System control number
(OCoLC)953495535

Subject

Library Locations

    • Lionel Bowen Library and Community CentreBorrow it
      669-673 Anzac Parade, Marouba, NSW, 2035, AU
      -33.938111 151.237977
    • Margaret Martin LibraryBorrow it
      Level 1, Royal Randwick Shopping Centre, Randwick, NSW, 2031, AU
      -33.9151421 151.2408898

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