What happened at the Battle of Hamel? (first time US/Australian troops fought together 7/4/1918)

SBS (Australia) ^ | 3rd July 2018

[naturalman1975]

At precisely 3.10am, the guns thundered into life and the soldiers rose, lit up cigarettes and followed the booming artillery barrage into battle, their objective a French village named Le Hamel.

As dawn loomed it was all over. The village had fallen, casualties were mercifully light (by World War One standards) and victory was complete.

In his detailed planning, Australian commander Lieutenant General John Monash calculated this would take 90 minutes. It actually took 93.

The Battle of Hamel, fought on July 4, 1918, was a sign of what was to come as allied forces achieved battlefield mastery after three years of trench warfare marked by frightful casualties for minimal gains.

.....

Hamel had another feature - Americans. Hamel was to be their first action, with the diggers mentoring these newcomers on the battlefield.

It was for precisely that reason that Monash picked July 4 - American Independence Day.

Initially about 1000 were to participate but US commander General John Pershing objected, insisting that most and then all be withdrawn.

Monash drew the line - either the Americans were in or he would cancel the attack.

.....

Compared with earlier battles, Australian casualties were light - about 1400 dead and wounded, while 45 of the accompanying Americans were killed.

[familyop]

Thank you, real men of Australia (from a man in the U.S.A.).

[familyop]

I was not mobilized to combat, by the way. But there’s nothing like digging a foxhole to work up a good sweat and having bugs attracted to the sweat while sleeping for an hour in the foxhole before night moves. ;-)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks naturalman1975. Just adding, not pinging.

[naturalman1975]

Part of the reason I joined the Navy. At least if you go into combat (I never did beyond a few border patrol incidents with people who didn’t like the idea of being boarded) you have probably had a decent sleep in a real bunk and a good hot meal.