The Last 100 Days

The Last 100 Days: A Turning Point in World War I In March 1918, with sixty divisions recently transferred from the Eastern Front and fearing an American army landing in France, Germany launched a series of battles against the Australians. This led to a series of engagements from late March through to late April 1918, culminating in the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux and the saving of Amiens, and ultimately Paris, from German occupation. The turning point came with the Australian attack on the French village of Le Hamel, where General John Monash's tactics led to a swift victory. Given just 90 minutes to reach their objective, the Australians achieved this in 93 minutes, with low casualties. This victory marked a significant shift in the course of the war and influenced Allied tactics for months to come. The Australian contribution continued beyond Le Hamel, driving the Germans back across France and into the Hindenburg Line. The last Australian infantry action took place at Montbrehain in early October, but tunnellers remained active until the end of hostilities on 11 November 1918, including a daring operation to lay down a metal tank bridge under fire.