Headstone of an unknown Australian soldier buried in High Wood Cemetery. © 2013 by John M. Shea

A Soldier of the Great War

An Australian Regiment

Known Unto God

Imperial Australian Forces

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Sunday, September 1, 1918

". . . as dawn broke violent attacks were launched up the slopes of Mont St. Quentin — and owing to the ferocity with which the battle was fought, the enemy's attention became gradually concentrated there. Australians of the 54th Battalion thus found their way into Péronne practically unimpeded, and by 8.40 a.m. they were established in the centre of the town, having cleared all points of resistance in the southern and western quarters. . . .

For the remainder of that day (September 1st [1918]) the German troops counterattacked both positions fiercely, but were unable to beat the Australians out of the positions they had already won . . ."

Quotation Context

The Germans successfully defending Mont St. Quentin, and having lost much of Péronne, shifted some of the forces from the former to the latter, allowing the Australians to overrun the trenches and village of Mont St. Quentin. The last of the Germans defending Péronne retreated on September 2 after having been outflanked by the Australian 15th Brigade.

Source

1918, the Last Act by Barrie Pitt, page 217, copyright © 1962 by Barrie Pitt, publisher: Ballantine Books, Inc., publication date: 1963

Tags

1918-09-01, 1918, September, Peronne, Péronne, Mont St. Quentin, Australia, Australians, unknown Australian