Headstones from the Laventie German Military Cemetery, Laventie, France of territorial guard Alfred Schirmer and Corporal Albert Levy. Schirmer died on August 8, 1918, Levy on August 10, both likely in the Battle of Amiens. © 2013 by John M. Shea

Alfred Schirmer

Landsturmmann

† 8.8.1918



Albert Levy

Gefreiter

Gef. 10.8.1918

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After Germany's five offensives of 1918, the Allies struck back on July 18 beginning the Aisne-Marne Offensive — the Second Battle of the Marne. While the battle was underway, Generals Pétain, Haig, and Pershing, commanding the French, British, and American forces, met with Allied Commander in Chief Ferdinand Foch to plan ongoing offensives across the western front. The first of these was the Anglo-French Battle of Amiens.

Augmented with Australian and Canadian corps, the British 4th Army led the offensive, with the British 3rd Army to its left and the French 1st Army to its right. The Allies secretly positioned over 2,000 guns, 1,700 aircraft, and approximately 450 tanks including Britain's fast new Whippets.

At 4:20 AM on August 8 with no preliminary bombardment and shielded by fog, the Allies struck east of Amiens on both banks of the Somme, completely surprising the Germans. The Allies broke their line and advanced up to nine miles, capturing 15,000 prisoners and 400 guns on the first day.

The Allies struck and struck again, using railroads to rapidly move troops and broaden the front. On August 10, the French advanced on the south, and again on the 17th still further south. On August 21, the British advanced at the northern end and again on the 26th with Canadian troops breaching the Hindenburg Line.

German morale was shattered by the Allies success. German commander Erich Ludendorff called August 8 "the black day of the German Army,” and told the Kaiser peace negotiations should be initiated. The Kaiser agreed, saying on August 10, "We are at the end of our reserves. The war must be ended."

Ludendorff ordered general retreats at the end of August and on September 2 after further Allied attacks. By the battle's end the Allies had taken 110,000 prisoners.

Start Date: 1918-08-08

End Date: 1918-09-04

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