The Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918

Volume six covers the last six months of the Great War and gives us the story of how the Australians hit back, showing how they were constantly on the offensive. The successful Battle of Hamel was followed by the great offensive, starting on 8th August, in which the AIF was the main spearhead in a series of smashing victories. Also of interest is the biographical information on General Monash, the corps’ Commander, as well as pen sketches of other Generals and heroes of all ranks.

The “Diggers” 1918. “Peaceful Penetration” Begins. The Australians at Morlancourt Hit Back. Ville-sur-Ancre. Foch Holds the Scales. Monash Succeeds Birdwood. The Third Stroke at Morlancourt. The Hamel Plan - Tanks and the Americans. The Battle of Hamel. “Peaceful Penetration” - Its Climax on the Somme. “Peaceful Penetration” - Its Climax at Hazebrouck. The Turning Point. The Origin of “August 8th”. “Der Schwarze Tag”. Lihons. Chipilly, Proyart and Etinehem. Haig’s Second Stroke - August 21st-25th. Mont St. Quentin. The Hindenburg Outpost-Line. The Hindenburg Line. The War Ends. The Old Force Passes. 

The Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 is a 12-volume series covering Australian involvement in the First World War. The series was edited by C.E.W. Bean, who also wrote six of the volumes, and was published between 1920 and 1942. The first seven volumes deal with the Australian Imperial Force while other volumes cover the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force at Rabaul, the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Flying Corps and the home front; the final volume is a photographic record. Unlike other official histories that have been aimed at military staff, Bean intended the Australian history to be accessible to a non-military audience. The relatively small size of the Australian forces enabled the history to be presented in great detail, giving accounts of individual actions that would not have been possible when covering a larger force.