Loading
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Soundcloud
  • Vimeo
  • Online Shop
  • Online Shop
  • Useful Information
  • Press
  • Français Français French fr
  • English English English en
  • Deutsch Deutsch German de
  • Nederlands Nederlands Dutch nl
Historial de la Grande Guerre
  • Home
  • Historial
    of the Great War
    • Highlights of The Great War
      • A Brief Look of the Great War
      • The Battle of The Somme
    • Presentation of the Historial
    • Our Partners
      • The Partners of the Historial
      • The Somme Battlefields’ Partner
    • Useful Information
    • News
  • Useful Information
  • Péronne
    Museum
    • Presentation
      • Around the Historial
      • The Castle
      • Architecture
      • The Museum’s Services
    • Museum Layout and Tour
      • Museum Layout
      • Visiting the Museum
    • Collection
      • The Collection and Themes
      • Otto Dix
      • Object of the Month
    • Seasonal exhibition
      • Saint-Chamond Tank
      • Old seasonal exhibitions
  • Thiepval
    Museum
    • Presentation
    • Memorial
    • Museum Layout and Visiting the Museum
    • The Missing
  • Battlefields
    in the Somme
    • Presentation
    • The Remembrance Trail
    • The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin
  • Groups
    Tours
    • Adults groups visits
    • Schools Groups
    • Seminars and Professionals
  • Our
    Resources
    • Educational Department
      • Presentation
      • Preparing your visit to the Historial
    • International Research Center
      • Presentation
      • Scholarship
      • Summer School
      • Encyclopedia of the Great War
    • Documentation Center
    • Exhibitions loans
    • Press
    • Links and resources useful
  • News
  • Object of the Month
  • Search
Slider-Champs-de-bataille

Battlefields
of the Somme

Accueil › Battlefields of the Somme › The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin

The Battle of the Mont Saint-Quentin

Mont Saint Quentin is a rising slope that overlooks Péronne, forming an ideal observation point and strategic position that was firmly defended by the Germans in the summer of 1918.

Before 1916, Mont Saint Quentin only disposed of a few basic facilities including a trench, an observation and command post and a few anti-aircraft batteries.

Although the front line was located several kilometres away when the Battle of the Somme began, new trenches still had to be dug. Amongst the better known was Gotlieb Trench, called Elsa Trench by the Allies.

31 August – 1 September 1918, the Battle of Mont Saint Quentin

Since the Allied counter-attack of the 8 August 1918 (the Battle of Amiens), Australian troops had surged along the Somme Valley pushing the Germans back to their old positions of 1916. During the first attack, Mont Saint Quentin was captured; in just a few hours, eight companies of Australians had managed to capture one of the most formidable positions of the Western Front. The Germans, however, wasted no time; they counter-attacked and forced the Australian troops back to their trenches.

The assault was launched again on the following day. One brigade was given the task of taking Mont Saint Quentin, while the other was to concentrate on the southern end. After vicious fighting and artillery fire, the German troops finally withdrew. Mont Saint Quentin had been captured and the fighting was taken to the town of Péronne.

Australian Remembrance Trail of the Battle of Mont-Saint-Quentin

The Battle of Mont Saint Quentin holds a very important place in Australian collective memory. At the end of summer 1918 (29 August to 2 September), in the fight for this heavily defended German position, 3,000 Australian soldiers were made casualty in just four days. This battle led to the liberation of Péronne and is known in Australia as one of the greatest feats of arms of the Australian Army Corps.
In the spring of 2015, with the support of the Australian Embassy and contributions from specialist historians, the Historial created a remembrance trail on this former battleground, with interpretative information provided at six points, incorporating the Australian Memorial.

The Guardrooms of the Historial, Museum of the Great War complete the tour. The last hall is devoted to the history of the Australians in the Somme, especially to their exploits during the Battle of Mont Saint Quentin.

 

Historial of the Great War
Highlights of the Great War
A Brief Look of the Great War
The Battle of The Somme
Presentation of the Historial
Our partners
The Partners of the Historial
The Somme Battlefields’ Partner
Useful Information
News
Peronne Museum
Presentation
Around the Historial
The Castle
Architecture
The Museum's Services
Museum Layout and Tour
Museum Layout
Visiting the Museum
Collection
The Collection and Themes
Otto Dix
Object of the Month
Seasonal Exhibition
Saint-Chamond Tank
Old seasonal exhibitions
Thiepval Museum
Presentation
Memorial
Museum Layout and Visiting the Museum
The Missing
Battlefields in the Somme
Presentation
The Remembrance Trail
The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin
Groups Tours
Adults groups visits
Schools Groups
Seminars and Professionals
Our Resources
Educational Department
Presentation
Preparing your visit to the Historial
International Research Center
Presentation
Scholarship
Summer School
Encyclopedia of the Great War
Documentation Center
Exhibitions loans
Press
Links and resources useful

Calendrier

« Janspinner iCalendar Mar »
February 2023
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728EC

VISIT OUR
ONLINE SHOP !

Books, postcards, posters, DVD and CD...

e-boutique

USEFUL
INFORMATIONS

Hours / Prices / Access

info

Lettre d’info de l’Historial

Inscrivez-vous pour être tenu informé des actualités et événements de l'Historial.

© Copyright 2016 Historial de la Grande Guerre
  • Security Measures
  • Useful Information
Scroll to top