First Battle of the Somme 1918 - AAR

[monk2002uk]

A very personal project that resulted in the following play test of a Great War Spearhead scenario, covering the involvement of New Zealand Division in the aftermath of Operation Michael:

https://www.greatwarspearhead.com/battle-reports/first-battle-of-the-somme/



Robert

[monk2002uk]

There are three more pages added, providing additional historical context. First is the IR 140 account of the British tanks:

https://www.greatwarspearhead.com/battle-reports/first-battle-of-the-somme/infanterie-regiment-nr-140.html

The war diary entry for 3rd (Light) Tank Battalion:

https://www.greatwarspearhead.com/battle-reports/first-battle-of-the-somme/3rd-light-tank-battalion.html

And a German official historical account:

https://www.greatwarspearhead.com/battle-reports/first-battle-of-the-somme/german-official-history.html

Robert

[Driscoles]

Very nice pics from great terrain and miniatures. Wonderful project. Thanks for sharing!

[fred]

Had a good look at this the other day - but forgot to comment

Good looking game - and must have been good to put together with the family connection.

[monk2002uk]

Thank you, Both

Robert

[Fabien]

Very nice miniatures.   

You said this represent the 1st battle or the Somme. Not the 2nd one? For me the first is 1916. Perhaps I'm wrong?

[monk2002uk]

Thanks, Fabien.

The battle is the 1st that took place in 1918. You are right that the first battle that British and Dominion troops were involved in was in 1916.

The very first battles were in 1914 during the two German advances. Another big battle took place in 1915 in the same area as the New Zealand Division was involved in 1918. The British and Dominion forces were not associated with the 1915 battle.

Robert

[Fabien]

Thanks Robert for your precisions.

First in 1916 and second in 1918 are ideas of  french historians! 

I visited, with my wife, six years ago, the battlefield of the Somme.

We were in a house in the village of Courcelette (first battle of tanks!)

The battlefield was very impressive.  We visited the Memorial of Thiepval, Vimy Ridge, Beaumont-Hamel and some museums.

I have a thought about Commonwealth soldiers who fought on this battlefield.

And I discovered we can play at Spearhead in the Great war !

Fabien

[monk2002uk]

Thank you, Fabien.

You are right about the different perspectives on these battles. The opposite is also true, with almost all non-French historians not being aware of the big French attack that took place near Serre in 1915.

The Somme supplement for Great War Spearhead will be called 'Red Poppies Dance'. There is a big section on the battles that took place in Autumn 1914, with French forces countering the German advances during the Race to the Sea. There are scenarios for the cavalry battles then the large infantry encounter battles from Chaulnes up to Gommecourt.

Have you seen what we did for the 100th Anniversary of the First Battle of the Marne?

https://www.greatwarspearhead.com/battle-reports/first-battle-of-the-marne/

My goal for the next big demonstration in France is to reproduce the whole of the Second Battle of Soissons, with all the tanks represented, in the Museum of Samur.

Robert