Monash's Masterpiece: The battle of Le Hamel and the 93 minutes that changed the world

by Peter FitzSimons

The Battle of Le Hamel on 4 July 1918 was an Allied triumph, and strategically very important in the closing stages of WWI. A largely Australian force, commanded by the brilliant Sir John Monash, fought what has been described as the first modern battle - where infantry, tanks, artillery and planes operated together as a coordinated force.Monash planned every detail meticulously, with nothing left to chance. Integrated use of tanks, planes, infantry, wireless (and even carrier pigeons!) was the basis, and it went on from there, down to the everyone used the same maps, with updated versions delivered by motorbike despatch riders to senior commanders, including Monash. Each infantry battalion was allocated to a tank group, and they advanced together. Supplies and ammunition were dropped as needed from planes. The losses were relatively few. In the words of 'A perfected modern battle plan is like nothing so much as a score for an orchestral composition, where the various arms and units are the instruments, and the tasks they perform are their respective musical phrases.'Monash planned for the battle to last for 90 minutes - in the end it went for 93. What happened in those minutes changed for the rest of the war the way the British fought battles, and the tactics and strategies used by the Allies.Peter FitzSimons brings this Allied triumph to life, and tells this magnificent story as it should be told.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War I, Australia, Biography, Military History

522 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 24, 2018

About the author

Peter FitzSimons is one of Australia’s most prominent and successful media and publishing identities. His busy professional life involves co-hosting the breakfast program on Sydney's Radio 2UE, writing weekly columns for the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald newspapers, appearing on Foxtel's Back Page television show and, when time permits, authoring best-selling books. A correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph as well, he is also in high demand as a guest speaker and presenter

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am really ambivalent about this book because it has some fine qualities, but it also has some aspects that I don't particularly like. First of all, it is a paean to John Monash. Since I admire the man that didn't bother me a great deal, but I wish the author had toned it down somewhat. Monash did enough for his record to stand on its own, but I think the author tried to over-compensate for the slights that Monash faced in his life.

Some officers and in particular two civilians, Murdoch and Bean, did all they could to keep him from commanding the Australian Corps because he was Jewish. Fortunately, he did have some friends on his side, but even after the war was over many of his achievements were not recognized as they should have been.

One in particular, Hamel, is the subject of this book. Just as Monash was meticulous in planning and preparation, the author presents a compact picture of victory and how it was achieved. The Diggers performed their duties admirably and with small cost to themselves, compared to earlier battles such as Pozieres. They did have the help of four battalions of Americans, despite the interference of Pershing. The story of Pershing's obstinancy and Monash's determination takes up a good part of the book. In some ways, that is one of the problems with the book--most of it is leading up to or the aftermath of the battle.

The other major problem, at least in my opinion, is the writing style of the author. It is quite informal, almost as if he's just talking to you, and telling you about someone he knew. When he concentrates on Hamel, he does a fine job as a historian. Strangely, I thought maybe he was emulating the informality of the Australians in his descriptions. Perhaps I just assumed too much about what to expect.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't give a book 5 out of 5 lightly, but this is Peter Fitzsimons at his very, very best. The book brings the battle alive and highlights the genius of Monash. I strongly support the move for him to be posthumously elevated to the rank of Field Marshall, which is currently blocked by the regular Australian military which still can't forgive Monash for being a citizen soldier and a Jew. The book highlights the immense planning detail that went into the preparation for the battle and brings the dreadful encounter to life through the use of quotes from letters of the participants and importantly it includes those from both sides of the trenches as the German troops were also suffering the pain of dreadful injuries and death. This book is up to the very high standard that Peter Fitzsimons set with his earlier books about the Australians in war, such as Tobruk and Kokoda, both of which are also outstanding.

[Graeme Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of the author's style which I find to be a little overbearing and jingoistic when it comes to retelling history.

Firstly whilst I understand the author's intent of writing the book in the present tense, his style (and in particular the overuse of independent clauses) as well as the need to write the original German text and then translate it in penny packets detracts from the flow and is incredibly annoying. Similarly, the use of idiomatic language and the parochial manner of retelling of battle scenes as though he were a spectator on the sideline of a rugby match isn't really 'my cup of tea' either.

I like histories that faithfully and accurately relate what has occurred where the prose adds to rather than detracts from the events in question. What FitzSimons seems most keen on is overlaying his own personality on the story. There is no doubt that it is well-researched, but it should be given the number of people he's had assisting him in its creation.

[Jennifer Smart · Rating 3 out of 5]

In terms of the history, this book was fascinating, but FitzSimons' over the top, Aussie bloke style was incredibly intrusive.

[Jordan Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the past couple of months, I participated in the Australian National History competition for students. I decided to write my essay on the subject of: Should Sir General John Monash receive a posthumous promotion to Field Marshal. The general theme of the competition was 'Contested Histories', and this subject is pretty contested, as there are arguments for and against Monash's promotion. For the most part, I argued for his promotion. This book, one of my first FitzSimmons reads, was major in my research and is one of the few books I purchased for my research.
Fitzsimmons's writing is heavily researched and portrays many perspectives -soldier, commander, enemy, pilot, artillerymen, etc - which I admired. His style is also very intriguing. He writes in the style of what I would call the Australian, colloquial, and rough, which fits the mantra of the book, which is very much an appraisal of the Australians in World War 1. There is nothing wrong with this, either. The Australians and Monash did an exceptional job.

I was rendered speechless by two major things in this book: the Anti-Semitism that Charles Bean and Keith Murdoch plighted Monash with during this phase of his career, which included attempting to remove him from the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Corps. The second thing is the absolute disregard for Monash after the war. The brilliant tactician whose commanding efforts arguably led to the success of the whole war for the Allied side was ignored, and a majority of praise went to other generals, such as Henry Rawlinson. He was made to watch the official ANZAC ceremony which included a visit from the King from the common crowds, while other generals and higher-ups wined and dined together. Was this due to Anti-Semitism? Yes, I believe it was. And this is why it should be partially rectified by promoting General Monash to Field Marshal.

I was also impressed by the soldier's stories in the book and the number of great acts they committed during the battle of Hamel.

Where was I when reading this?
I have had a massive few weeks preparing and rehearsing for our college production of Flashdance, where I play 'villain' C.C., owner of Chameleon Club, a strip club. It is going along well and I believe with every run I am improving my energy and comfortability. I've also been listening to You Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins and this is a powerful memoir, which has, in fact, reinvigorated me in my workouts. I spent all weekend last weekend with my beautiful girlfriend in which we read together, cooked together, and spent a lot of time together. We went on a walk to the Seaport and had a coffee, having early morning talks about this and that. I witnessed an old woman on color, dressed in a red scarf draped over her head, leaning over her cane and walking along with the port. This inspired me for some unknown reason; perhaps I wanted to know more about her story because she boasted such a powerful image. We also explored Petrach's bookshop, and my girlfriend bought a book called 'The Brain' by Schwarts Magazine. She loves psychology.

This reflection is dedicated to my dear idol and underappreciated hero, Sir General John Monash of Australia. I salute you, you intelligent and brave being. You deserve all the praise for being Australia's advocate, and I promise, we will make you proud.

[Longzhen]

We're in the second day of Amazon's big Prime Day sale, and new deals continue to pop up on an assortment of video games and hardware.

[Ron Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book in my World War 1 library. Sir John Monash was a Jew with a German heritage. He was also a civilian soldier and these factors worked against him in his rise through the ranks of the Australian army in Europe 1915 to 1918. He was especially subjected to vilification by Murdoch and Bean. Yet he rose to be one of the most outstanding military leaders on the Western Front.
The book is a vivid and intricate account of the July 1918 Battle of Le Hamel where Monash’s meticulous planning and the use of tanks, aircraft and communication led to a breakthrough of the German lines. It was a small but significant victory. It led to further breakthroughs on the German trench line.
Monash planned for the battle to last 90 minutes. He was three minutes out. The Germans had been weakened by an outbreak of the Spanish Flu but still put up stiff resistance.
Monash’s planning involved the minimalization of casualties and at le Hamel they were kept to a minimum.
It was the first time American and Australian soldiers fought side by side. Two Victoria Crosses were award and the American soldiers displayed valour that was awarded with medals.
Fitzsimons has a skilled team of researchers and the use of soldiers’ personal accounts add authenticity to the story. The reader gets to know some of the common soldiers and in the epilogue you read of their lives after the war. Significantly many of the extremely brave and courageous men lived somewhat sedate and boring post war lives. Something that didn’t displease them.
At times the book does have a jingoistic and over the top larrikin sound to it nevertheless it is a well-researched creatively written account of a battle and a man that more Australians should know about.

[Tyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir John Monash was a great Australian, and in this book, Fitzsimons recounts the victory led by Monash at Le Hamel, a battle that transformed all subsequent battles and played a large part in the Allies' victory. Monash deserves more credit than he received.

This book was a real rollercoaster of emotions. I was kept in anticipation; I laughed, I wept. Fitzsimons really brings to life the story of Monash, Le Hamel, and the Australian men who fought in the battle. He doesn't shy away from showing the heroism of the ordinary Australian men who fought, but also the horror of war and the waste of life.

Monash, a civilian soldier, was promoted up the ranks to put his great ingenuity to use, and that he did. Battles ceased to be the simple act of throwing more men into fight and die, and became more about planning and reducing casualties to a minimum. I am sure many men came home because of the tactics that Monash introduced.

I was appalled by how Monash was treated by the media, namely Bean and Murdoch, who sought to undermine him at a political level at every opportunity simply because he was Jewish.

The army and politicians failed to give him the credit he deserved when he came home. He ought to be posthumously promoted to Field Marshal, a promotion he should have received while he was alive but was denied by the Australian Army as a civilian soldier.

All Australians should have some understanding of who Sir John Monash was and what he and the men he fought with accomplished.

[Sumudu Perera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book on one of Australia’s most ubiquitous (labelling various institutions such as Monash University), and yet not well taught heroes.

General Sir John Monash is known as one of Australia’s greatest leaders. Labelled "the greatest strategist in the army” by British Prime Minister Lloyd George, he was renowned for caring about the strategic actions of the Australian army and their individual wellbeing, aspects that were novel at the time in WWI. He was additionally known for his innovation, both within and away from the battlefield, such as his insistence on collaborative planning rather than the didactic manner of old, aiming to achieve a "a perfect mutual understanding among all concerned", returning from the Battle of Le Hamel stating: “I hope that the lessons of mutual help, comradeship and self-sacrifice will assist to make Australia a still greater country than at present”.

It was great seeing how Monash brought his engineering skills and collaborative nature to the battlefield, and how he bought those lessons back to assist Australia. Also interesting, was the actions of Keith Murdoch (Rupert Murdoch’s father) who seemed to try to undermine Monash across various steps in his journey, trying to prevent his attaining a leadership position within the army for Le Hamel, and many other seemingly unsavoury actions.

Lots to learn from this book in regards to leadership lessons. Will return in the future for more notes.

[Damien · Rating 4 out of 5]

The achievements of John Monash and the AIF are simply astounding.

That we know so little about him is an indictment of the appalling way he was treated by the Australian establishment after his utterly astonishing achievement at Le Hamel and beyond.

That we know so little about Le Hamel is also remarkable and tells a lot about Australuan self- identity. We celebrate the massive defeat of Gallipoli, but totally ignore the much more remarkable achievement of Le Hamel, the role of Monash, and the way Australians functioned under a great leader.

With a wider view, given that the achievement of Monash and the AIF was to effectively end this awful war, you’d think this 93 minute battle would be famous.

With a notable low casualty rate (when 65,000 Australians had already died on the same front) would be a chase for celebration.

If you don’t know about all this, read this book. Then make up your own mind. Then tell others. This story needs sharing.

[Andreas Sekeris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into someone that's had a huge impact on finishing WW1 on the western front. Enjoyed the character study, details of battles and thinking into it. Also the insight into racism experienced by Monash. Didn't enjoy the switches to first-person perspective without actually taking on a character. Bit confusing describing it in past tense, switching to present-tense but not tied to a character, then switching to specific character quotes. Also thought it spent too much time on the scheming against Monash. Astounding bravery by the soldiers involved at the time. Also shocking that it took Monash to prioritise saving lives over each battalion being able to do its own thing (eg. tanks separate from infantry separate from airplanes). Loved the detail about how he planned, involved others in planning and kept refining it. Also how he understood the detail and ensured others could explain to their subordinates.

[Perry Middlemiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Battle of Hamel, on 4 July 1918, in northern France, was a successful attack by Australian and US Forces, supported by British tanks, against the Germans during World War I. Meticulously planned, and rigorously executed, it was over in 93 minutes. The tactics used, mostly devised by Australian General Sir John Monash, and reviewed and amended by his staff, became the blueprint for later battles in the war, initiating a pattern that hastened the end of that major European conflict. Peter FitzSimons’s history provides a detailed record of the planning, the buildup, the execution of the battle plan and its aftermath.

My maternal grandfather, William Ernest Pyne Marles, enlisted in the Australian army on 5th March 1917, and was shipped to Europe on 23 June where he was part of the 7th Reinforcement of the Australian 43rd Battalion. He took part in the Battle of Hamel in his role as a signaler, and was badly wounded, losing his left arm and having a plate inserted in his head. So I was rather interested in this book when my friend Hugh McKay told me about it. My wife and I visited the Sir John Monash centre at the Villers-Bretonneux Australian National Memorial on our 2019 European trip and later travelled over to the Australian Corps Memorial Park at Hamel a few kilometres away. I wish I’d read this book before I visited, as it would have given me a much better understanding of all that had happened in that battle.

FitzSimons begins his history of the conflict as John Monash is being put forward as the first Australian commander of the AIF, the Australian Imperial Force. Previously the Australians had been under the command of a series of British generals, many of whom were old, stuck in their ways, and rather useless. Monash’s appointment was not a foregone conclusion even though he was obviously the best candidate for the position. He had three major points against him, according to his critics: he was Australian, he had a Prussian background, and he was Jewish. Oddly enough none of this seemed to worry the British commanders, including Field Marshall Douglas Haig; the major opposition came from two Australians: Charles Bean, Australia’s official war correspondent; and Keith Murdoch, journalist, founder of the Murdoch media empire, and father of Rupert. Both these men actively sought to undermine Monash in an attempt to stifle his appointment, mainly, it appears, because of his religion. Neither of them had served in any form of the armed forces or seen any sort of action up close. Yet they felt they knew best what was needed for the AIF. The major difficulty was that they seemed to have the ear of Australian Prime Minster Billy Hughes who happened to be in Europe around this time.

But Monash was finally appointed over their objections and set about building a battle plan that would utilise all aspects of the weaponry available to him – artillery, aircraft and tanks – as well as ground soldiers, in a co-ordinated offensive that some likened to an orchestral score. Monash’s main aim in this battle was to overcome the opposition within the shortest possible time period, and with the smallest number of casualties. As you can imagine, he was very popular with his men, many of whom had suffered under the attritional policies utilised earlier in the war that resulted in vast numbers of dead and wounded for very little gain.

Monash’s plans were praised by all who were presented with them. They were incredibly detailed and timed down to the minute. Monash estimated the battle would take 90 minutes – though he was slightly out in this regard as the whole operation took a total of 93, just three minutes longer than planned.

Writing a detailed description of such an operation faces many difficulties, not least being the problem of focus: do you aim for the big picture, or follow one small group? FitzSimons solves this by providing a combination of the two. On the one hand, he describes the overall plan at the full battleground and battalion level, and also includes stories of individual soldiers in various parts of the battle, interweaving the two to great effect.

Some readers may find the earlier parts of this book – the first 190 pages or so – where the author goes into some detail about the plan’s preparations, and Monash’s interactions with the British forces and the American Expeditionary Force to be rather slow. But this level of detail is important and, from a project management point-of-view, I found it fascinating. After that, when the descriptions of the battle itself begin, the volume turns into a page-turner and you get the full force of FitzSimon’s skill as a story-teller. The judicious use of diagrams showing the battlefield layout, and the way he doesn’t linger on any one part of the operation, allows the action to flow steadily forward, and you probably spend as long reading about what happened in the battle as the actual thing took to reach its conclusion.

FitzSimons has done a very fine job here indeed. The wealth of material available to him must have been enormous, and the ability to choose the right piece of material to present at just the right time makes this one of the best histories I’ve read.

But I have a minor quibble: he too often drops into the vernacular in his descriptions which tends to drag you out of the narrative flow. We know that the Australians in the fight, in their letters and diaries and reports, referred to the Germans as “the Bosch”, “the Hun”, and “Fritz”, but does it seem reasonable for the author to use the same terms in his narration? I’d say he could have done away with these and other such phraseology and not had any impact on the final book at all. I found the usage jarring, though who am I to judge? This book, along with many others that FitzSimons has written, has been incredibly popular in Australia. If I’d had something like this at school the subject of history would have been a lot more fun.

R: 4.4/5.0

[John Kidman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful in every way. Excellent explanation of Armies and their units, composition and sizes. I have never found this in any military history book I have read. Incredibly helpful. Wonderfully researched, and thoroughly engaging throughout. Excellent maps and I had a real feel for the nature and spirit of the Aussie soldier. Loved the link to the Lusitania and the American involvement in the war. I believe the book accurately portrayed the animosity that Bean and Murdoch held for Monash. The inclusion of a Dramatis Personae was terrific and an excellent reading reference. As an Old Boy from Geelong High School I was interested in the fact that Brigadier Walter McNicol was a former Headmaster of GHS. Lots of wonderful stories peppered throughout the book - like the "Poached Piano" on pages 5 to 7.

Looking forward to reading more of Peter Fitzsimons books.

[M Tobin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fantastic topic. Written very poorly. This is my first time reading a book by Peter Fitzsimons, it has me thinking twice about trying another.

It took me months to get through this as I just couldn’t get my head around the authors need to change his style of writing mid sentence.

While I enjoyed it being written in present tense, the addition of the authors conversational style writing made it very hard to follow.

I do commend him for writing something so positive about one of modern Australia’s most important figures, we all need to be reminded about who shaped our nation from time to time.

[Dylan Borgman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lively and interesting

This book is written in the present tense, which I found a little jarring at times, but overall I enjoyed how it drew me into the story. It’s full of soldier-level stories, period appropriate language and takes a lively, sometimes humorous tone. I read this book in order to understand more about military strategy during the First World War and it certainly helped. Nonetheless I also found myself paging through a lot of uninteresting sections that ruminate too long on Monash’s genius and Australian bravery. Overall a good book, I would recommend.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

BRILLIANT! Yet again, Peter FitzSimons shines a much-needed light on a crucial Australian campaign (and victory) late in the First World War, giving Sir John Monash the showcase he deserves. Well researched and written with FitzSimons' usual flair. If you are interested in Australia's Great War effort, this is a must-read.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book on an amazing General and underappreciated Australian. He pioneered a new type of combined arms attack with the 4th generation tanks of 1918 starting with this battle. He then took the learning from this attack to lead two more offensives which ended the war.
Monash's management approach was supportive and challenging and humble. He respected that the most precious resource was his men and that he needed to keep learning and adapting. It is a very modern approach to management and very inclusive. Monash's background in engineering helped him master logistics and increased his chances of success. It is fascinating to follow him leading the team and finalising the approach.

[Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, as always. I don't rate Peter FitzSimons as a man, but he sure can write. Another great tale of a mostly forgotten battle that completely changed the course of the Great War. Thoroughly enjoyed this, as I do with most books about the Great War.

[Dan Mowbray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have always loved FitzSimmons writing and this book is no different. Love the way he writes to make history engaging and enjoyable to read. He is always well researched and his narrative style is a pleasure to read

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another engaging, real life story of an important battle in Australia's history told in Fitzsimons' true blue Aussie voice covering a range of interesting aspects to how Monash achieved a great victory.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story about an incredible Australian. The first book by FitzSimmons that I have ever read and he did not disappoint l. The way he weaves various personal stories effortlessly to create the larger story of the command of Monash, is amazing. Well worth reading.

[Scott Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 out of 10, Monash was an amazing General and strategic planner down to minute, inventing new tactics and the father to combined arms (air, armoured and infantry) read about the battle that started it all

[T. Stranger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome, horrifying, inspiring, humbling.

[Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good account of the battle of Le Hamel and how it changed the nature of warfare. Also describes how important Monash and the Australian's role was in turning the war.

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into an amazing man. Shame about the way he was treated on his return home.

[Belinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished, this book took me so long to read, was a hard slog. Yes it was very interesting but for some reason I just couldnt get into it as a page turner.

[Wayne's · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Peter FitzSimons books. he blends history with great story telling in an engrossing and entertaining way. A good book and an informative one.

[Nick Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about an extraordinary military genius. 4/5

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a great read. Well told account, that has lots of interesting information. Highly recommended

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite long but worth the read. Tells one of the most interesting Australian stories of WW1 and marks a turning point in war fighting tactics.