Daylight raid, France

Places
Accession Number ART03384
Collection type Art
Measurement framed: 65 x 75.8 cm; unframed: 50.8 x 61.2 cm
Object type Painting
Physical description oil on wax-lined canvas
Place made France: Nord Pas de Calais, Nord, Strazeele
Date made 1918
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

Depicted here is a raiding party incident during occupation of Strazeele Front by Australian 1st Division at Strazeele, Lys Area, Western Front.

Winter was well and truly over when April arrived in 1918, and the Germans began a major attack that became known as the German Spring Offensive. Using troops brought to the west after the collapse of Russia, German High Command sought to win the war before the newly-arrived American forces could tip the balance in favour of France and Brtain. On the 14th of April, Australians in the trenches at Strazeele could see the Germans assembling and preparing for an attack. At 6:40 in the morning, the Germans began a heavy bombardment of the British and Commonwealth lines and waves of German infantry began advancing. The painting refers to the German offensive and the fighting which took place over the next 48 hours, in which the British-Australian front line fought vigorously and successfully resisted the attack.