Monash's Masterpiece

The battle of Le Hamel and the 93 minutes that changed the world

By: Peter FitzSimons

Narrated by: Michael Carman

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 details: 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 Monash: '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.

Critic reviews

FitzSimmons writes with verve and passion about Monash and his men. (Paul Pledger)

...a gripping good read.

Sir John Monash deserves all the accolades he has received down the years . . . this book deserves a most honourable place amongst those accolades.

...the great achievement in this book is the level of detail, brilliant sustaining detail, that FitzSimons gives the reader without ever impeding the narrative.

FitzSimons's work reads like a yarn with a garrulous veteran down at the RSL.

Review

Review

Review

well-researched creatively written account of a battle and a man that more Australians should know about.

An Aussie hero few outside Australia may know

I will start my review by admitting that I knew very little of General Sir John Monash prior to reading this book. I love WWI history and consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable about the conflict and campaigns. A recent trip to France and a visit to the Australian War Memorial changed all that. I had the privilege of visiting the research center named for General Monash erected near the Somme and realized how much more I had yet to learn. Monash is a fascinating figure and his role in the Great War does not get nearly enough attention. His civilian career as a civil engineer and project manager prepared him well for his leadership role; coordinating infantry, tanks, artillery and aircraft for the first time in modern combat. His success at Hamel and other battles in the summer of 1918 broke the stalemate and enabled the Allies to retake miles of German territory in occupied France, bringing about the Armistice far sooner than many in high command expected. A frequent target of anti-semitism, he never wavered or lashed out, he silenced most of his critics with his measured and calculated strategic planning and the results on the battlefield vindicated him. “Order, disorder, chaos” he was reported to say, and that mantra accurately sums up my admiration of him.
I appreciated the depth and well rounded nature of the narrative-the author not only focused on the general’s story but on those of the front line soldiers, providing a glimpse into the experience that was the western front mid-1918. At first the different accents that the narrator used bothered me, but eventually I hardly noticed. Highly recommend-so very well worth every moment.

Excellent history, almost unknown in US

I’ll say I stumbled across this book by accident and I couldn’t be happier it’s kind a let me know a lot about an unknown battle in war one and how the United States first fought alongside the Australians in World War I. Thank you I think you’ll enjoy this book

Great story telling

Great and detailed story, gave both an overview as well as individual view from the soldiers eyes