Second Battle of Morlancourt

Second Battle of Morlancourt
Part of Operation Michael (German spring offensive)
Headquarters troops from the 35th Battalion near Morlancourt, 9 May 1918
Date 4–14 May 1918 Location Morlancourt, France 49°57′06″N 2°37′46″E / 49.9517°N 2.6294°E / 49.9517; 2.6294 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Australia United Kingdom	German Empire
Commanders and leaders
John Monash Charles Rosenthal
Units involved
3rd Division	199th Division
Casualties and losses
324 killed and wounded	218 captured Unknown killed and wounded
Morlancourt class=notpageimage| Morlancourt, a commune in the Somme department, northern France

The Second Battle of Morlancourt was fought over the period 4–14 May 1918, on the Western Front during World War I. The battle took place during the final stages of the German spring offensive. The battle began as a peaceful penetration action launched over several days by troops from the Australian 9th Brigade, to advance their lines around Morlancourt through a series of small raids against the opposing German 199th Division. Afterwards, both sides rotated their forces in the area and the Germans subsequently launched a counter-attack against the Australian 5th Brigade. This attack was eventually repulsed and the line held until June, when the Third Battle of Morlancourt took place around Morlancourt as the Australians secured the Morlancourt spur to consolidate their positions on the Somme before the Allied Hundred Days Offensive.