Hangard Wood

Hangard Wood is a locality south of Villers-Bretonneux northern France. It was the site of Hangard village and a battle in World War I. The battle of Hangard Wood was part of the German offensive Operation Michael, in the Arras–Saint-Quentin–La Fère sector of the Somme fought in March 1918. The battle of Hangard Wood was more specifically part of the larger Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, fought between the Canadian, British, Australian and French armies on one side and the German army on the other.[1]

The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux on 24 April 1918 was significant as the first tank-on-tank battle in history, and the Red Baron was shot down on 21 April.

Today the wood lies adjacent to a British cemetery, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and known as Hangard Wood British Cemetery.[2][3][4][5] John Croak VC is buried there.

  • Map of Hangard
    Map of Hangard

Units involved in the battle

173rd Infantry Brigade (Great Britain)

  • 2/2nd Battalion London regiment
  • 2/4th Battalion London regiment
  • 4th Division (Australia)
  • 12th Brigade (Australia)

5th Brigade (Australia) 18th Battalion (Australia)

  • 19th Battalion (Australia)

20th Battalion (Australia)

  • 33rd Battalion (Australia)
  • 34th Battalion (Australia)
  • 34th Battalion (Australia)
  • 35th Battalion (Australia)
  • 36th Battalion (Australia)
  • 1st Moroccan Infantry Division (France)
  • 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada), CEF

Victoria Cross recipients

  • John Croak
  • Percy Storkey
  • Herman James Good

Military Medal recipients

  • John Charles Barnett

References

  1. ^ Australian Battlefields of WW1.
  2. ^ Wikimapia latitude/longitude 49°50'12"N 2°30'28"E
  3. ^ HANGARD WOOD BRITISH CEMETERY.
  4. ^ HANGARD WOOD BRITISH CEMETERY
  5. ^ The Australian Remembrance Trail

49°50′18″N 2°30′34″E / 49.83833°N 2.50944°E / 49.83833; 2.50944