In March, the Germans launched the Spring Offensive, against the British Third and Fifth Armies on the Somme, which were understrength due to the small numbers of replacements being sent from Britain. Buoyed by this, but concerned that the entry of the United States into the war would negate their numerical advantage if they did not attack quickly, and that massed tank attacks like that at Cambrai in November 1917 had made more areas vulnerable to attack, the German commander, Erich Ludendorff, chose to use his temporary numerical advantage to punch through the front line and advance north towards the sea. In late 1917 and early 1918, the end of the fighting on the Eastern Front allowed the Germans to transfer large numbers of men and equipment to the west. Australian, British and French troops had almost restored the original front line by 27 April. On 26 April, the role of the Moroccan division of the French army was crucial in pushing back German units. The "male" then advanced with the support of several Whippet light tanks which had arrived, until disabled by artillery fire and abandoned by the crew.Ī counter-attack by two Australian brigades and a British brigade during the night of 24 April partly surrounded Villers-Bretonneux and on 25 April the town was recaptured.
The Mark IV continued to fire on the two remaining German A7Vs, which withdrew.
The two Mark IV females were damaged and forced to withdraw but the male tank, armed with 6-pounder guns, hit and disabled the lead A7V, which was then abandoned by its crew. Three German A7Vs engaged three British Mark IV tanks, two of which were female tanks armed only with machine-guns. It is notable for being the first occasion on which tanks fought against each other it was the biggest and most successful tank action of the German army in the First World War. The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux (also Actions of Villers-Bretonneux, after the First Battles of the Somme, 1918) took place from 24 to 27 April 1918, during the German spring offensive to the east of Amiens.
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