title: Hangard Wood
text: # 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.
  
  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. John Croak VC is buried there.
  
  ## 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
  