This memorial commemorates all Australian soldiers who fought in France and Belgium in the 1st world war. Our fighting men were instrumental in the area following the capture of the village of Villers-Bretonneux by the Germans on 23rd April, 1918. The following day the 4th and 5th Australian Division with units of the 8th and 18th Division recaptured the whole village.
Every year on the Saturday closest to Anzac Day, the local community hold a ceremony here to remember the fallen and those who liberated their village on the 25th April 1918.
On July 14th 1919, the mayor of Villers-Bretonneux made the following speech whilst dedicating a small memorial in the village...
'The first inhabitants of Villers-Bretonneux to re-establish themselves in the ruins of what was once a flourishing little town have, by means of donations, shown a desire to thank the valorous Australian Armies, who with spontaneous enthusiasm and characteristic dash of their race, in a few hours drove out an enemy ten times their number.....They offer a memorial tablet, a gift which is but the least expression of their gratitude, compared with the brilliant feat which was accomplished by the sons of Australia......Soldiers of Australia, whose brothers lie here in French soil, be assured that your memory will always be kept alive, and that the burial places of your dead will always be respected and cared for....'
(source: Wikipedia).
10,700 Australian servicemen named on the memorial died in the battlefields of the Somme, Arias, the German advance of 1918 and the Advance to Victory.
A further 770 Australian soldiers are buried here in graves, along with those of the British Empire soldiers also involved in the campaign.
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| The Australian flag carved into the corner. |
A little further away in the town of Amiens, our Australian solders are again commemorated for their efforts in defending that town. On August 8th, 1918, the 12th and 5th Australian Division advanced to the Battle of Amiens. Alongside the Canadian forces, they attacked the rear of the German lines taking them completely by surprise and after another 3 days of fierce fighting the Germans were defeated.
It would only be 100 days more until the Germans gave up completely bringing an end to World War 1.
On November 7th, 1920, the Bishop of Amiens unveiled a plaque, affixed to a pillar in the Notre Dame d'Amiens Cathedral. The plaque pays tribute to the soldiers of the AIF who fought on the Somme between March and August 1918 and defended the city of Amiens from the Germans.
As the inscription on the plaque asserts, the AIF had....'valiantly participated in the victorious defence of Amiens...'
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