TIME FOR A LITTLE HISTORY?
After many years of talking about it, I was finally going to visit Villers-Bretonneux. Nicole was to take me with a friend of hers who has a car. Nicole was born there and had visited the sister town in Victoria, Robinvale.
I wonder how many people know about Villers-Bretonneux or understand what is behind it. My brother certainly does and some other Australians I have talked to are aware of it. It defines a chapter in our history.
Like other countries of the British Empire, Australia immediately came to the support of the "mother country" at the outbreak of war in August 1914. Together with their neighbours, the New Zealanders, they created the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Their first offensive was at Gallipoli in Turkey on 25th April 1915. Their first action on the Somme took place on 23rd July 1916 at Pozières and later in April 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux. This was a very significant battle for the Australian troops who stopped the German push at Villers-Bretonneux over 24th, 25th and 26th April, before Amiens could be captured.
Designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and inaugurated on 22nd July 1938 by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, this imposing memorial was the last of the Great War national memorials of the British Empire and Commonwealth to be built in France or Belgium. The white stone memorial is composed of a central high tower and two corner pavilions linked to the tower by plain walls that bear the names of the 11,000 missing Australian soldiers who died in France.
In front of the memorial is a Commonwealth War Cemetery. From the top of the tower, panoramic views of the Somme countryside that the Australian troops helped to defend in 1918 can be seen
A circular orientation table shows the directions of other Australian battlefields on the Western Front and the direction of the Australian capital, Canberra.
At the bottom of the steps that lead to the top of the tower, a large wall-plaque displays a map of the Western Front and the emplacement of the five Australian divisional memorials in France and Belgium: 1st Division at Pozières, 2nd Division at Mont St-Quentin, 3rd Division at Sailly-le-Sec, 4th Division at Bellenglise and the 5th Division at Polygon Wood in Belgium.
From the top of the tower, panoramic views of the Somme countryside that the Australian troops helped to defend in 1918 can be seen
The Anzac Day Dawn Service is held every 25th April at 5:30am at the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, and is a moment of intense emotion. The ceremony pays homage to the men who fought and gave their lives during the war, particularly in this area.
There was a small museum we visited. That started with Australian/New Zealand visitors who brought everything and anything which had belonged to soldiers during this period.
There are preparations already going on for the 100th memorial event next year and even if it was a rather bleak day, Australians were visiting the different sites and could be heard in the museum. I was very sorry that l didn’t take a picture of the exhibition hall as when I walked in with Nicole and Joelle, I said at once - « I have been here » -
In actual fact when I was at an Anzac service in Ballarat years ago, the hall was exactly the same and it was there that I read that this one had been modelled after a similar hall in Victoria.
I found many of the photos extremely touching. The faces seem to be of another age
Victor Clarence Dyer must have been one like so many. He was born in Dulwich Hill in Sydney in. As you can see, he was quite short
Dyer enlisted in September perhaps stirred by the story of the Australians at Gallipoli. Nearly 23 years of age, he was married but without children when he went to war. Sailing from Sydney in April for training in England he reached France in November. The trip must have taken a couple of months. How prepared were these young men for war? Initially illness saved him from the battles the Australians endured in but Dyer was back in France in November 1917. At Le Hamel in 1918 he was wounded by a German grenade, suffered severe wounds and died in July 1918. One of the 46,000 Australians to die in France and Belgium during the war.
His wife died a year later and although authorities searched they were unable to find a next-of-kin to whom his memorial scroll and plaques might be sent. But here in Le Hamel, where I saw this photo, he will certainly be remembered.
I should perhaps have started with the Adelaide cemetery which is a little outside of Villers-Bretonneux . There are now 960 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 266 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known, or believed to be buried among them.
Another interesting story was that of the unknown soldier. As you can see one the headstone, his remains were buried in this grave for 75 years. When he was exhumed in 1993, his skeleton was intact and and he was sent back to Australia an is now at rest in Canberra.
Jewish and Christian tombs were side by side
A family name I know rather well...
The cemetries were beautifully kept. Gardens, flowers and each grave had a pot of flowers in front it.
This was only my second trip to Amiens where Nicole lives, but it's a lovely city with beautiful facades, flowers and an excellent idea for exchanging books - this "bookcase" in a garden where you can leave the books you have read and pick up others.
It was a learning day for me but perhaps what touched me most and brought memories flooding back into my mind, was « Watlzing Mathilda » which I heard playing in the museum.
I wonder how many people know about Villers-Bretonneux or understand what is behind it. My brother certainly does and some other Australians I have talked to are aware of it. It defines a chapter in our history.
Like other countries of the British Empire, Australia immediately came to the support of the "mother country" at the outbreak of war in August 1914. Together with their neighbours, the New Zealanders, they created the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Their first offensive was at Gallipoli in Turkey on 25th April 1915. Their first action on the Somme took place on 23rd July 1916 at Pozières and later in April 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux. This was a very significant battle for the Australian troops who stopped the German push at Villers-Bretonneux over 24th, 25th and 26th April, before Amiens could be captured.
Designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and inaugurated on 22nd July 1938 by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, this imposing memorial was the last of the Great War national memorials of the British Empire and Commonwealth to be built in France or Belgium. The white stone memorial is composed of a central high tower and two corner pavilions linked to the tower by plain walls that bear the names of the 11,000 missing Australian soldiers who died in France.
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A circular orientation table shows the directions of other Australian battlefields on the Western Front and the direction of the Australian capital, Canberra.
At the bottom of the steps that lead to the top of the tower, a large wall-plaque displays a map of the Western Front and the emplacement of the five Australian divisional memorials in France and Belgium: 1st Division at Pozières, 2nd Division at Mont St-Quentin, 3rd Division at Sailly-le-Sec, 4th Division at Bellenglise and the 5th Division at Polygon Wood in Belgium.
From the top of the tower, panoramic views of the Somme countryside that the Australian troops helped to defend in 1918 can be seen
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| Views |
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| Preparing for next year |
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| Looking up the tower |
The Anzac Day Dawn Service is held every 25th April at 5:30am at the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, and is a moment of intense emotion. The ceremony pays homage to the men who fought and gave their lives during the war, particularly in this area.
There was a small museum we visited. That started with Australian/New Zealand visitors who brought everything and anything which had belonged to soldiers during this period.
 |
| Museum |
 |
 |
 |
There are preparations already going on for the 100th memorial event next year and even if it was a rather bleak day, Australians were visiting the different sites and could be heard in the museum. I was very sorry that l didn’t take a picture of the exhibition hall as when I walked in with Nicole and Joelle, I said at once - « I have been here » -
In actual fact when I was at an Anzac service in Ballarat years ago, the hall was exactly the same and it was there that I read that this one had been modelled after a similar hall in Victoria.
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| The Hall |
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| And an overwhelming success |
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| General Sir John Monash from Melbourne |
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Victor Clarence Dyer must have been one like so many. He was born in Dulwich Hill in Sydney in. As you can see, he was quite short
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| The Hamel monument |
 |
I should perhaps have started with the Adelaide cemetery which is a little outside of Villers-Bretonneux . There are now 960 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 266 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known, or believed to be buried among them.
 |
 |
Another interesting story was that of the unknown soldier. As you can see one the headstone, his remains were buried in this grave for 75 years. When he was exhumed in 1993, his skeleton was intact and and he was sent back to Australia an is now at rest in Canberra.
Jewish and Christian tombs were side by side
 |
A family name I know rather well...
 |
 |
The cemetries were beautifully kept. Gardens, flowers and each grave had a pot of flowers in front it.
This was only my second trip to Amiens where Nicole lives, but it's a lovely city with beautiful facades, flowers and an excellent idea for exchanging books - this "bookcase" in a garden where you can leave the books you have read and pick up others.
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| The Town Hall |
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| Flowers and beautiful facade |
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| The Book case |
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| Sagitarian |
It was a learning day for me but perhaps what touched me most and brought memories flooding back into my mind, was « Watlzing Mathilda » which I heard playing in the museum.
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