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AUSTRALIA |
| Moving west to east Australian visitors to the Somme can pay their respects in many places that bear witness to their impressive contribution to the allied victory. |
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In the cathedral
in Amiens a plaque pays tribute to Australian forces and a visit to the
area around Corbie (Vaux) will take you to the site where Australians
shot down the infamous German Red Baron, before burying him with military
honours.
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You must go to Villers-Bretonneux
where there is a museum, a cemetery and a memorial. This is the most Australian
town on the Somme. |
The picturesque town of Péronne,
through which the River Somme flows, is significant as Australian soldiers
captured the town, thereby setting it free, in the push to the Hindenburg Line
in 1918. Today Péronne proudly boasts one of the area’s famous WW1
museums.
Try to visit Le Hamel in
the north of the Somme. The memorial park there is really worthwhile and this
was the site of Monash’s famous battle
in 1918.
From there you can drive
into the neighbouring department / state (number 62) the Pas-de Calais. In Bapaume
there is the town hall, the site of the huge mine explosion in 1917. Bullecourt
is where Australian troops made their first attack against the Hindenburg Line
in 1917.
The following places are
all worth seeing for their memorials to Australian soldiers:
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Pozières
- 1st Division - (where you
can visit Moo Cow Farm -really Mouquet). Pozières was the site
where five Australian VCs were won in 1916. |
Sailly-le-Sec - 3rd Division.
Mont
St Quentin near Péronne - 2nd Division.
The memorial to the 4th
Division is in another department all together, this time in Bellenglise
in the Aisne (number 02).
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