The AIF Project

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Proceeded to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 30 August 1915; evacuated Gallipoli and disembarked Alexandria, 10 January 1916.

Admitted to 5th Field Ambulance, Tel-el-Kebir, 20 January 1916 (mumps); transferred to No 2 Casualty Clearing Station, 20 January 1916; to 4th Auxiliary Hospital, Ghezireh, 8 February 1916; discharged to duty, 8 February 1916.

Proceeded to rejoin unit, Moascar, 6 March 1916; rejoined 23rd Bn, 8 March 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 26 March 1916.

Transferred to 6th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery, Fort Romper, 15 April 1916.

Wounded in action, France, 5 August 1916; admitted to 44th Casualty Clearing Station, 7 August 1916 (gun shot wound, arm and right leg); transferred to Ambulance Train, 7 August 1916; to 4th General Hospital, Camiers, 10 August 1916; embarked for England, 12 August 1916; admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, 13 August 1916; discharged, 3 October 1916; marched into No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 5 October 1916; granted furlough, 6 October 1916; returned, 21 October 1916; marched into No 3 Camp, Parkhouse, 23 October 1916.

Admitted to Bulford Military Hospital, 21 January 1917 (venereal disease); transferred to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, 21 January 1917; discharged, 27 March 1917.

Proceeded overseas to France, 5 April 1917; marched into Australian General Base Depot, Etaples, 6 April 1917.

Marched out to 6th Light Trench Mortar Battery, 18 April 1917; rejoined unit, 20 April 1917.

Wounded in action, Bullecourt, France, 4 May 1917; reported missing, 4 May 1917; Court of Enquiry held on 23 November 1917 ruled that he was killed in action, 4 May 1917.