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: Western Front

Embarked Melbourne, 16 December 1916; disembarked Plymouth, England, 18 February 1917, and marched into Camp Details, Fovant, the same day.

Marched into 10th Training Bn, Durrington, 7 April 1917.

Transferred to, and taken on strength of 66th Bn, Windmill Hill, 28 April 1917.

Found guilty, 15 August 1917, of being absent without leave from 1200 hours, 13 August 1917, until 1150 hours, 14 August 1917: award, forfeits 6 days' pay, and total forfeiture of 8 days' pay.

Proceeded overseas to France, 25 August 1917; marched into 3rd Australian Divisional Base Depot, Rouelles, 26 August 1917.

Taken on strength of 37th Bn, in the field, 1 September 1917.

Admitted to No 11 Field Ambulance, 12 October 1917 (pleurisy); transferred to No 3 Field Ambulance, 13 October 1917; to Casualty Clearing Station the same day; to No 59 General Hospital, St Omer, 14 October 1917; to No 7 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne, 21 October 1917; to No 10 Convalescent Depot, Ecault, 29 October 1917; to No 13 Convalescent Depot, 4 November 1917; to No 11 Convalescent Depot, Buchy, 13 November 1917; marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Le Havre 1 February 1918.

Proceeded to unit, 19 February 1918; rejoined 37th Bn, 23 February 1918.

Admitted to No 11 Field Ambulance, 11 April 1918 (bronchitis); transferred to No 5 Casualty Clearing Station, 11 April 1918; to No 3 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, 13 April 1918; to England, 15 April 1918; to No 1 Southern General Hospital, Birmingham, 17 April 1918; discharged to furlough, 24 April 1918; marched into No 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 8 May 1918.

Marched into Overseas Training Bde, Longbridge Deverill, 14 June 1918.

Proceeded overseas to France, 10 July 1918; marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Le Havre, 11 July 1918.

Proceeded to unit, 13 July 1918; rejoined 37th Bn, 14 July 1918.

Marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Le Havre, 20 July 1918.

Classified 'B2', 24 July 1918.

Transferred to, and taken on strength of Australian Employment Company, 25 July 1918.

Admitted to No 14 Field Ambulance, 6 October 1918, and transferred to No 20 Casualty Clearing Station the same day (bronchitis); to No 6 General Hospital, Rouen, 8 October 1918; to England, 17 October 1918; to Bath War Hospital, 18 October 1918 (nephritis); to No 1 Australian General Hospital, Sutton Veny, 4 January 1919.

Commenced return to Australia from Southampton on board HT 'Wandilla', 31 March 1919.

Died, at sea, 20 April 1919 (tuberculosis of lungs).

Buried at sea, 21 April 1919.