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, Western Front

Taken on strength of 28th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 19 January 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 March 1916; disembarked, Marseilles, France, 21 March 1916.

Wounded in action, 29 May 1916; admitted to No 8 Casualty Clearing Station, 29 May 1916 (gunshot wound, arm); transferred to No 26 General Hospital, 29 May 1916; to England, 2 July 1916; admitted to No 3 London General Hospital, no date stated; discharged, 31 August 1916.

Found guilty, 7th Training Bn, Rollestone, 17 September 1916, of being absent from Church Parade: awarded 4 days' confined to barracks.

Proceeded overseas to France, 14 October 1916; marched into 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot, Etaples, 16 October 1916.

Proceeded to unit, 28 October 1916; rejoined 28th Bn, 30 October 1916.

Wounded in action, 16 November 1916; admitted to No 38 Casualty Clearing Station, 16 November 1916 (gunshot, left shoulder); transferred to No 29 Ambulance Train, 18 November 1916; to No 12 General Hospital, Rouen, 19 November 1916; to Convalescent Depot, Rouen, 21 November 1916; discharged, 23 November 1916, and marched inot 4th Infantry Depot, Rouen, the same day.

Marched into 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot, Etaples, 25 November 1916.

Proceeded to unit, 21 December 1916; rejoined 28th Bn, 23 December 1916.

Admitted to No 1 Field Ambulance, 21 January 1917, and transferred to No 39 Casualty Clearing Station the same day (mumps); to No 14 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne, 24 January 1917; to No 1 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne, 2 February 1917; discharged to Base Details, 13 February 1917; marched into 2nd Australian Divisional Base Depot, Etaples, 17 February 1917.

Proceeded to unit, 25 February 1917; rejoined 28th Bn, 28 February 1917.

Killed in action, 26 March 1917.