Dday 9: The Somme - by Sarah

Wow, what an amazing day we have just had! After a tortuous 6am wakeup call we scoffed down our delicious French breakfast (you can’t beat Parisian croissants!!!) and boarded the bus for a two hour drive to our first port of call for the day, the Australian National Memorial in Villers Brettonneux. This tower had a ‘tough time of it’ in World War 2 and the bullet holes still litter the outside of the building. Nathan did his commemoration here as well.

Next stop was Adelaide Cemetery where we had two very touching “adopt a digger” commemorations by Tegan and Cameron.

We then drove to the Villers Brettonneux School and Museum. After World War 1, Villers Brettonneux was virtually destroyed and so thanks to Victorians students, they were able to fully fund the building of the new school. They were so grateful that they erected a museum and school hall in our honour! It even has a stuffed kangaroo! 

We were all STARVING by this stage so it was time for lunch! Our restaurant of choice was called Le Victoria (formally known as Le Kangaroo which ironically, does serve kangaroo) and had steak and chips. Full and satisfied we continued our tour of the Western Front to Le Hamel. Le Hamel was one of the few successful battles Australia fought in the Great War. It was led by Sir John Monash who planned the assault to take 90 minutes and in fact it took 93!

Next stop was the quaint Querrieux British Cemetery where I did my “adopt a digger” commemoration. It was for Leonard Jacks, who served in the Great War and who was my great, great uncle-so this was a very special place for me.

At Villers Bretonneux

We then drove to Theipval Memorial, which is the British Cemetery commemorating all the lost British soldiers who were never found. The memorial is like a gigantic tower and thousands upon thousands of names (over 72,000) are stenciled in the white marble. It is a very emotional place.

Next on the itinerary was the Newfoundland Memorial Park which is commemorating the Newfoundland Regiment who fought in WW1, most of whom died and were never found. The memorial itself is run by Canadian students and it still has the remnants of the ANZAC trench lines after almost a 100 years still zigzagging through the open plains.

We then made our way to the Poziere Memorial. Poziere was a two week struggle for the village Poziere and the surrounding ridge on which it stands. It was another horrendous battle, and though we won, the cost was enormous with huge casualty numbers on both sides. Even more than Gallipoli.  

Our last stop of the day was the windmill site where we met the Mayor of Pozieres. Through our tour guide Jackie, who translated everything he was telling us, we presented him with a book written by Bruce Scates. He then told us all about his plans for the windmill commemoration site which should be up by the 100^th anniversary of ANZAC Day. 



Tegan, Kate and Whitney with
Mayor Bernard De Lattres of Pozieres

Cold and tired we finally reached our hotel for the night in Amiens. We then freshened up and had dinner in the hotel restaurant. For dessert, Tric, in her very best French accent asked the waiter if he could please fetch us all a cup of hot chocolate. Instead the poor man came back with two bowls of warm melted chocolate!!

But despite everything our second full day in France has been a good one and has made us all eager to learn more. Bonsoir everybody!