Vive les Australiens!!

Villers Bretonneux is a little village of not much consequence in the north of France about an hour from Paris.  But if you know anything about Anzac history it’s a special place for Australians. 

WWI on the Somme (or the Western Front) in France had been long, cold and muddy for the allied forces.  So many men had fallen that the Germans were determined to make one last mighty push through to the channel.  Allied lines were broken in many places along the Somme and what was left of the Aussie troops were sent in to try and stop them near Villers Bretonneux and so some more Anzac history was made when on 24 April 1918 the Australians finally halted the German offensive. 

The Allied counter-offensive began on 8 August 1918 and became known by the Germans as “the black day”.  Aussies liberated the area from VB to Montbrehain after striking thru the Hindenburg Line with the people of Amiens and also the area near St Quentin.  In November the armistice was signed.

Australia provided the greatest military contribution of all the British dominions:  331,000 out of a population of only 4,875,000 – but we also suffered the greatest losses – 65% killed or injured.

Villers Bretonneux has not forgotten us.  The whole town has Aussie memorabilia everywhere.  There is even a restaurant called Le Restaurant Kangarou!  and we saw this interesting display of kangaroos and koalas..

We walked the mile out to the Australian Memorial and passed a few people as we went – instead of the usual Bonjour! we got G’day! and when we’d say G’day back everyone would grin from ear to ear – it was brilliant.