Anzac Day

Today was biggie. With a 3.00am start we headed of to Villers-Bretonneux. It was really cold so we rugged up. I rugged up a little more than Ian – 7 layers including thermals, a wool jumper, rugby top, thermal vest, RM Williams Jacket and a leather trench coat complete with jeans, 2 pair socks, leather boots, beanie, wool scarf and leather gloves. At the service I was still freezing.

It was a very moving ceremony, with the sun slowly rising over the memorial. A number of the original participants did not make it so the bugler was from the Conservatorium of Music in Paris, the Chaplain was British and the singer was also a stand in. It all went off really well except I think it was a bit cold for the bugler with some awful notes at the start. Ian laid the wreath for past serving servicemen on behalf of the Noosa Vietnam Veterans. I received several text messages saying he was seen on TV and recorded.

We were to have breakfast at the Kangaroo Café at Villers Bretonneux but apparently the café was recently sold and had not advised the tour group. It turned out really well as the local college – College Jobrell took us in and we had a European breakfast. The Children had gone to a lot of trouble with welcoming posters etc but I think a lot of what was there were permanent displays. They had a cabinet with Australian memorabilia such as a slouch hat, bronze soldier statues etc. They also had a map of Australia covering one wall and aboriginal paintings covering another wall.

After breakfast we headed to the Somme battlefields. We visited Hamel where General John Monash orchestrated one of the great Australian attacks of the war in July 1918. The co-operation between infantry, tanks, artillery and aircraft was used as a template for British attacks for the rest of the war.

We stopped to see the site of where Baron von Richthofen (the Red Baron) was shot down over the brickworks. After aerial combat with Canadian airmen (who initially claimed the hit) he was fatally shot by an Australian land based machine gunner.

We also visited the massive Australian memorial at Poziieres.  Keith, we looked up your relative Private Lewis Wilton.  His body was never identified and his name is on the memorial wall on panel 31 towards the back left hand corner. We left a poppy.

We also visited the Lochnager Crater Site, the first division memorial. the memorial to the tanks, the Sunken Road and Dernancourt Cemetery.  It has been a long day.

/tomorrow we have a few more areas to visit on the Somme then back to Paris.