Australian
Le Hamel
Memorial
Le Hamel Australian Memorial
- 4july 1918
- 93minutes
- 550meters of trenching
At the top
the village
Built in the middle of the countryside, this memorial commemorates the Australian presence in 1918.
The panels explain the role of the 295,000 Australians who served in the theater of operations in the AIF (Australian Imperial Force): 46,000 lost their lives and 132,000 were wounded.
On the monument, the moving words of Georges Clémenceau, President of the French Council, were recalled. The text is taken from his speech of gratitude to the Australian nation, during his visit to Australian troops shortly after the battle, on August 7, 1918, at Bussy-lès-Daours.
Trench remains
Here, at the top of the hill, once occupied by the German command post, the Germans had dug bunkers in 550 metres of trenches, the remains of which can be seen to the right of the monument.
Le Baron Rouge
At the end of March 1918, the squadron led by Manfred von Richthofen was based at Cappy. On April 21, in a battle with two Canadian aircraft, he failed to realize that he was flying over Australian lines. He was targeted and killed in mid-air. His plane crashed at Vaux-sur-Somme at a place called “La Briqueterie”, just outside Corbie on the way to Bray-sur-Somme.
Buried in Bertangles with military honors, his body was transferred to the German cemetery at Fricourt. He was later buried in Berlin, then in Wiesbaden.
Between 1914 and 1918, Manfred von Richthofen became the terror of the skies. He single-handedly shot down 80 Allied aircraft. His nickname “The Red Baron” is due to the color of his triplane.
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Just outside the village, in the direction of Vaire-sous-Corbie, discover the anamorphosis dedicated to Sir John Monash!
July 4, 1918
Battle of Le Hamel
In June 1918, General Monash, an Australian engineer by training, was given command of the five Australian divisions on the European front. He planned a localized attack on the heights of the village of Le Hamel. The Germans had an exceptional observation post there.
Monash ‘s plan was precise: he made scale models of the battlefield and estimated that it would take 90 minutes to take the village. A rolling artillery barrage was set up, and ground units were supplied with food and parachuted supplies. Low-flying aircraft drowned out the noise of tanks approaching by surprise.
The attack began at dawn on July 4, 1918, and all objectives were reached in 93 minutes!
Where to eat?
– TheAuberge de Fouilloy
Tel: 03 22 69 52 30
– Hotel-Restaurant La Caroline in Corbie
Tel: 03 24 48 01 51
– Restaurant Le Val d’Ancre in Bonnay
Tel: 03 29 96 99 50
Where to sleep?
– Hotel-restaurant La Caroline in Corbie
Tel: 03 24 48 01 51
– Cottage Somme Where in Sailly-Laurette
Tel: 06 89 14 35 09
