Scotch College

Remembering a crucial Australian World War I victory

WORDS and photography: Mr DAVID GRIERSON (’56) Image Source: Australian War Memorial

Last November I was among a group of representatives of Australian ex-service organisations who visited France to participate in the rededication of a large granite memorial commemorating the Australian Corps at the site of the World War I battle at Le Hamel.

Last year, David Grierson, immediate past chairman of Legacy, represented Legacy at the rededication of a significant World War I memorial in France.

Unsatisfactory construction methods and extreme weather had led to an earlier memorial deteriorating. The Office of Australian War Graves decided to reconstruct it, and this task was completed just before 11 November 2008, the 90th anniversary of the armistice which ended the war.

I had the honour of representing Legacy at the rededication ceremony, along with the national presidents of the War Widows’ Guild, the RSL, the Air Force Association and the Naval Association. In attendance were the Governor-General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, AC, and the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, the Hon Alan Griffin, MP, together with numerous dignitaries.

The Battle of Hamel was fought on 4 July 1918 and involved Australian and some American troops. The Americans had been training with the Aussies, and participated in their first offensive action of World War I. The Monash plan, a model of engineering excellence, integrated infantry, armour, artillery, air and resupply in a minutely detailed timetable. Zero hour was set at 3.10am on 4 July and the objectives were reached in less than two hours. ‘All over in ninety-three minutes ... the perfection of teamwork’, Monash later wrote. The village of Le Hamel was cleared and the heights were under Australian control.

The Australian Corps had won a significant victory at its first attempt under General John (later Sir John) Monash. Of course, it went on to lead the great attack on 8 August that ultimately took it to the battles at Peronne, Mont St Quentin, Bellicourt and the Hindenburg Line, and which contributed significantly to the ending of the war.

After World War 1, with the cooperation of the French people, a decision was taken to erect memorials to each of the five Australian Divisions at places meaningful to each division. For the Corps as a whole, a memorial was created by converting the prominence at Le Hamel into a memorial park, leaving some of the trenches untouched, and building a large black granite memorial to overlook the site of the battle, together with explanatory panels. This was replaced by the one pictured left.

The Governor-General unveiled a plaque, there were speeches about the significance of the occasion from French and Australian representatives, and all parties, including French, British and American officials, laid wreaths. We then adjourned to a fine reception in the village.

The following day, the parties met at Pheasant Wood, the recently discovered site of mass burial of up to 400 Australian and British soldiers after the disastrous battle at Fromelles in July 1916. We were shown the site for the new war cemetery and then went to pay our respects at the gravesite.

This was particularly moving to me, as there is little doubt that many of the casualties buried here are from the Victorian 15th Brigade, and indeed some may be among those names listed in the Memorial Hall at Scotch. A further ceremony was held at the cemetery at VC Corner, Fromelles, again with all groups participating.

That afternoon, the veteran party journeyed to the Menin Gate at Ypres, Belgium, to participate in the Last Post ceremony that has been held every evening since World War 1, with the exception of the years of German occupation in World War II.

On 11 November, the Governor-General and party attended an international ceremony in Verdun, presided over by President Sarkozy of France. The Minister and party went to the Belgian ceremony at Ypres, while our party participated in the commemoration at the Australian Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux. My role here was to give the reading and help lay the veterans’ wreath.

During the commemorative activities I often found myself thinking of those Old Boys who served and particularly those who died, and of the profound influence Monash had on world events. It is an intensely moving experience for an Australian to tour the Somme, and the opportunity provided by this visit to renew friendship with the French people, who still (at the remove of three generations) maintain the Australian connection, was much appreciated. GS