Villers-Bretonneux
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Villers-Bretonneux is a commune of the Somme département in France.
[edit] Australia
In the First World War, on April 25, 1918 (Anzac Day), the village of Villers-Bretonneux was liberated by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). Taken at a cost of over twelve hundred Australian lives, the people of Villers-Bretonneux remain indebted to Australia for this feat. The town's mayor spoke of the Australian troops in 14 July 1919 when unveiling a memorial in their honour:
The Australian War Memorial in France is located in Villers-Bretonneux and within it lies the graves of over 770 Australian soldiers, as well as those of other Commonwealth soldiers involved in the campaign. The school in Villers-Bretonneux was built using donations from schoolchildren of Victoria, Australia, (many of whom had relatives perish in the town's liberation) and above every blackboard is the inscription 'N'oublions jamais l'Australie' (Never forget Australia). The annual ANZAC Day ceremony is held at this village, on the closest weekend.
[edit] External links
- Villers-Brettonneux
- Digger History: Villers Bretonneux
- Australian War Memorial: N'oublions jamais l'Australie
- Anzacday.org.au: N'oublions jamais l'Australie
