Australians on the Western Front

Overview

Following the 1915 Gallipoli campaign, most of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) was transferred from Egypt to the Western Front in early 1916, serving in France and Belgium.
The AIF suffered its greatest losses on the Western Front during 1916­–1918. Of the more than 295,000 Australians who served in that theatre, some 46,000 were killed in action or died from other causes. More than 100,000 were wounded.

Key points

  • Arriving on the Western Front in 1916, after service on Gallipoli, the Australians’ first major battle was at Fromelles in July. In less than 24 hours the Australians suffered more than 5,500 casualties.
  • From Fromelles to Pozières and Mouquet Farm on the Somme in 1916, to Bullecourt, Messines, and Passechendaele in 1917, and the battles of 1918 such as Villers-Bretonneux and Hamel, the AIF served with distinction and valour on the Western Front. The Australians forged a formidable reputation as resilient and respected soldiers.
  • In the final months of the war the Australians served in the Allies’ war winning offensive, before the five infantry divisions were withdrawn from the line in October 1918 for a period of rest. Before the Australians were due to return to the front line, the fighting ended with the Armistice on 11 November 1918.
  • The Australians played little part in the post-war military occupation of German’s Rhine region. One squadron of the Australian Flying Corps deployed into Germany with the British Army of the Rhine.
  • The logistical challenge of bringing home the troops was enormous. Troops were moved from the Western Front to Britain from where some 135,000 Australians returned home plus almost 16,000 from the Middle East. The majority sailed on a ‘first come, first to go’ basis, meaning those had enlisted earliest were given priority. The last troopship reached Australian shores in September 1919.

Facts and figures

Australians on the Western Front

  • More than 295,000 Australians served on the Western Front
  • Some 46,000 Australians lost their lives of whom 18,000 have no known grave
  • More than 100,000 were wounded
  • Approximately 4,000 were captured by the Germans

Major Australian Battles on the Western Front

  • 19–20 July 1916 – Battle of Fromelles
  • 23 July – 3 September 1916 – Battle of Pozières, including Mouquet Farm
  • 11 April & 3 – 17 May 1917 – First and Second Battles of Bullecourt
  • 7–14 June 1917 – Battle of Messines
  • 31 July – 10 November 1917 – Third Battle of Ypres
  • 24–25 April 1918 – Recapture of Villers-Bretonneux
  • 4 July 1918 – Battle of Hamel
  • 8–11 August 1918 – Battle of Amiens
  • 31 August – 3 September 1918 – Battle of Mont St. Quentin

The Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux

  • After the war, each of the main Allied nations that contributed forces to the Western Front was given the opportunity to construct a national memorial. Australia chose Villers-Bretonneux.
  • Villers-Bretonneux was the site of a historic and symbolic battle involving Australians. The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux took place from 24 to 27 April 1918, towards the end of the German ‘Spring Offensive’ that started in March 1918. Australian, British, French and French Moroccan troops recaptured the town and repelled a German force thereby helping to stabilise the front.
  • Significantly, and symbolically, the recapture of the town was achieved by the morning of 25 April, the third Anzac Day.
  • The Australian National Memorial was constructed in the 1930’s and was unveiled by King George VI on 22 July 1938.
  • The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery at Villers-Bretonneux contains 2,146 British Commonwealth war graves (including two from the Second World War) of whom 609 are unidentified. Of these war graves, 779 are Australians of whom 47 are unidentified.
  • The Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux records the names of 10,773 Australian soldiers who were killed on the Western Front and who had no known grave at the time the memorial was unveiled. A small number of the missing now have identified graves.

Bullecourt memorial

  • For many years, there was no memorial to the Australian battles at Bullecourt. Those killed at Bullecourt were commemorated in Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries if their graves could be found and others were named on the Memorial to the Missing at Villers-Bretonneux.
  • The Australian Memorial Park at Bullecourt was inaugurated on Anzac Day in 1992.
  • The ‘Bullecourt Digger’, designed and sculpted by Melbourne artist Peter Corlett, was unveiled in the park on Anzac Day, 1993.

Further reading

Anzac Day

Websites

Books and videos

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