Commemorations, memorials and war graves

’The Battle of the Somme’ started on 1 July 1916. To reinforce its army, the Germans began to bring troops from other fronts. When battalions from Lille were reported entraining for the Somme, the British devised ‘an attack at Fromelles’ which would, they hoped, persuade the Germans to keep their men there. The task was given to the XI British Corps which brought together the 61st British Division and the 5th Australian Division for the attack. Both were inexperienced, the Australians having arrived 29 June and the British a month earlier.

This memorial is a lasting tribute to those Australians who lost their lives in defending those values which are the foundation of the democracy and freedom shared and cherished by Australia and the United Kingdom. It epitomises the struggle to ensure that the citizens of both our countries, and of the world, could enjoy peace and security.

The defence of Northern Australia. By late 1941, Darwin and the Northern Territory were assuming a role as a strategic base for defence forces and this role increased with the entry of Japan into the Second World War on 7 December 1941.

Following the end of the Gallipoli campaign, April– December 1915, the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) began to move to France in March 1916. The 1st and 2nd Divisions were in trenches near Armentiéres by April and the 4th and 5th Divisions joined them in June. Meanwhile, the other Division, the 3rd, was being formed in England. All five were to see much action on the Western Front.