Military History Tours          On Tour - Our Other ANZAC Day - 27 April 2010

The last day of the Somme

The day started at 08.00 in a thick fog as two of our party were taken to special places of interest to them that was outside the range of the coach.

Our Hospitality Vehicle with Robyn Mason, and Charles Murray aboard headed out West of Amiens towards Abbeville.

The first point of interest to Robyn was the gravesite of her Grandfather who was buried at Crouy sur Somme Cemetery. We had a small service around the grave and left Robin to her thoughts in that most peaceful place. Robyn was loath to leave but we gathered ourselves and moved another 25klms further to view a Chateau that one of CharlesÆ relatives had mentioned to him. It seems that his relative was stationed near the Chateau when his unit was out of the line and resting.

The Chateau is a magnificent structure and is worthy of further research, it is also open for inspection by the public and has several acres of magnificent buildings and gardens.

We joined the main party at the Australian National War Memorial where they had been taken through the actions of the 15th Brigade in that famous battle that had saved Amiens 92 years ago.

While we were West of Amiens, the main party had visited Sailly le Sec (3rd Division Memorial) and the battleground of le Hamel which is now the Australian Memorial Park.

Lunch was in the park in Villers-Bretonneux before a visit to the Museum above the Victoria School, and then out to the Southern approach to Villers-Bretonneux to discuss the 13th BrigadeÆs action and the exploits of Lt Sadlier VC.

We concluded our visit to the Somme with a special toast to those who had been lost and we did so near the empty grave of the unknown soldier, taken from Adelaide Cemetery and who now lies at peace in Canberra.