Built in 1923-1927, the school is the gift from the children of the state of Victoria, Australia, to the children of Villers-Bretonneux as proof of their love and good-will towards France. Twelve hundred Australian soldiers, fathers and brothers of these children, gave their lives for the heroic recapture of the town on April 24th and 25th, 1918. On the front of the building there are two plaques (one in French and one in English) referring to this. In the School Yard, as well as an Aboriginal style mural created by the students of the school and inaugurated on ANZAC Day 2009, is an inscription over the porch on a green background in yellow writing saying : DO NOT FORGET AUSTRALIA Due to the strong bond of friendship between the Australian population and the inhabitants of Villers-Bretonneux. This message expresses the need to remember and show gratitude. Also situated in the school is the Victoria Hall, with its wooden paneling, co-ordinated by the Ballarat Technical Art School with most of the carving being undertaken by Australian sculptor John Grant of Daylesford Technical College in Victoria. The carvings represent fauna and flora from Australia. (http://www.museeaustralien.com/en/?Victoria_school, accessed 04/02/2014)Photographs of each of the Pilister at Victoria School, Villers Bretonneux. Each pilister is carved with an Australian Animal.villers-bretonneux, ballarat technical art school, victoria school, victoria hall, world war, world war 1, australian animals, possum, cockatoo, kookaburra, platypus, lyrebird, koala

Ill, p.207.non-fictionA book produced for the Royal Victoria Regiment to record the events which have led to the very special relationship between Victoria and the people of the Somme region, as a result of Australian courage on the 24/25 April, 1918.world war 1914-1918 - campaigns - france, villers-bretonneux

This document records the unveiling of the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial by King George VI, the Queen of England and the President of the French Republic, on Friday 22nd July, 1938. The programme includes prayers, hymns and memorial dedication. The assumption is that a Legatee attended the service and saved the programme and it somehow made its way into the Legacy Archives. A significant memorial was built at Villers-Bretonneux to commemorate Australian losses in World War 1. This programme shows King George and the President of France opened the memorial together and that it was an important event in 1938.Paper program. 6 pages. Running order for the unveiling of the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial by King George VI, the Queen of England and the President of the French Republic. Friday 22nd July, 1938. Includes prayers, hymns and memorial dedication.memorial, world war one

Four color pages card Advance from Villers-Bretonneux 8/8/1918 & Capture of Hamel 4/7/1918 & Captured German Tank .Page 1: Australian Advancing from Villlers - Bretonneux 8/8/1918 drawing of soldiers in action. Page 2 : Villlers - Bretonneux Start of the German attack 8/8/1918 Picture of captured German tank by Australians. Page 3 : Capture of Hamel Village 4/4/1918 by Australian. From color Paiinting Australian Comfort Fund by A. Pearse War Artist. Pages 4 : Australian capture A 14 C.M. German Naval Gun intact with its Train and Equipment. Greeting from.................cardboard card, world war 1, greeting card

Yellow soft covered book with the cover featuring a carved timber memorial.non-fictionvillers-brettonneux, world war 1, world war one, french, amiens, charles rosenthal, keith murdoch, henry rawlinson, hobbsm pompey elliott, ferdinand foch, john monash, red baron, von richthofen, tanks, 5th australia division, harold elliott, sadlier, marshall, aboriginal diggers, bill egan, australian armt band, ypres, robinvale, robin cuttle, frederick birks, gas, 58th battalion, tom brain, dick bowman, william james

Four photographs relating to the World War One battle of Villers-Brettonneux, and the its 60th Anniversary. One of the photos is taken inside the Villers-Bretonneux school showing some of the carved pilaster and Australian timber.villers-brettonneux, anniversary, gwen whittle, villers-brettonneux school, villers-brettonneux 60th anniversary, pillasters, caring, hall

Painting on paper background.Copy of Original painting of Australian advancing from Villers-Bretonneux August 18th 1918. Specially painted for the Australian Comforts Fund by Captain Will Longstaff. A.I.F War Artist. Captured Train Gun, Start of The Great attack,8/8/18 and The Capture of Hamel Village July 4th 1918 by A Pearse, War Artist.

Taken some time between 1914-18, the photograph depicts an aerial view of Villers-Bretonneux in France, a region which was part of the Western Front during World War I. The image mostly shows rural landscape. The Western Front was the main theatre of war during World War I. Following the outbreak of war in August 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The German advance was halted with the Battle of the Marne. Following the Race to the Sea, both the French-British and German armies dug in along a meandering line of fortified trenches, stretching from the North Sea to the Swiss frontier with France. The First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux occurred between 30 March - 5 April 1918. It took place during Operation Michael, part of the German Spring Offensive on the Western Front. The offensive began against the British Fifth Army and the Third Army on the Somme, and pushed back the British and French reinforcements on the north side of the Somme. The capture of Villers-Bretonneux, close to Amiens, a strategically important road and rail-junction, would have brought the Germans within artillery-range. In late March, troops from the Australian Imperial Force were brought south from Belgium as reinforcements to help shore up the line. In early April, the Germans launched an attack to capture Villers-Bretonneux. After a determined defence by British and Australian troops, the attackers were close to success until a counter-attack by the 9th Australian Infantry Brigade and British troops late in the afternoon of 4 April restored the situation and halted the German advance on Amiens. The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux occurred between 24 - 27 April 1918, during the German Spring Offensive to the east of Amiens. It is notable for being the first occasion on which tanks fought against each other. A counter-attack by two Australian brigades and a British brigade during the night of 24 April partly surrounded Villers-Bretonneux, and on 25 April, the town was recaptured. On 26 April, the role of the Moroccan division of the French army was crucial in pushing back German units. Australian, British and French troops nearly restored the original front line by 27 April.The record is historically significant due to its connection to World War I. This conflict is integral to Australian culture as it was the single greatest loss of life and the greatest repatriation of casualties in the country's history. Australia’s involvement in the First World War began when the Australian government established the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in August 1914. Immediately, men were recruited to serve the British Empire in the Middle East and on the Western Front. Additionally, the record's significance is enhanced by its depiction of Villers-Bretonneux. The battles that occurred in this town during World War I are especially historically significant to Australia as this is where the Australian Imperial Force had one their greatest World War I victories. An Australian flag still flies over Villers-Bretonneux in the present. Furthermore, a plaque outside the Villers-Bretonneux Town Hall recounts the battles fought to save the town in 1918. Kangaroos feature over the entrance to the Town Hall, and the main street is named Rue de Melbourne. More officially, recognition of the significance of the battle in Villers-Bretonneux is found at the Australian National Memorial, which was built just outside the town. It commemorates all Australians who fought in France and Belgium and includes the names of 10,772 who died in France and have no known grave. Each year, a small ceremony is held at the memorial to mark the sacrifice made by the soldiers. Lastly, the record has strong research potential. This is due to the ongoing public and scholarly interest in war, history, and especially the ANZAC legend, which is commemorated annually on 25 April, known as ANZAC Day.Sepia rectangular photograph printed on matte photographic paper.Obverse: yAE.2.35. / 125 / 62d.2834.35.36.VA.5. / 12.G.18-11 / F.-(?)" /military album, wwi, world war i, villers-bretonneux, australian imperial force, aif, france, war, army, conflict, germany, 1918, battle

This seems to be a recently produced patch that may have been made for an anniversary/commemorationCloth patch, round. Embroided with a yellow border around the outer circumference of the patch. "VILLERS-BRETONNEUX" is embroided in red cotton along the top half of the circumference. There is a yellow kangaroo with the year 1918 in white cotton. The lower area of the badge has "AUSTRALIA" in yellow cotton."VILLERS BRETONNEUX 1918 AUSTRALIA"

Includes label with previous owner's details.Hardcover, blue with black and white photo of city street with plume of dust or smoke inset into "1918" title. 108 pages with black and white photos.book, military history

Index, ill, bib, maps, p.764.It's early 1918, and after four brutal years, the fate of the Great War hangs in the balance. On the morning of 21 March 1918, the Kaiserschlacht (the Kaiser's battle) is launched. The biggest set-piece battle the world has ever seen. Across a 45-mile front, no fewer than two million German soldiers hurl themselves at the Allied lines, with the specific intention of driving all the way through to the town of Villers-Bretonneux, where their artillery can rain down shells on the key train hub of Amiens, thus throttling the Allied supply lines. For nigh on two weeks, the plan works brilliantly.The Germans are able to advance without check, as the exhausted British troops flee before them, together with tens of thousands of French refugees. In desperation, the British commander, General Douglas Haig, calls upon the Australian soldiers to stop the German onslaught and save Villers-Bretonneux. If the Australians can hold the line, the very gate to Amiens, then the Germans will not win the war. Arriving at Villers-Bretonneux just in time, the Australians launch a vicious counter-attack that hurls the enemy back the first time. And then, on Anzac Day 1918, when the town falls after all to the British defenders, it is again the Australians who are called on to save the day, the town, and the entire battle - even the war

Taken in c. 1918, this photograph depicts the ruins of the French village Villers-Bretonneux. In the foreground of the image are rows of shell damaged houses and buildings. In the background of the image stands a tower of the ruined church.On 24 April, Villers-Bretonneux was captured by the Germans as they advanced towards the regional city of Amiens. If they achieved their goal and drove onto the French coast, splitting the British and French armies, the Allied cause might have been lost. The fate of Amiens hung in the balance as two Australian brigades were given the task of retaking Villers-Bretonneux through a swift night-time counter attack. One brigade would assault from the south, while another would attack from the north. The assault began at 10pm on 24 April. The 13th Brigade in the south were held up by German machine guns, before the Australians linked up east of the village. After dawn on 25 April Australian and British troops were involved in fierce fighting to clear the Germans from the village. Some Germans escaped Villers-Bretonneux through nearby woods. Later on the morning of 25 April, three years to the day after the Anzacs landings at Gallipoli, French and Australian flags were raised over Villers-Bretonneux.Black and white rectangular reproduced photograph printed on matte photographic paperReverse: (A copyright and reproduction notice from the Australian War Museum, printed upside-down in blue ink) Church x Ruins/ Villers Bretonneux/ (in pencil) burke museum, world war 1, ww1, wwi, france, australia, villers-bretonneux, ruins, military album

This sketch by South Australian, Lance Corporal Brewster, was sketched while at the front during the Great War near Villers Bretonneux in France.Realism, War artvillers bretonneux, great war, sketch, art

Capture of Hamel Village July 4th 1918 - card size colour copy from the original painting specially executed for the Australian Comfort Fund by A Pearse War Artist. Other side depicts a colour sketch of a German tank captured by the Australians near Villers-Bretonneux Card with coloured war scene with caption beneathFront - Capture of Hamel Village July 4th 1918 by Australians assisted by a detachment of Americans. From original painting specially executed for the Australian Comfort Fund by A Pease, War Artist. Rear - narrative and sketch of a German tank captured by the Australian near Villers-Bretonneux.ww1, hamel village, a pearse, acf

A greeting card published by the Australian Comforts Fund for Christmas and New Year 1918-19. It shows important battles involving Australians in 1918. A painting of Villers Brettonneux battle on 8 August 1918 by Captain Will Longstaff who was an A.I.F. War Artist with an explanation of the offensive. Also a painting of the capture of Hamel Village on 4th July 1918 where Australians were assisted by a detachment of Americans. The war artist was A. Pearse. Was with other World War 1 memorabilia that has come from J.B. McLean. Some of the text: 'On the night of 24th August 1918, the Australians made a daring and clever counter attack in the darkness, recaptured Villers-Brettonneux, stopped the German advance and saved Amiens. This, and the Battle of Hamel, were only a prelude to the smashing advance which commenced on 8th August. Extract from Australian Corps Order, issued on 7th August:- "For the first time in the history of this Corps all five Australian Divisions will tomorrow engage in the largest and most important battle operation ever undertaken by the Corps." 85,000 Australians were engaged (with Canadians on their right and British Divisions on their left), supported by powerful artillery, tanks and aeroplanes. In this battle 7,000 prisoners, 150 guns with an immense number of machine guns and war material were captured. On August 31st and September 1st and 2nd Mont St. Quentin and Peronne fell to the Australians in three days, defeating the flower of the Prussian Guard.'A example of publications made for the troops in World War 1.A greeting card published for the Australian Comforts Fund in 1918.Greetings from Billworld war one, souvenir

Medallion (Remembrance of WW1) Musee Francco-Australien 1914-1918 Villers Bretonneux.medals, ww1, general

Poster "Anzac Day 2008 90th Anniversary of battle of Villers Bretonneux" and manny copies of sameposter, ww1, general

Postcard, WW1, B&W image of quarries alongside the road entering Villers Bretonneux. Copy G 7postcard, postcard, ww1, villers bretonneux, france, quarries

The symbol of 3 lions with castle wall on its top, the writing "Villers Bretonneux" is on the centre bottom part of the plaque

Postcard, WW1, B&W indistinct image of a burst of black shrapnell over Villers Bretonneux. Copy G 11postcard, postcard, ww1, france, shrapnell, villers bretonneux