Historical information

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)

Physical description

Photographs of each of the Pilister at Victoria School, Villers Bretonneux. Each pilister is carved with an Australian Animal.