Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles

’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...