Australian National Memorial, Bullecourt.

 memorial, First World War 1914-1918

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The bronze statue, Digger, stands in this small park on the road to Riencourt, and is dedicated to those that fell in this area in April – May 1917. The village of Bullecourt was heavily fortified as it was incorporated into the defences of the Hindenburg Line. In March 1917, the Germans shortened their front and withdraw to this well planned and constructed defensive position. The Memorial is on part of this Line, which ran from Bullecourt to Quéant.

First Bullecourt. Early in April 1917 around Arras, the British Army launched a major offensive. On 11 April 1917, the 4th Australian and the 62nd British Divisions were sent to breach these defences of Bullecourt, to support the battles around Arras. The attack was hastily planned and mounted and resulted in disaster. The Tanks that were to support the infantry broke down before reaching the start line and the few that started were quickly destroyed. The infantry broke into the lines between the villages and because of poor communications in command, as to where the infantry were, no artillery support was undertaken. The infantry were now under intense artillery and flanking machine gun fire from the villages. The Germans counter attacked and all gains were lost. The two brigades of the 4th Division that carried out the attack, the 4th and 12th, suffered 3,289 casualties, out of a combined strength of 6,000. The Germans had taken 1,170 Australians prisoner, their biggest bag ever of Australians in a single engagement during the war.

Second Bullecourt. Another attempt was made from 3-17 May, to secure Bullecourt. The 2nd Australian Division replaced the 4th and with the British 62nd attacked and penetrated the German line. The Germans counter attacked and ferocious fighting continued for the next 2 weeks. This consumed more and more men on both sides. The 1st Australian Division was required to relieve the 2nd then it was relieved by the 5th. The 62nd was relieved by the 7th and it had to be relieved shortly after by the 58th. Finally the Germans gave up and withdraw. With a small gain into the Hindenburg Line with no strategic importance, these actions were nevertheless extremely costly. Casualties for the second battle ran to 6800 British and 7482 Australian.