Plans for annual Villers-Bretonneux
Anzac Day service
Friday - 23 May 2008 -
Australian
THE federal Government will discuss with
French authorities the staging of annual
Anzac Day services in Villers-Bretonneux.
A special 90th anniversary dawn service
was held in the French town last month.
The Battle of Villers-Bretonneux was
fought in April 1918 when Australian
forces ejected German defenders from the
village but at a cost of 1200 dead.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says an annual
dawn service on Anzac Day will be a
recognition that 300,000 Australians
served on the western front in France
during World War I, with some 50,000
losing their lives.
"Alan Griffin, the Minister for
Veterans' Affairs, has been in my ear
about this for some time," Mr Rudd told
the Nine Network.
"His recommendation to me is that we
proceed and that is that.
"There will be an annual dawn service at
Villers-Bretonneux from next year on."
The principal Australian War Memorial in
France is located at the town, along
with the graves of 770 Australian
soldiers.
Mr Rudd says Gallipoli, from where Anzac
Day originated, is important for
familiar reasons.
"This (Villers-Bretonneux) provides an
additional opportunity for Australians
to honour our war dead," he said.
"(Mr) Griffin will be organising this in
consultation with the town
administration of Villers-Bretonneux to
make sure that it all works for them as
well. It is their town." |
