V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial
Encyclopedia
The V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial is a World War I
memorial
located in the commune
of Fromelles
, in the Nord departement of France
, about 2 kilometres (1½ miles) northwest of the village of Fromelles on the D22C road (rue Delval).
in July 1916 is significant as the first occasion on which the First Australian Imperial Force
(AIF) saw action on the Western Front
.
The battle is widely regarded as a disaster for the Allies
, and has been described as "the worst 24 hours in Australia's entire history." It resulted from a plan to divert German attention from the Battle of the Somme, but historians estimate that 5,500 Australians and 2,000 British troops were killed or wounded. The Australian losses were equivalent to the combined total Australian losses in the Boer War
, Korean War
and Vietnam War
: although later World War I actions would be more deadly for the AIF, Fromelles was the only one to achieve no success.
Adolf Hitler
is believed to have served as a messenger on the German side with the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division
.
The cemetery contains 410 unidentified bodies retrieved from the battlefield after the Armstice, that is, more than two years after the battle. There are no headstones in the cemetery, two large concrete crosses laid face down in the grass mark where the soldiers are buried. Although the graves are not individually marked, these are individual graves, not a mass grave
, as can be seen on the CWGC cemetery plan. There is also a Cross of Sacrifice
.
The memorial lists almost 1,300 Australian soldiers who were lost in the battle and who have no known resting place.Sources differ as to the exact number of soldiers commemorated at the memorial, with the CWGC putting the number at 1,296. The Office of Australian War Graves gives the figure of 1,333 AIF soldiers who died in the Battle of Fromelles and who have no known resting place, compared with 1,121 AIF soldiers buried in local cemeteries (including the 410 at V.C. Corner) as 'unknown'. Of these, 711 are buried as "Known unto God" in other local cemeteries such as the Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery
and the Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery
. The bodies of another 160 AIF soldiers (and 239 British soldiers) were recovered by the Germans after the battle and buried behind German lines, their names and personal belongings being passed to the Red Cross. In May 2008, the remains of some of these soldiers were finally located in mass graves on the outskirts of Fromelles. A total of 250 British and Australian soldiers from this site are being reburied in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery
.
The Australian Memorial Park is about 200 metres from the V.C. Corner cemetery and memorial, on the same road (D22C, rue Delval) in the direction of the village of Fromelles. It lies at the point where the German lines crossed the road, and has several surviving battlefield fortifications. In comparison, the V.C. Corner cemetery and memorial is approximately at the point where the Allied lines crossed the road.
The Memorial Park was opened on 5 July 1998 by Bruce Scott
, the Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs
, in the presence of Ian McLachlan
, the Australian Minister for Defence
. The opening of this memorial park was part of a series of events that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War I. A guard of honour
was provided by the French 43rd Infantry Regiment
, and the Australian 10th/27th Battalion
, and the opening of the memorial park was attended by hundreds from Australia and France.
Cobbers is a prominent 1998 sculpture by Peter Corlett
of Sergeant Simon FraserFraser (born 31 December 1876, Byaduk, Victoria
) would rise to the rank of lieutenant. He was killed in action 11 May 1917. rescuing a wounded compatriot from No Man's Land
after the battle. A replica of the sculpture is in the Shrine of Remembrance
in Melbourne, Victoria. The title comes from a letter that Fraser, a farmer from Byaduk, Victoria
, wrote a few days after the battle and that was widely quoted in Australia's official history of World War I.
Several commemorative events have been held at the Memorial Park. On 9 May 2009, a Service of Remembrance was held to mark the 94th anniversary of the Battle of Aubers Ridge
. On 19 July 2009, a service was held to mark the 93rd anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles
.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
located in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Fromelles
Fromelles
-References:* -External links:*** video report from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission*...
, in the Nord departement of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, about 2 kilometres (1½ miles) northwest of the village of Fromelles on the D22C road (rue Delval).
Battle of Fromelles
The Battle of FromellesBattle of Fromelles
The Battle of Fromelles, sometimes known as the Action at Fromelles or the Battle of Fleurbaix , occurred in France between 19 July and 20 July 1916, during World War I...
in July 1916 is significant as the first occasion on which the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
(AIF) saw action on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
.
The battle is widely regarded as a disaster for the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
, and has been described as "the worst 24 hours in Australia's entire history." It resulted from a plan to divert German attention from the Battle of the Somme, but historians estimate that 5,500 Australians and 2,000 British troops were killed or wounded. The Australian losses were equivalent to the combined total Australian losses in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, Korean War
Military history of Australia during the Korean War
The military history of Australia during the Korean War was very eventful. Japan's defeat in World War II heralded the end to 35 years of Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula...
and Vietnam War
Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War
Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War began as a small commitment of 30 men in 1962, and increased over the following decade to a peak of 7,672 Australians deployed in South Vietnam or in support of Australian forces there. The Vietnam War was the longest and most controversial war Australia...
: although later World War I actions would be more deadly for the AIF, Fromelles was the only one to achieve no success.
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
is believed to have served as a messenger on the German side with the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division
6th Bavarian Reserve Division (German Empire)
The 6th Bavarian Reserve Division was a unit of the Royal Bavarian Army, part of the German Army, in World War I. The division was formed on 10 September 1914 and organized over the next month...
.
Cemetery and memorial
The site was constructed in 1920 and 1921: The name VC Corner has no obvious relation to actions in the region of Fromelles. It might just refer to a nickname soldiers gave the area during the war referring either to the bravery of the Australian troops or the danger of the place that demanded bravery to be held.The cemetery contains 410 unidentified bodies retrieved from the battlefield after the Armstice, that is, more than two years after the battle. There are no headstones in the cemetery, two large concrete crosses laid face down in the grass mark where the soldiers are buried. Although the graves are not individually marked, these are individual graves, not a mass grave
Mass grave
A mass grave is a grave containing multiple number of human corpses, which may or may not be identified prior to burial. There is no strict definition of the minimum number of bodies required to constitute a mass grave, although the United Nations defines a mass grave as a burial site which...
, as can be seen on the CWGC cemetery plan. There is also a Cross of Sacrifice
Cross of Sacrifice
The Cross of Sacrifice was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield for the Imperial War Graves Commission and is usually present in Commonwealth war cemeteries containing 40 or more graves. It is normally a freestanding four point limestone Latin cross in one of three sizes ranging in height from 18 to...
.
The memorial lists almost 1,300 Australian soldiers who were lost in the battle and who have no known resting place.Sources differ as to the exact number of soldiers commemorated at the memorial, with the CWGC putting the number at 1,296. The Office of Australian War Graves gives the figure of 1,333 AIF soldiers who died in the Battle of Fromelles and who have no known resting place, compared with 1,121 AIF soldiers buried in local cemeteries (including the 410 at V.C. Corner) as 'unknown'. Of these, 711 are buried as "Known unto God" in other local cemeteries such as the Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery
Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery
The Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery is a World War I cemetery located in the commune of Fleurbaix, in the Pas-de-Calais departement of France, about south of the village of Fleurbaix on the D175 road .-See also:...
and the Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery
Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery
The Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery is a World War I cemetery located in the commune of Fleurbaix, in the Pas-de-Calais departement of France, about southwest of the village of Fleurbaix on the D171 road , just before the hamlet of Pétillon.Of the 845 graves, 395 are of unknown soldiers.-See...
. The bodies of another 160 AIF soldiers (and 239 British soldiers) were recovered by the Germans after the battle and buried behind German lines, their names and personal belongings being passed to the Red Cross. In May 2008, the remains of some of these soldiers were finally located in mass graves on the outskirts of Fromelles. A total of 250 British and Australian soldiers from this site are being reburied in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery
Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery
Fromelles Military Cemetery is a First World War cemetery built by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the outskirts of Fromelles in northern France, near the Belgian border. Constructed between 2009 and 2010, it was the first new Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery for more than 50...
.
Australian Memorial Park
| 50°37′5"N 02°50′8"E |
The Australian Memorial Park is about 200 metres from the V.C. Corner cemetery and memorial, on the same road (D22C, rue Delval) in the direction of the village of Fromelles. It lies at the point where the German lines crossed the road, and has several surviving battlefield fortifications. In comparison, the V.C. Corner cemetery and memorial is approximately at the point where the Allied lines crossed the road.
The Memorial Park was opened on 5 July 1998 by Bruce Scott
Bruce Scott
Bruce Craig Scott , Australian politician, has been a National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1990, representing the Division of Maranoa, Queensland. He was born in Roma, Queensland, and was a wool and grain grower before entering politics...
, the Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs oversees income support, compensation, care and commemoration programs for more than 400,000 veterans and their widows, widowers and dependants....
, in the presence of Ian McLachlan
Ian McLachlan
Ian Murray McLachlan AO is an Australian landowner, former first-class cricketer, and former member of the Australian House of Representatives.-Early life:...
, the Australian Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
. The opening of this memorial park was part of a series of events that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War I. A guard of honour
Guard of honour
A guard of honour is a ceremonial event practice in military and sports as a mark of respect.-Military:In the military a guard of honour is a ceremonial practice to honour visiting foreign dignitaries, or the fallen in war, or a ceremony for public figures who have died.The commander is three paces...
was provided by the French 43rd Infantry Regiment
43rd Infantry Regiment (France)
The 43rd Infantry Regiment was a French infantry regiment. It was created on 13 March 1638 under the Ancien Régime under the name Régiment des vaisseaux, as one of many regiments created to serve on board naval ships and in the colonies - all such regiments were, in 1791, given a number in the...
, and the Australian 10th/27th Battalion
Royal South Australia Regiment
The Royal South Australia Regiment is a reserve regiment of the Australian Army consisting of a single battalion, the 10th/27th Battalion, part of the 9th Brigade. It was raised on 1 July 1960, as The South Australia Regiment.-History:...
, and the opening of the memorial park was attended by hundreds from Australia and France.
Cobbers is a prominent 1998 sculpture by Peter Corlett
Peter Corlett
Peter Corlett is an Australian sculptor, known for his full-figure sculptures cast in bronze, especially his memorial works.Corlett studied sculpture at RMIT University, Melbourne, from 1961 to 1964. In 1975, he was awarded a special projects grant from the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council...
of Sergeant Simon FraserFraser (born 31 December 1876, Byaduk, Victoria
Byaduk, Victoria
Byaduk is a township in the Shire of Southern Grampians in the Western District of Victoria, Australia.European settlement began around 1853 by Wendish or SorbianLutheran immigrants who gave it the name Neukirch after the town in Saxony....
) would rise to the rank of lieutenant. He was killed in action 11 May 1917. rescuing a wounded compatriot from No Man's Land
No Man's Land
No man's land is an unoccupied area between two opposing positions.No Man's Land may also refer to:-Places:In the United Kingdom* No Man's Land, Cornwall, England* No Man's Land Fort, off the coast of England* Nomansland, Devon, England...
after the battle. A replica of the sculpture is in the Shrine of Remembrance
Shrine of Remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war...
in Melbourne, Victoria. The title comes from a letter that Fraser, a farmer from Byaduk, Victoria
Byaduk, Victoria
Byaduk is a township in the Shire of Southern Grampians in the Western District of Victoria, Australia.European settlement began around 1853 by Wendish or SorbianLutheran immigrants who gave it the name Neukirch after the town in Saxony....
, wrote a few days after the battle and that was widely quoted in Australia's official history of World War I.
Several commemorative events have been held at the Memorial Park. On 9 May 2009, a Service of Remembrance was held to mark the 94th anniversary of the Battle of Aubers Ridge
Battle of Aubers Ridge
The Battle of Aubers Ridge was a British offensive mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I.- Background :The battle was the initial British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois...
. On 19 July 2009, a service was held to mark the 93rd anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles
Battle of Fromelles
The Battle of Fromelles, sometimes known as the Action at Fromelles or the Battle of Fleurbaix , occurred in France between 19 July and 20 July 1916, during World War I...
.
See also
- Le Trou Aid Post CemeteryLe Trou Aid Post CemeteryThe Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery is a World War I cemetery located in the commune of Fleurbaix, in the Pas-de-Calais departement of France, about south of the village of Fleurbaix on the D175 road .-See also:...
- Rue-Pétillon Military Cemetery
- Rue-du-Bois Military CemeteryRue-du-Bois Military CemeteryThe Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery is a World War I cemetery located in the commune of Fleurbaix, in the Pas-de-Calais departement of France, about southwest of the village of Fleurbaix on the D171 road , just before the hamlet of Pétillon.Of the 845 graves, 395 are of unknown soldiers.-See...
- Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military CemeteryFromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military CemeteryFromelles Military Cemetery is a First World War cemetery built by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the outskirts of Fromelles in northern France, near the Belgian border. Constructed between 2009 and 2010, it was the first new Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery for more than 50...
External links
- Australian Department of Veteran's Affairs site, with photographs, access details and testimonies from soldiers who fought at Fromelles (including Simon Fraser)
- Video of VC Corner and Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles. Jason Fielding
- Account of the battle, including references to the cemetery and memorial (Ekins, Ashley, 'The battle of Fromelles', Wartime 44 (2008) 18–23)
- Details and photos of the cemetery, memorial and memorial park