Pozières The village of Pozières was one of the most fiercely contested places on the Somme battlefield during the First World War. Located on a ridge overlooking the surrounding countryside, it was a key German defensive position during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Control of the village meant control of the high ground. In July 1916 the Australian divisions of the British Army were ordered to capture Pozières. The fighting was brutal and relentless. The village was almost completely destroyed by artillery fire as both sides fought for control of the ridge. Australian troops managed to capture the village, but the German artillery bombardment that followed caused enormous losses. One of the most important landmarks of the battlefield was the Pozières Windmill. Although only the mound of the windmill remained after the destruction, it became a crucial observation point and a symbol of the battle. The surrounding ground was churned into a landscape of shell holes and shattered trenches. Today Pozières is closely associated with the sacrifice of the Australian Imperial Force. Several memorials and cemeteries mark the battlefield, including the Australian 1st Division Memorial near the windmill. The…

Vimy Ridge Memorial The Canadian National Vimy Memorial stands on the heights of Vimy Ridge in northern France. It commemorates the more than 11,000 Canadian soldiers who died in France during the First World War and have no known grave. The monument also symbolizes the sacrifice of all Canadians who served during the war. Vimy Ridge was the scene of one of the most important battles for Canada. Between 9 and 12 April 1917, during the Battle of…

Thiepval Memorial to the Missing The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing is the largest Commonwealth memorial of the First World War. It stands on high ground near the village of Thiepval in the Somme region of northern France. The memorial commemorates more than 72,000 British and South African soldiers who died on the Somme and have no known grave. Designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, the monument was unveiled in 1932. Its massive brick and stone arches rise over 45 meters high and dominate the surrounding battlefield. The…

Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial The Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial stands on one of the most tragic battlefields of the First World War. Located near the village of Beaumont Hamel in northern France, the site marks where the Royal Newfoundland Regiment fought on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. That morning the regiment advanced across open ground toward the German lines. The attack began before many soldiers could even reach their starting trenches. German machine guns swept the battlefield. Within less than thirty minutes the regiment was almost…