The first of the battles for Bullecourt took place on the Western Front 100 years ago this week, a military disaster that cost thousands of Australian lives.
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Many Ballarat men served in these two horrendous operations, the first of which opened on April 11. Poor planning and overly-ambitious goals set by the British command saw 3,000 Australian troops killed or wounded in this first battle, who fell to the German machine gunners and artillery when a planned Allied tank assault failed to materialise.
Barbara Manuel has travelled from Toowoomba in Queensland to honour her uncle William Budge, one of the men of the 46th Battalion who were killed. Ms Manuel believes that the operation was so badly bungled by the British commander Gough that the outcome was effectively hushed up for decades.
A simple wreath-laying service will be held at the Arch of Victory at 10.00 am Tuesday April 11, commemorating the 18 men, including Budge, from Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour who were killed 100 years ago at Bullecourt in France.
