THE BATTLE OF FROMELLES 1916

The battle of Fromelles opened at 1800 hours on 19 July 1916 when the Australian 5th Division, which had arrived from Egypt less than two weeks earlier, and the British 61st Division, attacked German positions to the north-east of the village.

The Australians had marched for two days to get into position and many men were very tired.

Despite briefly entering and holding part of the German line the Australians were driven out by enemy counter-attacks and were back in their own lines the following day.

The 5th Division lost some 5,500 men, the 61st about 1,500 and the Germans almost 2,000.

The battlefield tour includes an in-text map, a visit to the Fromelles museum, to the Australian memorials, to the new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and to where Adolf Hitler was billeted in 1916.

The battle is described in our Major & Mrs Holt's Battlfield Guide Book to the Western Front -North.