Victor RSL represented in France
The Victor Harbor RSL observed Remembrance Day 2009 not only here in Victor Harbor last month,
but also in France, at Villers-Bretonneux, reported Sub-branch President David Miller.
Local RSL members Ian & Janet Milnes, who have been travelling in France, visited the Australian
Memorial near the village of Villers-Bretonneux on 11 November to commemorate Remembrance Day.
They were disappointed when they learned the day before that there was no official Australian service
planned. By telephone sms Sub-branch President David Miller quickly gave approval for the laying of a
wreath at the Memorial on behalf of the Sub-branch. “We felt this was a wonderful opportunity for our Subbranch to acknowledge and remember the sacrifice made by those local soldiers who were killed in action in
the Somme area of France and who have no known grave” President Miller said.
A small gathering of Australian visitors to the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial were brought together by
Sub-branch Treasurer Ian Milnes and an informal ceremony was conducted at 11 am with the Ode recited by
Major David Wilson (rtd), formerly of the 5/7 Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, who was visiting the
Memorial at the time. A Minute’s Silence was observed followed by the reading of the poem In Flanders
Fields by Ian Milnes. All present expressed their appreciation for the holding of the service.
In March 1918, the Germans launched a massive attack against the Allied front with the objectives of
splitting the French and British armies and capturing the important rail junction town of Amiens. Australian
divisions were rushed to the front, and on 24-25 April 1918 they managed, with the assistance of two British
Divisions, to halt the German advance at Villers-Bretonneux and thereby saved Amiens from capture. Under
the command of General Monash, the Australian forces later broke the German line at Le Hamel in July, and
took part in the liberation of an area between Villers-Bretonneux and the far side of Peronne in August and
September 1918.
The Villers-Bretonneux Memorial was unveiled in 1938 by King George VI and commemorates the
Australian soldiers who fought in France and Belgium during the World War One, and especially those
killed and who have no known grave in France. There are nearly 11,000 Australian servicemen named on
the Memorial. President Miller said the names of the Victor Harbor and district soldiers inscribed on the
Memorial, and their units, are:
Pte Arthur James Hamlyn MM (4 Battalion, Australian Infantry), Pte John William Page (6 Bn), Pte
Robert Donald McBeath (10 Bn), Pte Andrew Roads (10 Bn), Pte Herbert John von Dittmer (10 Bn), Pte
Harold Percy Ellis (12 Bn), Pte Harold Leslie Alexander (27 Bn), Cpl Leslie Raymond Pellew (27 Bn), Pte
Magnus Hedley Hutchinson (35 Bn), Pte William Roderick Baker (48 Bn), Pte Ernest Norman Hutton (48
Bn), Lcpl Albert Thomas Ticklie MM (48 Bn), Cpl William Hawden Ayliffe (50 Bn), Pte Albert John
Graham (50 Bn), Pte James Moore (50 Bn), Pte Arthur Thomas Walker (50 Bn), Pte Gilbert James Snell (52
Bn), Sgt Albert Reginald Victor Chaplin (52 Bn) and Pte James Andrew Jordan (4 Pioneer Bn). A soldier
with the initials MM after his name denotes he was awarded the Military Medal.
One Victor Harbor soldier who distinguished himself at Villers-Bretonneux was Lieutenant Len Reid
who was a member of the 13th Light Horse Regiment. He served at Gallipoli, in Egypt and later in France.
Near Villers-Bretonneux, he carried out valuable reconnaissance and determined the dispositions of the
enemy forces which were unknown by the advancing Australian forces. He was later awarded the Military
Cross for his gallant actions. After his repatriation to Australia and demobilisation Len Reid MC returned to
Victor Harbor where he conducted his butcher shop business for many years.
Victor Harbor RSL member Ian Milnes pictured at the Australian Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France,
on Remembrance Day 2009 where a commemorative service was conducted. He is holding the freshly-made
wreath the Sub-branch had laid in memory of the 18 Victor Harbor and district soldiers who were killed in
France and have no known grave. Their names are inscribed on the Memorial’s walls (photographer Janet
Milnes).
Rotate to vertical portrait - same caption as previous pic.