Mont Saint-Quentin Australian war memorial: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox |
{{Infobox military memorial |
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| name = 2nd Division Memorial |
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| native_name = |
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|image = [[File:Australian 2nd Division Memorial at Mont St Quentin, France in August 1925.jpg|300px]] |
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|caption = Sculpture by Web Gilbert on memorial from 1925-1940 |
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|commemorates= [[Australia]]n forces at the [[Battle of Fromelles]] |
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| image = File:PM 113189 F Peronne.jpg |
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| image_size = 250px |
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| caption = Statue by Australian sculptor Stanley James Hammond |
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|designer = |
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| commemorates = [[2nd Division (Australia)|Australian 2nd Division]] |
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| established = 1971 |
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| location = [[Mont Saint-Quentin]], [[Péronne, Somme]], France |
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| designer = Stanley James Hammond |
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'''Mont Saint-Quentin Australian war memorial''' |
'''Mont Saint-Quentin Australian war memorial''' is an Australian [[World War I|First World War]] memorial located at [[Mont Saint-Quentin]] in [[Péronne, Somme|Péronne]], France. This monument was erected in honor of the fallen soldiers of the [[2nd Division (Australia)|Australian Second Division]] during the [[Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin]]. It is one of five commemorative monuments initiated by the soldiers of the division. The memorial is located on the Bapaume-Péronne road (D1017). |
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==Historical Background== |
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The [[2nd Division (Australia)|Australian Second Division]] has a war memorial on the road from Bapaume to Péronne. It is the only one of the five Australian division memorials initiated by members of the division. The base was erected in 1925. It has bronze bas-reliefs by [[May Butler-George]] of men hauling and pushing a gun and of men advancing with bayoneted rifles and hand-grenades. It had on its top an Australian soldier thrusting his bayonet through a German eagle. The sculptor was [[Charles Web Gilbert]].<ref name=WF>{{cite web | year = 2007 | url = http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/mont-st-quentin/index.html | title = Mont St Quentin, 2nd Australian Division Memorial | work = Australians on the Western Front 1914-1918 | publisher = Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs | accessdate = 2007-09-03}}</ref> |
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{{see|Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin}} |
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The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin was a part of the [[Allies of World War I|Allied]] [[Hundred Days Offensive]]. The [[Australian Corps]] crossed the [[Somme River]] on the night of 31 August 1918 and attacked the German lines at [[Mont Saint-Quentin]]. The position was only 100 meters high but was a key German defensive position because it overlooked the Somme River and served as an ideal [[observation post]], and guarded the north and western approaches to Péronne.<ref>{{cite web | year = 2005 | url = http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/print.asp?id=1049 | title = The Battle for Mont St Quentin: 31 August 1918 – 3 September 1918 | publisher = Penrith City Council Library Service, [[City of Penrith|Penrith City Council]] | access-date = 2007-08-31 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070908213730/http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/print.asp?id=1049 | archive-date = 8 September 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref> The [[Fourth Army (United Kingdom)|British Fourth Army]]'s commander, General [[Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson|Henry Rawlinson]], described the Australian advances of 31 August – 4 September as a great military achievement.<ref name = "AWM-MStQ">{{cite web | url = http://www.awm.gov.au/1918/battles/mtstquentin.htm | title = Mont Saint Quentin and Péronne | work = Australian Victories: 1918 Australians in France | publisher = Australian War Memorial | access-date = 2007-08-31| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070807115512/http://www.awm.gov.au/1918/battles/mtstquentin.htm| archive-date= 7 August 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> In three days the Australians endured 3,000 casualties but ensured a general German withdrawal eastwards back to the [[Hindenburg Line]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/battlefields/mont-st-quentin-peronne-1918.html |title=Mont St Quentin – Péronne 31 August – 2 September 1918 |publisher=Australian Government: Department of Veterans' Affairs together with Board of Studies NSW |work=Australians on the Western Front 1914–1918 |date=12 February 2008 |access-date=2008-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725073538/http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/battlefields/mont-st-quentin-peronne-1918.html |archive-date=25 July 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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However, in 1940, German soldiers smashed the memorial. A replacement statue by [[Stanley Hammond]] of a thoughtful Australian soldier looking down was erected in 1971.<ref name=WF/> |
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==Original memorial== |
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The original monument consisted of a pedestaled sculpture, created by [[Charles Web Gilbert]], representing an Australian soldier thrusting his bayonet into a German eagle. The pedestal has bronze bas-reliefs created by [[May Butler-George]] that depict soldiers in combat, namely men hauling and pushing a gun and men advancing with bayoneted rifles and hand grenades.<ref name=WF>{{cite web | year = 2007 | url = http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/mont-st-quentin/index.html | title = Mont St Quentin, 2nd Australian Division Memorial | work = Australians on the Western Front 1914-1918 | publisher = Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs | accessdate = 2007-09-03}}</ref> The memorial was inaugurated on August 30, 1925 and unveiled by [[Ferdinand Foch]]. In 1940, German soldiers destroyed the sculpture most probably due to the anti-German imagery.<ref name=McLachlan>{{cite book |year=2010| title=Walking with the ANZACS: The Authoritative Guide to the Australian Battlefields of the Western Front |publisher=Hachette Australia |last=Mat |first=McLachlan |ISBN=9780733626036}}</ref> |
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==Present memorial== |
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The plinth was not destroyed by German soldiers in 1940 and lay empty until 1971.<ref name=Pedersen >{{cite book |year=2012| title=ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide|publisher=Wiley |last=Pedersen |first=Peter |ISBN= 9781118238325}}</ref> A replacement sculpture titled ''Digger'' by Australian sculptor [[Stanley James Hammond]] was erected in 1971.<ref name=WF/> The present-day sculpture is of a slouch-hatted Australian soldier with a slightly bowed head.<ref name=Pedersen/> The pedestal still includes the bronze bas-reliefs created by May Butler-George. |
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==See also== |
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* [[List of Australian military memorials]] |
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* [[V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial]] |
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* [[Villers–Bretonneux Australian National Memorial]] |
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* [[Military Memorials of National Significance in Australia]] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{ |
{{commons category|War memorial of Péronne-Mont-Saint-Quentin}} |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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*[https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/history/conflicts/australians-western-front-19141918/australian-remembrance-trail/second-2 History of the memorial] (Australians on the Western Front) - includes a photograph of the current memorial |
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{{World War I War Memorials in France}} |
{{World War I War Memorials in France}} |
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{{Australian war memorials}} |
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[[Category:Australian military memorials]] |
[[Category:Australian military memorials]] |
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[[Category:World War I memorials in France]] |
[[Category:World War I memorials in France]] |
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[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Somme]] |
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Somme (department)]] |
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[[Category:Australian diaspora in Europe]] |
[[Category:Australian diaspora in Europe]] |
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[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1971]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:30, 26 December 2023
| 2nd Division Memorial | |
|---|---|
| Australien | |
 Statue by Australian sculptor Stanley James Hammond | |
| For Australian 2nd Division | |
| Established | 1971 |
| Standort | 49°56′50″N 2°55′57″E / 49.94722°N 2.93250°E Mont Saint-Quentin, Péronne, Somme, France |
| Designed by | Stanley James Hammond |
Mont Saint-Quentin Australian war memorial is an Australian First World War memorial located at Mont Saint-Quentin in Péronne, France. This monument was erected in honor of the fallen soldiers of the Australian Second Division during the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin. It is one of five commemorative monuments initiated by the soldiers of the division. The memorial is located on the Bapaume-Péronne road (D1017).
Historical Background
[edit]The Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin was a part of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive. The Australian Corps crossed the Somme River on the night of 31 August 1918 and attacked the German lines at Mont Saint-Quentin. The position was only 100 meters high but was a key German defensive position because it overlooked the Somme River and served as an ideal observation post, and guarded the north and western approaches to Péronne.[1] The British Fourth Army's commander, General Henry Rawlinson, described the Australian advances of 31 August – 4 September as a great military achievement.[2] In three days the Australians endured 3,000 casualties but ensured a general German withdrawal eastwards back to the Hindenburg Line.[3]
Original memorial
[edit]The original monument consisted of a pedestaled sculpture, created by Charles Web Gilbert, representing an Australian soldier thrusting his bayonet into a German eagle. The pedestal has bronze bas-reliefs created by May Butler-George that depict soldiers in combat, namely men hauling and pushing a gun and men advancing with bayoneted rifles and hand grenades.[4] The memorial was inaugurated on August 30, 1925 and unveiled by Ferdinand Foch. In 1940, German soldiers destroyed the sculpture most probably due to the anti-German imagery.[5]
Present memorial
[edit]The plinth was not destroyed by German soldiers in 1940 and lay empty until 1971.[6] A replacement sculpture titled Digger by Australian sculptor Stanley James Hammond was erected in 1971.[4] The present-day sculpture is of a slouch-hatted Australian soldier with a slightly bowed head.[6] The pedestal still includes the bronze bas-reliefs created by May Butler-George.
See also
[edit]- List of Australian military memorials
- V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial
- Villers–Bretonneux Australian National Memorial
- Military Memorials of National Significance in Australia
References
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to War memorial of Péronne-Mont-Saint-Quentin.
- ^ "The Battle for Mont St Quentin: 31 August 1918 – 3 September 1918". Penrith City Council Library Service, Penrith City Council. 2005. Archived from the original on 8 September 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
- ^ "Mont Saint Quentin and Péronne". Australian Victories: 1918 Australians in France. Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 7 August 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
- ^ "Mont St Quentin – Péronne 31 August – 2 September 1918". Australians on the Western Front 1914–1918. Australian Government: Department of Veterans' Affairs together with Board of Studies NSW. 12 February 2008. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
- ^ a b "Mont St Quentin, 2nd Australian Division Memorial". Australians on the Western Front 1914-1918. Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs. 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2007.
- ^ Mat, McLachlan (2010). Walking with the ANZACS: The Authoritative Guide to the Australian Battlefields of the Western Front. Hachette Australia. ISBN 9780733626036.
- ^ a b Pedersen, Peter (2012). ANZACS on the Western Front: The Australian War Memorial Battlefield Guide. Wiley. ISBN 9781118238325.
External links
[edit]- History of the memorial (Australians on the Western Front) - includes a photograph of the current memorial