History Archives | Sir John Monash Centre

Private Gaston Griffart, a link between France and Australia

SJMC — Mon, 18 May 2026 10:21:22 +0000

In November 2024, the Sir John Monash Centre received an unusual request: Mr Raymond Huggins, an Australian from Queensland, wanted to conduct some research into his grandfather, who died on the Western Front during the First World War. However, this research was not about a soldier from the Australian Imperial Force, but a French soldier who was killed in action in 1914.

The post Private Gaston Griffart, a link between France and Australia appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

Life in the trenches

DVA Author — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 05:00:39 +0000

Trench warfare was a defining feature of the First World War. From late 1914 onwards, trenches became the daily environment for soldiers from all nations. For these soldiers, exposed to the many dangers of war, life in the trenches on the Western Front was both harsh and dangerous.

The post Life in the trenches appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

Portrait of Soldier: Captain Percy Valentine Storkey VC

SJMC — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:10:27 +0000

Many soldiers involved in the German spring offensive of 1918 were commended for their bravery on the battlefield. One of them was Captain Percy Storkey, who received the Victoria Cross in May 1918 for his actions during the Battle of Hangard Wood.

The post Portrait of Soldier: Captain Percy Valentine Storkey VC appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

Graffiti made by Australian soldiers discovered in Bray-sur-Somme

SJMC — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 10:46:58 +0000

When the First World War broke out, soldiers from all over the world were mobilised as a result of the political alliances that had been formed. Whether they were resting in rear areas, far from the fighting, or close to the battlefields, many of them left their mark on walls, structures and buildings. Since the centenary of the First World War, more and more of these graffiti have been brought to light by historians, archaeologists and individual enthusiasts.

Determined to promote and preserve these relics for future generations, they are investigating the history of these soldiers who came from all over the world. Recently, new graffiti, including from Australian soldiers were discovered in Bray-sur-Somme.

The post Graffiti made by Australian soldiers discovered in Bray-sur-Somme appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

The structure of Australia’s forces during the First World War

SJMC — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 09:47:43 +0000

The structure of Australia’s military force changed over the course of the war. At the outbreak of war, Australia had a small navy and a small regular army. Part-time volunteers in the Citizen Forces were unable to serve overseas. Thousands of men enlisted in the armed forces when recruiting began.

The post The structure of Australia’s forces during the First World War appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

How did the war begin?

SJMC — Tue, 06 May 2025 08:18:10 +0000

The start of the First World War is generally accepted as 28 July 1914, following the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke, Franz Ferdinand. But how could an isolated assassination plunge the world into a deadly world war? Let’s look back at the origins of this conflict.

The post How did the war begin? appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

Bullecourt: the Jean and Denise Letaille Museum and the remembrance of the battles of 1917

SJMC — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:12:36 +0000

A few kilometres from the town of Arras and close to the old Hindenburg Line lies the village of Bullecourt, where two bloody battles were fought in which Australian troops were engaged on the Western Front during the First World War. Today, several memorials commemorate the Australians who helped recapture the town. The Jean and Denise Letaille Museum, Bullecourt-1917 continues to tell these stories.

The post Bullecourt: the Jean and Denise Letaille Museum and the remembrance of the battles of 1917 appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

The Australian National Memorial during the Second World War

SJMC — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 10:55:49 +0000

The signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918 heralded the end of what was known as the war to end all wars. Shortly afterwards, numerous cemeteries and memorials were built on the Western Front in honour and remembrance of the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from all over the world. The Australian National Memorial, inaugurated in 1938 near Villers-Bretonneux, is one of them.

A year later, the Second World War broke out, transforming this place of remembrance into a battlefield once again.

The post The Australian National Memorial during the Second World War appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

Private Albert George Pegram and the Battle of Polygon Wood

SJMC — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:27:43 +0000

In 1917, in the midst of the Third Battle of Ypres, troops of the Australian Imperial Force were engaged a few dozen kilometres east of the town, near the town of Zonnebeke, in Polygon Wood. They found themselves fighting in an almost lunar landscape, an expanse of craters dotted with tree stumps as far as the eye could see.

The post Private Albert George Pegram and the Battle of Polygon Wood appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

SJMC — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:00:45 +0000

The Sir John Monash Centre stands on the top of a hill, preceded by the Australian National Memorial and the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery. This cemetery, like many other Commonwealth cemeteries on the Western Front, is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

The main task of the Commission is to ‘honour and care for the men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the First and Second World Wars, ensuring they will never be forgotten’.

The post The Commonwealth War Graves Commission appeared first on Sir John Monash Centre.