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Visit to the Western Front by the new Australian Ambassador to France

News

Posted on 16 January 2025

Last December, the Sir John Monash Centre welcomed a very special guest – the newly appointed Australian Ambassador to France, Her Excellency Ms Lynette Wood. During her visit, Her Excellency learned more about the Interpretative Centre, the Australian National Memorial, the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, and other sites in the vicinity.

 

 

The Ambassador began her day by meeting with the Mayors of Fouilloy and Villers-Bretonneux, before visiting the interpretative and immersive galleries of the Sir John Monash Centre. Then, guided by the Centre’s Director, Benjamin Daetwyler, she visited the Australian National Memorial and the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, exploring the whole of the site known as Hill 104 during the war.

 

 

During the afternoon, Her Excellency took time to visit the surrounding sites, starting with the Australian Corps Memorial at Le Hamel, where she was greeted by the Mayor of Le Hamel and the manager of the Val de Somme Tourism Office. To end the day, Her Excellency visited the Franco-Australian Museum at Villers-Bretonneux, on the first floor of the Victoria School.

Like so many other Australians, Her Excellency has family members who served on the Western Front, particularly on the Somme, during the First World War and it was important for her to see the areas where they fought. We were delighted and honoured to welcome her to the sites of the Somme Valley.

 

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