Premier's ANZAC Student Tour

Tour 2007 - Tour Diary

Day 14: Thursday 3 May
Samuel SCAIFE (Churchlands Senior High School)

It was a nice weather today; slightly cloudy but the sun was still managed to shine through. Compared to the on and off showers of rain yesterday, we were quite lucky.

We had planned for the day a quick stop at the Spice Markets that sold a variety of Turkish food and other souvenirs, followed by a two hour boat ride along the Bosporus to near the entrance of the Black Sea.  When we reached our destination we had lunch, which included Turkish bread, deep-fried seafood and a whole fish, complete from head to tail. The lunch was fantastic and was a cultural experience.

After lunch we took a tour photo by the water before boarding the bus and returning to Istanbul. The bus ride was just over an hour and we used this time to catch-up on our tour diaries and listen to some of the speeches that got each and every one of us onto the tour. Overall, we had each presented our speech twice on the tour, once for the tour group and then again for some of the dignitaries accompanying us. While we worked on our diaries, our tour guide gave us a commentary on the places we were passing and the history of both what we had just seen and what we were about to see. In this case, our next stop was the Grand Bazaar.

We had already been to the Grand Bazaar (yesterday).  It is extremely big with over 4000 shops. They sell a range of products from carpets to chess sets, from tea glasses to scarfs and a heap of both Turkey and Istanbul souvenirs. Our method for exploring the place and not getting lost was to divide into groups of 2-3 students to each teacher.  We would then separate in different directions and regroup at the entrance at a certain time. My group, or what we addressed as a ‘family’, was Mike (dad), Claire (mum) and the three kids being Krista, Ashlee and myself.  Within this group we moved through the Grand Bazaar, overall covering a fair portion of it.  This was by far the best place to buy presents for the family and it was fortunate that I still had a large amount of money leftover from France.

By the end of the day, we had full backpacks, almost empty wallets and a heap of memories. We returned to the hotel after shopping, had dinner and prepared for bed.  Tomorrow we were going home.

This year’s ANZAC Trip has been truly incredible. Fourteen students of Western Australia had seen and experienced what none of our peers could.  We have seen the battlefields of the First World War and understood the destruction that it caused.  We also appreciate what it did for our country.  World War 1 was Australia’s baptism of fire and we have seen the respect that our sacrifice of men has given our country today.  Unfortunately, today was our last day on this incredible ANZAC tour.

It began with another early start and required quite a lot of preparation. We had packed our suitcases and bags the night before and so we were ready to go after breakfast.  We had taken a vote on what would be the best thing to do in the morning before we left and we all agreed that the Grand Bazaar was the go. We were given about an hour and a half to shop and buy our last minute bargains.  It was really fun to barter with the shop owners and by the end of the trip, we were all experts.

At around 10.30 am, we left the Grand Bazaar for the airport. It wasn’t that long before we arrived there and we moved through security reasonably quickly.  Inside the airport, we were allowed to go shopping but had to be back by a certain time.  After this, we boarded the plane and departed for Dubai.  The fight to Dubai was reasonably short and was where we began our letters to the Hon. Premier. The letter to the Premier was one of the tasks that we were expected to complete on the tour and it took longer than we thought it would.

The stopover at Dubai was short and we were soon in the air to Singapore.

We were given some time to stretch our legs and relax in Singapore but we knew that when we boarded the next plane, it was back to work on our letters.  When we landed in Perth, we moved through customs and gathered together for a group photo.  Milton, our tour leader, gave a final speech to our parents and the tour group and then we joined our families.  Although the tour was a fantastic experience, this was a moment we had all been waiting for and it was great to be home.

Day 13: Wednesday 2 May
Callan TUCKER (Sevenoaks Senior College)

Today, the tour group visited a number of historic sites in Istanbul.

Our first stop, after enjoying once again a full buffet breakfast, was a major part of Ancient History, the Hippodrome, located in the old part of Istanbul.  In the 2nd Century, AD, the Hippodrome was used as a horse racing/public meeting location.  Much of the original richness of the Hippodrome has been lost – firstly following the fourth crusade and then the Turkish capture of the city in 1453.

The students then turned around and gazed upon one of the most prominent landmarks in Istanbul, the Blue Mosque. Unfortunately we were unable to enter the mosque at this time, therefore we had to visualise from the outside as we walked through the grounds.  Sultan Ahmet’s Blue Mosque was built between 1609-1616. It differs greatly from other Turkish mosques as it was designed with six slender minarets and suspended overhead by four great, elephantine columns with a 23m diameter and 43m in height. What also caught our eyes were the breathtaking courtyards and how well maintained they are.  For the architect to have come up with such a modern world-class design 300+ years ago with no technology for support, astonished the whole tour.

The next destination was our main attraction for the day, the Basilica of Hagia Sophia, now known as the Ayasofya Museum, located near the Hippodrome.  Instantly, without even entering the outstanding building, it came to our minds that it is definitely one of the greatest and most beautiful buildings in history.  Ayasofya comes from the Greek language and means “Church of the Holy Wisdom of God”.  The building was constructed from 532-537 AD originally being a Christian church, and later an Eastern Orthodox church, which was transformed into a mosque in 1453 by the Turks.  From 1935 onwards, it has been a museum.  In total the building is covered by a central dome with a diameter of 31 metres.  As soon as we entered this masterpiece, described by many as the eighth wonder of the world, our faces dropped and our minds froze.  It was an astounding building and a true treasure of the world.

Our last stop before lunch time was just down the road. Here we took a journey into history, the Basilica Cistern.  This is one of the early architectural examples that have survived to the present age.  The “Glamorous” (as the students called it) underground cistern was built in the 6th Century during the reign of the Emperor Justinian.  The feelings and thoughts that ran through our heads whilst we were walking above the water was phenomenal.  Again the styles, patterns and designs the ancient people used without modern day technology is incredible and how they got it built in such a short amount of time stunned us all. The original purpose of this remarkable structure was for general water use and as a main backup water supply in case the city ever went under any siege. Today it is only used as a Museum and a major Tourist attraction.

Lunch time was next, but definitely not our last stop for the day. After enjoying a relaxing lunch, the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent was on the agenda. This mosque was built by order of Sultan Suleyman in 1550 and construction was finished in 1557. Before entering this significant masterpiece, we visited the grave of Suleyman the Magnificent.  The way the mosque is kept and maintained is fabulous.  When stepping through the doors of history, our shoes had to be removed for religious purposes. The smell, the darkness, the looks, the shiver that runs through your spine is absolutely stunning.  Many of us had never visited a mosque before, including me, so this first experience could not have been better.  Focusing and taking in how different cultures live in their home land is something we will never forget.

The magnificent mosque concluded our Istanbul sightseeing for the day. From here the tour made our way to the ultimate where we spent some time shopping for gifts for family members.  It was a very memorable day.

Day 12: Tuesday 1 May
Jesse DURDIN (Esperance Senior High School)

Today began with a ride on the ferry across the Dardanelles travelling from the continent of Europe to Asia.  The ride was smooth and we all enjoyed the opportunity to smell the fresh ocean air. After about half an hour, the ferry berthed at the town of Canakkale, on the Asian side of Turkey. We stopped to look at the wooden horse that was used in the filming of the movie ‘Troy,’ and had our photo taken. Much to some people’s disgust, Brad Pitt was nowhere to be seen. Behind the horse was a model of ancient Troy which showed us what the city looked like. Around the outside of the model were brief explanations of all the different layers of civilisation found in the archaeological site. Then we left Canakkale for Troy, along the way our guide, Luke, explained to us the legend of the city of Troy. He also explained to us how Troy was found by a German called Schleimann who was seeking the treasures of Troy. When digging for the treasure he destroyed many items of archaeological interest.

We entered Troy, and Luke took us on a tour of the city. Due to the age of the ruin, a lot of it was overgrown, but some parts had been restored. One such place was the house of a wealthy person which had been constructed out of mud bricks to show what the architecture and building materials were like at that time.  We climbed to a higher part of the city from which we could see the Dardanelles; this helped us understand why the city was so important. The city was a port and due to its location was able to control the entrance to the Dardanelles, which made it was an important trading post as the ships from the Mediterranian would meet the traders from the East. We walked on a bit further and came to the palace from Troy VI- the one that was attacked by the Greek soldiers in the Trojan War. Luke explained to us the functions of many parts of the ruins, such as the wells and the altar. We walked around a bit further and came to an amphitheatre, which was used to provide entertainment for the wealthy. This was still in fairly good repair. It was an amazing experience to walk through this fabled city.

We then had about ten minutes to buy ‘trinkets’ or climb the model horse they had there. Then we boarded the bus for our trip back to the European side of Turkey. We again crossed the Dardanelles on the ferry, but it was a bit cooler this time as the breeze had picked up. We had a lunch of fish at a restaurant next to the water.  For many of us this was our first experience eating a whole fish. Before we left, we saw a pod of dolphins playing in the water, an entertaining sight, and then we began the five hour bus trip back to the hotel. This gave many of us a useful opportunity to catch up on our diaries or catch up on the sleep we missed on the previous day. We saw some interesting sites on our ride, throughout the rural areas there were herds of cattle or goats grazing on the road banks, with people watching them. Occasionally, these people were trying to move them along the edges of the road.  There were even a few carts pulled by animals such as horses or donkeys. Another new thing was not seeing a Church or cathedral in every town, as we had in France and Belgium, but a mosque, whose minarets gave a fairy tale feel to the landscape.

Day 11: Monday 30 April
Krista MCMEEKEN (Esperance Senior High School)

Gallipoli.  We have all heard and learnt so much about the efforts of our troops at Gallipoli. We’ve all seen the movie and we all pay our respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice at Gallipoli each Anzac day. But sometimes, the true meaning of Gallipoli seems to become lost. Gallipoli wasn’t only the place where we lost the flower of our youth.  It wasn’t just another war on a far off shore.  Gallipoli was the place where we forged our Australian identity.  It wasn’t until I stepped foot on the shores of Anzac Cove that I realized this.

While enjoying the beautiful serenity of Gallipoli it was hard to imagine thousands of troops forging their way up its rugged cliff faces under fire. It was hard to imagine soldiers like Simpson venturing out into no man’s land to recover wounded and dying ANZAC soldiers, and yet they did. They risked their lives with each venture. It was hard to imagine our troops lying in their trenches at the Nek, only eight metres away from the enemy lines. They watched their mates charge forward and be shot down and then bravely charged forward themselves to the same fate.

It was interesting and also confronting to consider, perhaps for the first time, the number of Turkish soldiers that had also fallen at Gallipoli. It’s so easy to think of them as the ‘enemy’ in this conflict. However, they, like the ANZACs, were simply fighting for their country. Photos in the Turkish museum of Australian soldiers aiding wounded Turkish soldiers by sharing their water with them showed the mutual respect that was evident between the sides. This mutual respect was further cemented with the wreath we laid on behalf of the students of Western Australia at the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial.

To walk in the footsteps of our forefathers, along the trenches that they created, lived and died in, gave an overwhelming sense of remorse for those lives pointlessly lost and so courageously given. Stronger than this, it evoked a sense of pride, both to be Australian and to remember those courageous soldiers in a very real and tangible sense. It was encouraging to see large numbers of other Australians doing the same thing as we were.  They too had had made the effort to travel to the other side of the world to commemorate the actions of our soldiers.

Listening to the stories of our tour member’s relatives who had fought at Gallipoli highlighted just how close and relevant the ANZACs are to the youth of today, and how lasting the devastating effects and losses of war are. The importance of the lessons taught to us by the ANZACs was clear as we listened to the presentations on their heroism and as we looked over the large number of graves spread over Gallipoli. No piece of land is worth the sacrifice of life, no problem is solved by war and no gain can be claimed in the face of such loss.

Visiting Gallipoli brought to life all the figures of dead and missing soldiers, all the stories of wounded and dying Australians and the true importance of the remembrance of the ANZAC sacrifice. To see for ourselves the prickly and rugged terrain which our forebears had charged over, and the sheerness of the cliff faces they had clambered up made us realise just how impossible the ANZAC task at Gallipoli was and the magnitude of their achievement. It also showed us the true bravery and courage of our soldiers who fought here and the importance of honouring their sacrifice. To us on the ANZAC Tour here is now a new depth to the words; Lest we forget.

Day 10: Sunday 29 April
Georgina FRASER (Mount Lawley Senior High School)

On our journey through France it has been interesting to observe that the historical richness of the county is exhibited through its architecture and monuments. This contrasts sharply to Australia where the extended history of our county is held by Aboriginal people in their stories of the Dream Time and the creation of Rock Art. 

Our journey today would eventually lead to the Louvre, and as we moved from the hotel though Paris it was overwhelming to see the huge monuments and old beautiful buildings that are present around every corner.  Little did we know that they would start to pale in comparison to the contents of the Louvre.

When arriving at the Louvre we were greeted by the glass pyramid designed by Loeh Ming Pei, the way it reflected the sun in the morning was amazing.  It was not until we entered the Louvre that we started to comprehend the size of the museum. The history that is contained within the walls encapsulates the growth of human kind and our creative endeavour.   It was an awe inspiring experience.

Whilst inside the Louvre we focused our tour on the Venus di Milo, The Winged Victory, Dianna of Versailles and the Mona Lisa. Whilst all the works contrasted significantly in their purpose, they all captivated our attention. They led us to consider the insignificance of our place in history and to realise that although we have been able to conquer the four corners of the globe, it was the creators of these works that were the leaders in their time.  They were innovators and pioneers and they that represent a moment in history when an eternal beauty was created.

When we stopped to view the works of art, our wonderful guide Denise gave us a comprehensive explanation of the history behind eacyh creation. It was interesting when viewing Dianna of Versailles that we were able to compare it to the copy that we saw in the Palace of Versailles. Venus di Milo exemplified classical Greek sculpture.  The way in which she was designed captured the beauty of women and represents the Greek’s value of the feminine form. From the Venus we advanced to The Winged Victory.  It is interesting that the mentality of mankind has evolved from a position where we glorify war to a belief in the value of remembering the sacrifice made by those who fought.  The last great work of art that we viewed was the Mona Lisa. The mystery behind the painting has captivated humanity for hundreds of years. Although it may appear to be just a simple painting, our trip to the Louvre would not be complete without visiting it.

From the Louvre our journey continued to the famous Champs Elysees.  As we meandered down the shopping strip the Arc de Triomphe was present on the horizon. The construction and planning of Paris over the centuries has resulted in a magnificent city that reflects the different periods of influence.

The Arc is a typical representation of the military focus that dominated the Napoleonic period. It stands as a monument to the successful campaigns that Napoleon and his men engaged. It was amazing to stand in the centre of the arc under the French flag and reflect on the history that we had been exposed to in our two days of exploring Paris. It was inspiring to know that the culture we were experiencing was the result of hundreds of years of customs and traditions.  

Day 9: Saturday 28 April
Bree CLARKE (Geraldton Secondary College)

It was a day of sightseeing of historic sites around the city of lights and love!  We began with the luxury of a small sleep in. To wake up, knowing you’re in Paris, an astounding experience and realising that soon we would see the magnificent sights of this beautiful and famous city had all tour members anxious to start the day.

We began with a bus tour of Paris, guided by our font of knowledge, Denise. Travelling down the streets of Paris we saw the amazing buildings and architecture. This included the Government administrative buildings and the Presidential Palace. We turn into Saint Honore Street passing the Louvre’s glass pyramid and then followed the Seine River. There are two islands along this river. One island was the prison for Marie Antoinette. After the extensive bus tour, we exited onto a busy street of Paris for a short walk before being visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral. This cathedral is not as big as the Amiens Cathedral, yet it still produces serenity amongst the hustle and bustle of tourists and pilgrims. It really is a magnificent building and consists of spectacular architecture and beautiful windows.  It was a fabulous experience for all of us.

After visiting the cathedral we visited Le Invalides, which was a military hospital established by Louis the Fourteenth, the famous “Sun King”, and also used by Napoleon. This hospital is still functional for war veterans today as well as housing the tombs of Napoleon, his son and other famous French generals and military leaders. The Invalides building was amazing.

For the afternoon we set off to see the Palace of Versailles. The palace was built by King Louis the Fourteenth and upon arriving you could see that no expense had been spared for this extravagant and huge building. We toured the mid section of the palace which was used as a reception area, the King’s and Queen’s bedrooms and the Hall of Mirrors.  

The elaborate artwork that adorned the ceilings depicted mythological occasions and a special reverence was held for Apollo, the sun god. King Louis the Fourteenth adopted the sun as his symbol and was known as “The Sun King”. We then entered the Hall of Mirrors. This hall played a major role in history with the Treaty of Versailles being signed there. This ended World War I.  The hall’s roof is again decorated with artwork, yet it is the walls of the Hall of Mirrors which are spectacular. One side consists of mirrors, while the other has massive windows looking out onto the gorgeous grounds of Versailles. Although restoration is taking place, the beauty of the palace is not lost and with a bit of imagination the amazing historical events that have taken place here come alive!

The illustrious gardens consist of statues, hedges and fountains. The famous boat canal looked fantastic and still provides the joy it did in the time of the monarchy, as people rowed on it. The gardens were endless. Walking through the maze of greenery towards the coach we reflected on the magnificence and indulgence in which the royal family lived before the French Revolution.

Day 8: Friday 27 April
John SHADDICK (Guildford Grammar School)

After an early breakfast we headed to the airport. It was a shame to say farewell to our French tour guide, Denise, who lead us all over France. Her knowledge of everywhere we went was outstanding and truly enriched our time in France.

After our check in and a brief wait we boarded the plane for Istanbul. The three hour flight gave me, and I am sure the other students, a chance to reflect on the time spent in France. One of the most memorable parts of the tour, for me, has been the respect that all the French people have for Australians and in particular the ANZACs. Even though the First World War was 90 years ago, the people are still grateful to the Australians that fought in their towns and villages. This was most clearly seen with the plaque over the school yard in Villers Bretonneux saying “Never Forget Australia”.

The official ceremonies were also very memorable, in particular the Menin Gate ANZAC Day service. When a Ypres school marching band played the Australian national anthem and all Australians at the ceremony sung proudly, it sent shivers up my spine. It was one of the proudest moments I have ever had to be Australian.

The time we spent in France has given us all a new perspective on the ANZAC legend. In Australia we don’t realise how much respect other nations have for Australia due to the heroic actions of the ANZAC soldiers.

We didn’t just experience the gratitude of the people. Visiting the many war cemeteries it gave us a chance to see the area where many battles were fought. We learned of the importance of high ground and the devastating effects of artillery and machine gun fire. These two factors combined to create a formidable combination and favoured the defensive side in WWI.  It was the intuitive re-think of offensive war tactics by leaders like General John Monash in the battle of Hamel, which overcame these adversities.  He used artillery, the most devastating weapon of the war, imaginatively and deployed tanks and aircraft creatively.

Soon we were in Istanbul. The environment of Turkey was very different from what we had become acquainted to in France. The church steeples were replaced by mosques and Islamic influenced architecture. On the way to the hotel way we took a brief tour of the city.  Soon after our arrival at the Crystal Hotel we went out to dinner for an authentic Turkish meal. On the way our “ANZAC” tour jackets were noticed and commented on by many Turkish people who passed us by in the busy city street.  Here, in another culture, country and a nation which fought as an enemy rather than a friend, there was still a deep found respect for the ANZACs and their actions ninety years ago.

After dinner we returned to the hotel, and prepared for our early wake up the next morning for our trip to Gallipoli.  This promised to be the highlight of the tour.

Day 7: Thursday 26 April
Leon MCGRATH (John Forrest Senior High School)

Today is the day that we visit the cemeteries and battlefields of northern France for the last time. After leaving our hotel in Ypres, we headed to Tyne Cot, where we had been the previous day for a major ceremony. Tyne Cot cemetery is the largest Commonwealth cemetery on the Western Front. The town gets its name because of a cottage that stood when the British soldiers were posted to the town. Tyne Cot is not too far from Ieper.  It was heartbreaking to see the rows of men who were killed, but what was far worse in my opinion, was when soldiers could not be identified.

As I stood at the foot of the grave of an unknown Australian soldier, I found myself extremely sad and very sympathetic towards this man. We know that he was a soldier in the Australian Imperial Force. But what else do we know? What about the soldier’s family? What about the soldier himself? Here was a man, on the other side of the world and far away from his loved ones.  He was killed on a foreign field in service of his country and he does not receive the praise he so richly deserves because no one knows who he is. His family would only know that he was missing. There would be a mother, a father, brothers and sisters who never knew what had happened to their brother and son. He may have left behind a wife and possibly children. As a small mark of respect for this man and all of the other men who were never identified, I placed an Australian flag next to his headstone as a means of saying thank-you. This was a promise that generations to come would not forget the sacrifices this man and men like him made to ensure our freedom as a country.

After a series of presentations and paying our respects to those fallen, we were given a detailed briefing of the trench warfare tactics of the time by Tour Leader, Milton Butcher. The Tyne Cot cemetery has several German pillboxes on the high ground, which would have contained machine guns. Many of the Victoria Crosses awarded in World War I were for actions that involved the recipient attacking bunkers and pillboxes and capturing or destroying enemy machine guns. The pillboxes had walls which were over a metre thick and could withstand even medium artillery bombardment.

The Battle of Passchendaele itself was a military disaster, as approximately 448 000 Allied troops and 250 000 German soldiers were casualties. After Tyne Cot, we traveled to the Zonnebeke War Museum. The collection of artifacts and information was impressive. The highlight of this museum was the recreated underground tunnel systems. An interesting fact is that each year in Belgium nearly 200 tonnes of World War I munitions are recovered from the fields, mostly by farmers.

Leaving the museum, our group travelled to nearby Polygon Wood. This wood was important as it was the site of a battle by the 5th Australian Division. Whilst the wood today has tall conifer trees, in 1917 it would have been reduced to stumps of trees and the fallen logs would have fighting very difficult.

We had lunch in Ieper after which we travelled back to Paris. The French countryside is beautiful and it is very difficult to imagine the muddied fields and artillery bombardments we read of in our history books. After a very busy day, we had dinner at a local Parisian restaurant before a well deserved sleep.

Day 6: Wednesday 25 April
Damian POLECKI (Jurien Bay District High School)

Today the tour group’s activities consisted of visiting locations that commemorate some of the greatest human losses sustained by the Allies during World War I.

Morning preparation included a 6:45 am alarm call and breakfast between 7:00-7:30 am. The tour group was in the coach traveling towards our destinations by 8:30 am.

The group attended a function located in the village of Passchendaele, starting at 9:15 am.  A number of speeches and gifts were presented by various people including Education and Training Minister, Mr Mark McGowan, and the Burgomaster of the area to underline the importance of respecting those who fought during World War I as well as Belgian and Australian relationships. A wreath laying ceremony was held at the nearby Municipal War Memorial where two of the students on the tour, Ashlee Kovalevs and Samuel Scaife, laid a wreath.

The tour group visited Tyne Cot cemetery at around 11:00 am. This is the largest cemetery commemorating Commonwealth soldiers who were killed during World War I and contains 11,956 graves with 1368 of these being Australian. Over 30,000 names of the missing are recorded on the wall of the memorial.  A service was held here and Tahlia Murdoch and I laid a wreath.

Everyone then attended a ceremony at Menin Gate where the city of Ieper (Ypres) closes the road to allow the event to take place.  We were pleased to see how highly Belgium still regards the ANZACs.  Krista McMeeken-Moir, John Shaddick, Leon McGrath, and Rebekah Vallance laid wreaths. The group participated in a parade to the town hall of Ieper where another of our students, Jesse Durdin, gave a speech about the effects of World War I on the city. (It was known as Ypres in World War I.)  The group enjoyed lunch before viewing exhibits in the Flanders Fields museum in the great medieval town hall.

The tour group attended a special service at Menin Gate at 8:00 pm. This service takes place each night and for this one, on ANZAC Day, 2007, our group had been accorded special status and Cameron White presented the ode to the surrounding crowed. A wreath was again laid.  The tour group talked with people attending the service including the buglers from the Ieper Fire Station who played the last post during the ceremony.

The Menin Gate is a memorial dedicated to the soldiers of World War I whose bodies were never found and were killed during the fighting inside the Ypres Salient. A salient is an area where a bulge is created in the enemy’s trench. The soldiers in the bulge are accordingly susceptible to more enemy fire than usual and this is one reason for casualties being so high.

There were three distinctions I discovered today.

During the ceremonies at Passchendaele the tour group conversed easily with surrounding people. The Belgium people were polite to Australians and this demonstrates great relationships.

The Menin Gate services have been occurring every single evening since 1928 (except when the Germans occupied Belgium in World War II).  Large crowds of people from Belgium and all walks of life attend consistently and this shows the tremendous dedication and commitment the people of Belgium have for commemorating the Allied dead from World War I. The people of Belgium claim they are in debt as their country may not have existed today if not for the work of these soldiers. Belgium has very friendly and positive ties with Australia.

Ypres was completely destroyed as a result of German artillery during WWI. After the end of the war, the town entirely rebuilt to its medieval design, including the spectacular monuments. Today, there is no sign the town was destroyed.  This demonstrates the lengths people will go to in order to secure their home and country.

Day 5: Tuesday 24 April
Ashlee KOVALEVS (Ballajura Community College)

Today was bound to be an interesting day. We were going from France to Belgium. Before arriving in Belgium we stopped at the Amiens Cathedral. We went on to see where the battle of Le Hamel took place, the museum in Peronne and the Menin Gate.

We began our day by visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral of Amiens near our hotel. We had only ever seen the outside of the Cathedral but today we were taken inside this historical place. We were all amazed by the beauty of the stained glass windows and the gothic architecture.

We then proceeded to the where the battle of Hamel took place. There we listened to a presentation on Hamel as well as presentations on other battles and Victoria Cross winners. While at the memorial we were able to see the remains of the German trenches. We all felt amazed that after so many years we were able to stand in the actual trenches that the Germans had defended.  The battle of Hamel was one of the turning points of the war. It was here that General Monash led the Australian troops into battle. Although it was not a big battle in comparison to some, it showed how infantry, tanks, artillery and aircraft could work together successfully in an offensive. Strategies employed by General Monash at Hamel were used by the Allies for the remainder of the war. When visiting Hamel I closed my eyes and tried to picture the scene as it would have been in 1918. I tried to imagine the sights and sounds our soldiers would have experienced. We then formed two lines and practised the ‘fire and movement’ technique that had been successfully employed by a composite Division of Australian troops. Whilst doing this we acquired grass stains on our jeans for our parents to get out when we get home.

We then moved on to Peronne for lunch. We had heard about the battles of Peronne/St Quentin earlier in the day and as a result of this we all had a good understanding of what went on. Once we had eaten lunch we walked to the Peronne Museum. There we saw military equipment, weapons and uniforms worn by both sides. Some of the items had been used throughout the various battles of World War One. We then boarded the bus to Ypres.

Once we had settled in our rooms we met in the foyer to be taken to our table for dinner. Our dinner at the hotel consisted of three nice, tasting courses.

As soon as we had finished dinner we walked around the corner to Menin Gate. There we watched the memorial service the citizens of Ieper have held each and every night since 1928. In this commemorative service they remember the soldiers of the Commonwealth who fought in the three battles of Ypres. Every night at 8pm the roads around Menin Gate are closed. Representatives from the local Last Post Association run the ceremony and buglers from the Ieper Fire Station play the Last Post on the bugle. The Ode is recited and then the Rouse is played. It was amazing to see so many different people come together in the one place to pay their respects.

Tonight we all have a real sense of anticipation as we go to bed on the eve of ANZAC Day. Tomorrow is certain to be emotional and memorable. I feel privileged to be here. It is an incredible feeling standing in the places of this living history book.

Day 4: Monday 23 April
Rebekah VALLANCE (Northam Senior High School)

Today, I am going to write about how we went from the town centre of Lille, where we saw some of the best architecture in France to Theipval where the most extraordinary monument holds 73,000 names of  soldiers who have no known grave.

As I moved around the graves in the cemetery at Thiepval, I saw a particularly moving inscription, which read: “Greater love hath no man than this. He lay down his life for his friends”.

We also visited Mouquet Farm, where Australians fought until they were decimated and had to be reinforced by the Canadians who captured this German strong point in late 1916.  Later, this enabled the British to attack the high ground at Thiepval and the Germans were defeated and pushed off the important Thiepval ridge line.

The group also visited the Australian National Memorial at Villers Bretonneux, which is where we had attended the ANZAC Day ceremony on Saturday, 21 April 2007.  This commemorates soldiers from many countries, however, it is the memorial dedicated to the Australian who fought in France during World War 1.  We also saw the bullet holes and other scars from Word War II.

Members of the group were also fortunate in being able to talk to the Mayor of Villers Bretonneux.  He told us the story of how he went to Subiaco, in Perth, to unveil a plaque commemorating Lieutenant Sadlier, VC and Sergeant Stokes, DCM who fought in World War I, and they spelt his name incorrectly and referred to him as the Lord Mayor.

At Pozieres we had lunch and took part in a service to commemorate the Australians who liberated this village from German control in early August 1916. It is evident in this little French village that the ANZAC Legend is alive and they are determined to keep “our” legend alive. The people of Pozieres have a loyalty to Australia that is undying and they have a keen sense of humour.

During our service at the memorial at Pozieres Windmill, we had the pleasure of listening to an excellent bag piper who entertained us with different tunes from the army, the French National Anthem, and our national song, “Waltzing Matilda”.

This song was sung more often during the war, and afterwards when Australians went to see the devastation, than the then anthem, “God Save the King”. “Waltzing Matilda” depicts the ANZAC Spirit more than any other song I know. That swagman would rather die than have his tucker bag, containing the jumbuck, taken from him.
 

Also in Pozieres, we had the privilege of presenting a plaque on behalf of Western Australia to the owners of Le Tommy Café. The look of joy on the owner’s face was radiant and nothing I had seen could compare to it.

At the end of that day I had a new appreciation for the French and also for things as simple as a smile offered after a gift of respect is given. I found it amazing that a tiny French town in Northern France, which many Australians don’t know exists, still commemorates the contribution of the ANZACs.  The way they value and remember Australians 90 more than years on was a humbling experience.  It has made me realise that material objects are not important.  It is the loyalty, courage, mateship and determination as demonstrated by the ANZACs that is what truly matters.

Day 3: Sunday 22 April
Cameron WHITE (Willeton Senior High School)

Today we left Amiens to visit the site of the Battle of Waterloo.  This is located in Belgium, just south of Brussels.   Following this we visited a town in France called Fromelles where Australians fought.  Our first stop was at a petrol station where there was a little tourist shop.  We then headed off to Waterloo.

Waterloo was fought by the French who were led by Napoleon against the British and their allies led by the Wellington.  The British and her allies won the battle.  We reached Waterloo and had a look inside the Panorama which was circular view of paintings depicting the battle.  We then watched two movies which went over the battle.  This, I think, was a good experience as it explained what happened in a different way to the Panorama.  Our final destination at Waterloo was climbing up the 229 steps of the memorial built by the British to commemorate the dead and the victory. 

On top of the hill is a large statue of a lion symbolising protection of the globe and peace within the Empire.  There was an amazing view of the battlefield from the top of the hill.  Mike gave a detailed description of the Battle of Waterloo from the vantage point on top of this hill.  It has amazed me to think of the amount of men that would just stand in the line of fire and attack the enemy and feel it cowardly to duck under an artillery shot.  I think it was important to know about this battle because the battle tactics used at Waterloo dominated war tactics for the following one hundred years.  These tactics were also used at the start of World War One by the Australians. 

The Battle of Fromelles started on the 19th of July 1916 and the Australian 5th Division was involved.  The purpose of the battle was to draw Germans reserves away from the Battle of the Somme to the south.  We arrived at Fromelles and had a look at the memorial, there named VC Corner.  It meant a lot to me as my Great, Great Uncle Adolf Knable was pronounced missing presumed dead at the Battle of Fromelles and his name is engraved on the memorial.  It was only last year that his body was found in Pheasant Wood near the battle site.  It meant a lot to me to be able visit the place where he was killed and to place a photo and poppy under his name at VC Corner.  It was overwhelming the number of names that are inscribed on VC Corner.  This is the only totally Australian cemetery and memorial on the Western Front.

We then went to look at some remaining Pill Boxes which were reinforced concrete bunkers used by the Germans.  Here we were taught how combining the placement of barbed wire and machine guns was so effective in giving the defending side an advantage.  We were then taught the tactics of how the infantry assaulted in the first part of World War I fire and how the combined effects of barbed wire and machine guns caused so many casualties and were effective in repelling many attacks.  This showed us some tactics used at the battle of Fromelles and made it easier to understand the battle. It also demonstrated the ANZAC Spirit as the men never gave up and showed courage by not backing down in the face of machine gun fire.   I think today there was a good link between Waterloo and Fromelles because the battle tactics were very similar and were only modified slightly to accommodate for new technology.  Today had a very personal aspect for me which made it more meaningful.  The fact that my Great, Great Uncle fought and died at Fromelles gave me a connection to the ANZACs and I felt this today. 

Day 2: Saturday 21 April
Henry MADDOCK (Mazenod College)

What a day! It was very full one with several formal ceremonies that we were privileged to attend. We had been warned of the sequence of the ceremonies and how our already tight schedule was going to be pushed to its limits.

We traveled, by bus, to the Australian National Memorial of Villers Bretonneux where we attended a very emotionally moving ceremony.  This was to commemorate ANZAC Day in France as the service is also held on the nearest Saturday to the 25 April.  Many wreaths were laid by the dignitaries, the last post was played and 2 minutes silence was observed. It was an amazing experience. I did not think it would be so big in terms of the number of people and the way the ceremony was performed.  I was expecting a small and respectful commemoration ceremony but I encountered a much larger gathering of dignitaries and the general public paying tribute to the thousands lost, highlighting the importance and relevance to the current people of France.  

From there we continued on our journey to the French memorial in Villers Bretonneux. Although the service was smaller and shorter, it encapsulated the same respect in honouring those French soldiers loyal to their country - fighting to protect their people.

The famous Victoria Primary School in Villers Bretonneux was our next destination. It was built by funds raised by Australian school children after the war. There were some speeches in both French and English and then the Sadler/Stokes scholarship of 6,000 Euros was presented to Lionel Mille for academic excellence. It was presented by the Minister for Education and Training, Mr McGowan.  Damian from our group told the audience about the bravery of Sadlier and Stokes.  We then proceeded to the primary school’s courtyard where drinks and food were available.  We were amazed to see the sign that said “Don’t Forget Australia”.  We were photographed standing under it with the Mayor of Villers Bretenneux.  The people of Villers Bretenneux remember Australia as the village was liberated on ANZAC Day 1918 by the ANZACs.

We had lunch at Le Tommy, a Cafe in Pozieres, and then traveled along the road of the axis of the advance for the 1916 British Somme offensive. It was the direct route used by our soldiers in World War I.

Our next ceremony was held at the memorial to the Commonwealth and French soldiers in Bullecourt.  At this ceremony we learnt of the importance of the Australians and their fighting. From this site, we moved to the Digger memorial via a 1 kilometre walk through particularly green fields. The ceremony was very respectful. For the third and final time today, the French and Australian anthems were sung as well as the Last Post and the silence was observed. Throughout today we had attended very formal ceremonies.  We felt privileged to represent the students of Western Australia.

There were also other groups that attended the sequence of ceremonies and I have to say we felt very proud to be involved. Our thoughts were only on one thing; paying tribute and respecting the countries, soldiers, VIPs and the efforts of the people who made these important respectful ceremonies possible. Our day has been a long one but a good night's sleep will see us ready for the next exciting day.

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Day 1: Friday 20 April
Tahlia MURDOCH (Dongara District High School

Today was the day! At last after a never ending wait we were ready to leave for one of the most amazing experiences of our lives! As the date of departure grew closer and the excitement built up, I began to reflect on the journey I had taken to prepare myself for the tour.

When I heard that I had been selected for the Premiers Anzac Student Tour 2007 I was over the moon like everyone else who had been selected. In fact I was so happy I was crying! I felt so privileged knowing that I would be participating in the tour. It meant a lot to me knowing that I would shortly be visiting battlefields and memorials on the Western Front and in Gallipoli. I would be able to see first hand where our young Anzacs bravely sacrificed their lives in World War One. I would be attending several different ceremonies to pay my respects and honour our beloved Anzacs.

Packing my bags made me eager to go on tour, but actually getting to the Perth International Airport was even more exciting!  There were television interviews with GWN and WIN and the cameras were constantly flashing. There were also emotional parents and children and such a great vibe. After our final goodbyes with family and friends at 2pm we headed off to a VIP conference room where we were given papers and information and 175 euros each. From there we boarded onto our plane, and set off! For most of us, including myself, it was our first time overseas and on an aeroplane.

When we touched down at the Singapore Airport we filed out and basically ran to where we were going to board our next flight. Then, with just under two hours to spare, we roamed the enormous airport while three people guarded our bags. At 11pm we boarded our flight and took off from Singapore heading for Paris. The flight was an extremely long 13 hours! We did however fly over The Alps which were snow capped and just beautiful!

After a long ride, we touched down in Paris at 7am. Our first stop was the famous Eiffel Tower, one of the seven modern wonders of the world. It was so incredible to see and the views from above were breath taking. It was also very impressive to think that it was made in 1899 when the technology was nothing compared to what we see today. From the second floor of the 320 metre high tower, we could see the gorgeous architecture of buildings in busy Paris including the Louvre, Notre Dame, Churches and the Franco-Russian Bridge which brought France into WWI. I also learnt that the Eiffel Tower was a significant communication mast of WWI. After enjoying the views from the Eiffel Tower, we had a “training session” in a park below, on the correct way to lay wreaths for ceremonies to show our respect to the fallen soldiers.

When our “training session” was complete and we were now ready for the days to come. We headed for Amiens in the Somme Region. Amiens was a crucial part of the Western Front in WWI as it received supplies from the United Kingdom. These supplies included food, water, and artillery and most importantly hay to feed the horses. This was very important as the horses were used for transportation of both soldiers and supplies. It was a fantastic first two days full of emotion and education and it really got us excited for the rest of the tour.

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2007 Tour Topics

Historical Significance

Participants (Student)

Participants (Staff)

Tour Diary

Media Statements

2007 Tour Extras

Lone Pine Dedication

Official Photograph