2009 Tour Diary
Day 10: Monday 27 April
Chloe Sherwin
The 2009 Premier’s ANZAC Student Tour has influenced and changed the lives of each and every one of us. We have gained a much greater understanding of what the ANZACs experienced on the Western Front in World War One, and it is with this knowledge that we will continue to embrace the ANZAC spirit and encourage others to follow.
After almost nine months of essays, speeches, interviews, briefings and the final ten-day tour our journey has come to an end, but our duties as Western Australian ambassadors for the ANZACs have not. The challenge for us now is to ensure that the ANZAC legacy continues. Many of us have already been asked to speak at upcoming Remembrance Day services and I’m sure that we will all be involved in future ANZAC Day commemorations. We will all play active roles in our school to ensure that the younger generations know of the great sacrifices our forbears made for the tomorrow of some many people.
When we look back to the start of Australia’s involvement in World War One we see hundreds of thousands of young Australians voluntarily enlisting to fight in a war, for something they knew little about. There are many lessons that everyone can learn from the ANZACs values of mateship, respect, patriotism, courage, persistence and ingenuity.
We won’t only be leaving this tour with greater knowledge and more respect for the ANZACs, but we come away with new friends. Sitting on the homeward bound plane I look around to see a group of changed young students and a group of lifelong friends. That group was us, the 2009 Premier’s ANZAC Student Tour.
Thanks must go to our wonderful teachers, mentors and to all the organisers behind the scenes. Thank you for making this all possible!
Day 9: Sunday 26 April
Christopher Wong
We all woke early this morning for our final day in Europe and to begin the long journey home. Breakfast was very emotional as we reflected on the experiences shared over the past nine days, the highlights, many funny incidents and the lifelong friendships that developed between us. All were upset the tour had finished so quickly, and the planning of a reunion in December began.
The tour has provided us with new insight into French and Belgian culture; the brutalities of the First World War and sheer sacrifice that occurred.
Visiting the battlefields of France and Belgium along the Western Front, which we had previously only read about in textbooks and seen in pictures, enriched our understanding of what took place there more than ninety years ago. Seeing preserved trenches, underground living quarters, bunkers and basic equipment available illustrated the harsh, cramped, wet, conditions in which both the Allied and German soldiers lived, fought and died.
Standing on battlefields and in villages today, it is sometimes difficult to imagine the atrocities and destruction that occurred and sacrifices made, with the beauty and tranquility now so evident.
During our six days on the front, there were many emotional experiences for all involved. Many tour members have connections to sites, either through family or others from their community whom served and died there, and were able to pay their respects at graves or walls of remembrance. Unlike many of the ANZACs, we are able to return home and share our experiences with our families, friends and our communities.
The highlight of the tour for me and for many in the group was ANZAC Day. It was truly amazing to see the respect still afforded Australians and New Zealanders today, as a result of the valiant actions of our forebears – the ANZACs. A moving experience for me personally was to attend the nightly Last Post Service at the Menin Gate in Ypres. The words of the ode and the Australian National Anthem echoing off the walls of the gate are a fitting tribute to those men who so bravely fought and died.
As I write, I reflect on the countless incredible experiences over the last nine days from which all of us have learnt so much. I come away from the tour, more confident as an individual and in my knowledge of ANZAC and of World War One, which will serve me well in the future.
The ten months of hard work and preparation by both staff and students culminated in a fantastic tour and one that I will never forget. All tour members are grateful for this opportunity and can honestly say “We Will Remember Them.”
Day 8: Saturday 25 April
Amelia Stribley
ANZAC Day. We woke up at 5am to dress in our formal suits and to travel to Zonnebeke to begin our ANZAC Day commemorations at Polygon Wood for a cold but beautiful dawn service surrounded by tall pine trees and masses of headstones.
Brady and Dominique laid a wreath with the Agent-General, Mrs. Kerry Sanderson. It was amazing to hear the bagpipes, bugles and a singer’s voice echoing through the wood.
We then left to see the opening of a new art exhibition at the Zonnebeke Museum and were present as dignitaries laid a couple of wreaths at a small Belgian memorial in the town.
Our next ceremony was at Tyne Cot, among the rows of graves, where Chris, Meghan, Matthew and Marissa laid wreaths with Mrs Sanderson on behalf of Western Australia and the Premier’s ANZAC Student Tour.
From there we returned to Ieper for the Menin Gate service. We joined a procession of people marching along the road to Menin Gate, the same road the soldiers once marched when going off to war. Chelsea, Mishka, Chloe and I took part in laying wreaths with Mrs Sanderson.
We waited on one side while speeches were made, until it was time for the wreath layers to cross the cobblestone road and ascend the stairs with our tributes, while the sound of marching bagpipes echoed though the gate.
As the ceremony concluded the crowd took part in another procession back along the road to the Cloth Hall, lead by the marching band and flag bearers, with one stop to lay wreaths at another memorial.
Once inside the Cloth Hall, we listened to speeches by dignitaries, one being the Ambassador for Australia and then our own Kathryn Wilson presented an excellent speech as a representative of young people in Australia. We were all very proud of her.
Soon it was time for our exhausted but elated group to set out for a welcome lunch and a chance to visit some of the shops in the square, especially our favourite Belgian chocolate shops. We then headed back to our hotel to catch up on letters and journals.
In the evening, we took part in our final tour dinner with Mrs Sanderson, which was a wonderful three-course buffet dinner complete with thank you gifts, cards and speeches.
Day 7: Friday 24 April
Marissa Barbaro
First on the day’s itinerary was the Ieper Cloth Hall where we visited the In Flanders Fields Museum. Originally serving as a covered saleyard and storage for cloth, the hall was destroyed in WWI and was later rebuilt. It now houses the In Flanders Fields Museum.
The museum contained many original objects from the war period, authentic weapons and descriptive scale models. Combined with a series of audiovisual displays featuring the haunting words of WWI soldiers, the In Flanders Fields Museum gave us a sound understanding of the early war years in the region.
Before leaving for our next destination, the Zonnebeke Museum, we were introduced to the Western Australian Agent General, Kerry Sanderson, who will join us for the following day’s activities.
The museum had a vast collection of historical artefacts, photographs and war time maps. However, the most intriguing display was the reconstruction of a trench and dug out – a small example of the maze of underground rooms built in the area during WWI. Its realistic features put into perspective the treacherous and cramped conditions the soldiers had to deal with.
Before leaving the museum, the curator invited us to the ANZAC Day dawn service for the following day.
Our next stop was the Tyne Cot Memorial. We had previously been overwhelmed by the headstones and names on walls at Villers-Brettoneux and Thiepval but nothing was going to prepare us for what we would see at Tyne Cot. Rows upon rows of headstones surrounded the memorial, reminding us of the huge sacrifice each man and his nation made.
The evening included an opportunity to lead Last Post Service at Menin Gate as the official party. Chloe and Kathryn laid the wreath with Mrs Sanderson on behalf of the people of Western Australia. The ceremony was quite emotional and as the bugle played the Last Post many shed a tear.
After the service the Mrs Sanderson kindly treated us to cake and hot chocolate at the hotel.
Day 6: Thursday 23 April
Dominique Maberly
The bond that has been growing between our group proved imperative on day six of the ANZAC tour as our first stop was Pheasant Wood where a suspected 400 missing soldiers lie -16 of whom were Western Australian.
One of these men, who has been missing for 91 years and whose family and community have had no concluding information or closure for all this time, is Adolf Thompson Knable, great uncle to our tour leader Michael White.
The commemoration offered by Michael, teamed with actually being onsite was so powerful that no-one was left unaffected, and a tiny portion of the suffering endured by those left behind, as well as the soldiers fighting, was brought home to us.
Next on the agenda was a guided tour of the Fromelles museum. The information provided by the guide was fantastic but to see replicas and relics of the range of items used during the battle was truly amazing. We travelled to the Fromelles VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial and were once again awed by row upon row of white headstones. One of the magical things I’ve discovered on this trip is how peaceful and tranquil each of the battlefields is; without human noise, the only sounds heard are those of nature.
On the way to Belgium, informative speeches were presented on battlefields and soldiers and when we arrived in Belgium we were totally amazed by the Gothic style architecture and “old time” feel of the place. Our final major event for the day was the commemorative ceremony for the dead and missing at Menin Gate, which would hopefully prepare us for our leading the service the next evening. After that, with a sense that we would have to stick together for the emotional roller coaster to follow over the next two days, we concluded our sixth day of the ANZAC tour.
Day 5: Wednesday 22 April
Chelsea Moran
Today was set to be an exciting day; the plan was to head for the Australian First Division memorial in Pozieres, which is the same design as that of the Kings Park War Memorial. The design was created by West Australian man, Talbott Hobbs, a member of the 1st Australian division artillery.
While we were at the memorial we had the opportunity to look at the underground concrete reinforced bunker system. We stood on a wooden platform - a mere five or so metres off the ground - and were able to see the whole Western Front displayed in front of us; from Thiepval to Mouquet Farm.
Our next destination was the Newfoundland Memorial Park. Here we were able to really begin to understand the complexity of trench systems after observing the land that remains unrestored from its war state.
The story of some of the Newfoundlanders was very moving. The country (now a province of Canada, due to inability to be economically viable post war) was hit hard by the effects of war. With eight hundred small communities within the country - no community, no street, no family was left untouched.
It was an emotional experience to walk through the trenches and travel the paths that many men once walked. It was something that you can’t prepare for or ever comprehend. Being on the battlefields brought an eruption of emotions and completely changed our perceptions.
We filled our afternoon with a tour of the Notre Dame Amiens, which was intriguing on a cultural and historical level. The amount of work that went into building these beautiful buildings is quite amazing.
Later on in the evening we had the pleasure of having dinner with his Excellency the Governor of South Australia and the South Australian Premier’s ANZAC Spirit Student Tour participants. It was interesting to share experiences and to further fortify the whole ANZAC experience.
Day 4: Tuesday 21 April
Kathryn Wilson
Today brought an exploration of the 1918 battles which marked the Allies’ road to victory. Our first memorial was Le Hamel. Le Hamel was an important battle for the Australians as Lieutenant General Monash enacted a defining tactic in battle, combining infantry and air forces to defeat convincingly the German opposition.
The freezing cold we felt at Le Hamel was minimal compared to the cold that the Australians, American and Germans would have felt in 1918, and offered an insight into the harsh conditions experienced in warfare.
Throughout this tour we have drawn comparisons between ourselves and our Australian boys, of so many years ago. Many were not much older than us; they too were overwhelmed by the experiences and away from their families. However, today we discussed how our shoes and socks were dry, we had warm clothes and we knew that at the end of the day, we would all see tomorrow’s sunrise.
We also had the opportunity to see the remnants of the German secondary and tertiary trenches of Le Hamel. Seeing these trenches was amazing, despite being eroded.
We next passed the memorial at Mont St Quentin, another example of the gallantry and bravery displayed by our Australian forebears on the Western Front.
In Peronne, a small village, we found a poster in a café window with the words “We do not forget Australia.” These powerful words echoed in Villiers Bretonneux with the Victoria School. The depth of the ripples caused by the Great War that are still present in this society struck us all. Around the town, we found subtle reminders of home; street names such as Rue de Melbourne, Aboriginal artwork around the school yard and the representations of kangaroos on the Town Hall.
Despite this, nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to experience at the Australian Memorial at Villiers Bretonneux. The memorial was so beautiful. It overlooked the surrounding countryside and it was possible to see for kilometres. The serenity of the surroundings brought overwhelming feelings of grief amongst our group as we remembered the thousands of fallen. The raw emotion at this memorial was so powerful that no one was left unaffected here.
Day 3: Monday 20 April
Mishka Marzohl
An early morning today and also a special one, as it was Marissa’s 17th birthday. We got up around 6.15am and headed down stairs to a nice French breakfast (croissants, toast, yogurt etc). Then it was upstairs to pack and get ready to leave for it was our last night at this hotel.
The long bus trip then followed. Along the way we watched out for the many small memorials that are scattered along the roads.
Our first stop was at a memorial at the site of the Windmill at Pozieres. We had a minute of silence to commemorate the sacrifice brave men made during their battles for the high ground at that location.
We then listened to speeches presented by Dominique and Meghan, took photos and left for Mouquet Farm where two more speeches were presented by Amelia and Caris.
For lunch we went to a café that had a 3D tableau of the trenches in the Western Front. It was an amazing collection of rusted WW1 equipment, including bayonets, rifles, mortars, wire, machine guns and shells, which set up in a scene of what it would have been like in the trenches.
After lunch we visited the Grand Mine and after gaping at the big hole the explosives made in the ground we moved on to Theipval, a memorial to commemorate the British and South African missing soldiers.
Seeing the vast amount of gravestones and the continuous names of about 73,000 missing soldiers was truly shocking. We left the memorial in a sombre mood.
A quick trip to Amiens followed. We dropped off our suitcases and left for dinner. The restaurant was good, we got a full three course meal, and for dessert we got a birthday cake for Marissa. Caris and Chloe gave her a card signed by all of us. Then it was back to the hotel and off to sleep.
Day 2: Sunday 19 April
Chloe Sherwin and Meghan Blackstock
Our first stop for the day was the Louvre. We were amazed by the historical aspects of the building which was a masterpiece in itself. Already we were overwhelmed and we hadn’t yet entered the museum.
Each of the pieces inside was a feat of amazement, but the stand-outs included the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the depiction of Napoleon’s coronation, Psyche & Cupid and of course the controversial Mona Lisa.
The grandeur of this museum was awe inspiring to each of us, teachers included. Next we headed for Dome Des Invalids, the final resting place of the Emperor of France and King of Mexico, Napoleon Bonaparte and his son. Napoleon’s body rests in seven caskets and is surrounded by a number of symbolic sculptures and carvings.
We made our way to Trocadero where there was an impressive view of the Eiffel Tower and its surroundings. We got onto the bus for a tour of the city, where we saw the Egyptian Obelisk, which was taken from Egypt in Post-Napoleonic times. We also viewed two of Paris’ opera houses (Opera De Bastile and the more modern Opera House located on Avenue De L’Opera), Parliament House, the Town Hall, the local Mint, and the residence of the President.
Along the way we stopped off to see an original French mansion, then walked to a near by square to see a monument of King Louis XIII astride a horse. We were able to experience the local culture when we passed small markets selling plants, fresh produce and exotic pets.
The Eiffel Tower is said to be the most beautiful at night and this proved to be true as we made our way towards it. At the very top the view overlooking Paris is breathtaking. This concluded our Paris adventure… for now!
Day 1: Saturday 18 April
Brady Flockart
Today started with the group exploring Dubai’s International Airport. We met at 7am, local time, to board the Boeing 777 that would take us to Paris. The flight took over six hours and covered 5503km. It allowed some group members the opportunity to get some sleep or look at the picturesque scenery of the mountain ranges.
We finally landed in Paris at 1:30pm after accumulating more than 16 hours flying over the last day. On the way various group members were stopped and asked about the tour, allowing them to talk about Western Australia and the significance of ANZAC Day.
Once we landed in Paris it was raining but this didn’t dampen anyone’s spirit. We were met at the airport by our tour guide Denise, who showed us around the many sights of Paris. As we drove through the countryside from the airport to Paris many realised the difference between the home and France.
We soon got to our hotel, unpacked, and then headed for Notre Dame. This was truly an incredible building. We were guided through the massive crowd and learnt more about French culture and this world famous building.
The rest of the afternoon was spent walking around Paris learning and experiencing more about this fascinating culture, which even included eating escargot (yes, snails). Before we went to bed, after a really busy day, the general feeling of the group was amazement and excitement. We knew we were following the footsteps of many young Australians who served on the Western Front in World War I; we were also one step closer to visiting and paying our respects at the Western Front memorials.
Day of Departure: Friday 17 April
Mathew King
We all met today at Kings Park for interviews with GWN and WIN news. During these interviews the Premier, Mr Colin Barnett, joined us and congratulated us on our selection and told us how great our tour was going to be. We then set off to meet up later at Perth International Airport. After we said our goodbyes to family and friends we headed off. Customs, security and the last checkpoint were a breeze and before we knew it we were on the plane headed 9193 kilometres away to Dubai. On the plane, after playing with the computers, we all tried to get some sleep. Most succeeded but some had a very long and sleepless flight ahead of them. After 10 hours of travelling we arrived at Dubai with a buzz knowing that the next flight will take us straight to Paris. While on the plane you couldn’t help but think of the similarities we all have with the ANZACs. We are a group of young Australians on an adventure; we are walking into the unknown and just like the ANZACs we are taking it on with great spirit and a sense of pride for our State and our nation.
- 2009 Tour Topics
- Historical Significance
- Participants (Student)
- Participants (Staff)
- Tour Diary
- 2009 Tour Extras
- Official Photograph
- Tour Reports