VILLERS-BRETONNEUX.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17222, 12 August 1921, Page 7

VILLERS-BRETONNEUX.

———» _ AUSTRALIAN CORPS' MEMORIAL. (By OablAi-Pre«g.. Aeeociafiou— Cqpytlghl.) ~ vAuWraUan and H.i.. Cabla Aesociau<m.» < • LONDON, August 10. Arrangements have been made to erect a memorial at Villers-Bretonneui costing' the Commonwealth £IOO,OOO. Ten acres of ground! have already been purchased for the purpose. It is now reported that the site is entirely unsuitable, and inaccessible from the high road. It is invisible to ordinary pass-ers-by. . Mr Shepperd, Acting-High Commis* sioner for Australia, who has seen the locality* reports agahißt it. Mr Hughes proposes to inspect it himself» Mean- j while all development work is being! delayed, f Villers<-Bretonneus, which lies a few : miles to the eastward of Amienss, was a flourishing town of about 1200 hotisea and lOOlWXTlhhalritants before the wan To-day it is in a ruined state, and many of the inhabitants are living in the cellars, dug-outs; and shelters that the/Australian troops (occupied in 1018. The State' of Victoria, following the | example of many cities and towns in England, has tonfteux, and an appeal Is being made for £20,000 to assist in the regeneration of the town. Villere-Bretonneux was on the line on which the Australians checked the German advance on Amiens in March, 1918. The town was partially, if not wholly, held by the enemv until the Australians, by ati amatingly daring and skilfully-planned operation, worked round it and "nip* ped'' it out of German hands. in & night, In view of the particular associations connected with the town, Villers-Brettonneux waft selected as the site of tho Australian Army Corps ffiemorfeJi!