Our annual tour to the Dawn Service at Villers-Bretonneux takes place on Thursday 25th April. The group are based at a 3* hotel in Lille and travel by Eurostar during the evening of April 24th.
On the 25th the Dawn Service starts at 05:30 and thus we have an early start from the hotel (02:30!) to ensure that the coach arrives at the Australian Memorial before the authorities close the area to vehicular traffic. The service, which is very moving, lasts for an hour and a welcome breakfast is served courtesy of the Australian Embassy. We depart the site at 08:00 and travel to Le Hamel before moving on to Pozieres and a full breakfast!
Time is spent at Pozieres looking at the Gibraltar blockhouse, the Windmill and other areas around the village that were significant to the Australians who fought so bravely during the attacks on the village in July 1916.
The day ends at Fromelles where we visit Pheasant Wood Cemetery, The Diggers Memorial and VC Corner Cemetery.