Aussie newbie's first Western Front visit. Assistance request.

[Derek]

Hi Folks,
I'm a newbie to these forums and soon to make my first trip to the Western Front, and my first trip outside of Australia. 
I'll be travelling with two friends and we are members of "The Westralian Great War Living History Assoc." in Perth, Western Australia. 
The trip is roughly between October 23 and November 13.
The focus of the trip is to visit all the sites named in the War Diaries of the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion in Belgium and France, there are a lot. Only November 11, has a particular site to be on that day and we intend to get to as many as possible. Most are small belleting towns and villages that I'm keen to visit and get some pictures of and see what traces may be left, both physical and with the locals.

We have a google map, marked with the sites and I'm starting to add places of interest to visit if time allows.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MhsOAnEg116BYm3pn-yEYh2EQuvjuEUs&usp=sharing
Pin drop marks are for places in the 16th's Diaries, yellow diamonds for places of interest.

I would like to ask the regulars to the area's involved, to please advise of "must see" Great War related places, excluding the big tourist sites, cemeteries and major memorials (we have another list of those). 
Preferably, small out of the way sites, with Australian connections that are rarely if ever, visitied by Aussie's. 

Thank you for your time reading this and for any assistance given.
Derek

[Don Regiano]

A. I. F. burial ground, Flers?

 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/26300/a.i.f.-burial-ground,-flers/

Edited 8 July , 2018 by Don Regiano
link to CWGC

[Derek]

Hi Don,

Thank you for that suggestion.

My travel friend is organising the list of cemeteries and major memorials to visit.

I'll pass that one on to her.

Derek 

[Derek]

I am currently trawling through past posts for things to see while I'm sitting at work on night shift.

Derek

[Gerald Moore]

Well frequented by Australians, I'm sure, but don't miss the short walk from the railway embankment to the Hindenberg line near Riencourt, The 16th Bn. attacked in the field to the right of this road.

[Derek]

Hi Gerald,

I'll be sure to be taking a long walk through that area with map and report in my hand.

Derek

[WhiteStarLine]

Hi Derek, you've certainly set an ambitious target but luckily a realistic time-frame.  Near Pozieres there are plenty of Australian-used dugouts still in existence.  This one is a little past the chalk pit.

 

 

Lahoussoye has quite a few Australian-built bunkers and a hut in the forest:

 

Peronne has the remains of a trench line in the woods with rusted star picket stakes (as does Villers-Bretonneux, with numerous shell holes):

 

 

We'll be on the Somme for 1 week of that time - the first time I followed my grandfather's photographic footsteps. Last time I tried to locate a few structures / trenches / damaged walls, such as the one in Suzanne that appears in his photograph and still has the shrapnel ball damage at the base of the house at the end of the muddy road.  We also saw the skull of a German soldier near Bapaume at an archaeological dig.

 

 

Also, if you have time, the post-Armistice villages around Abbeville are worth a visit if you are also going to the WW2 landing sites.  The village we went to is identical - not a house has changed from 1919.

[Derek]

Whitestarline,

Thank you very much for the tips and pictures, they will be of great help.

Derek

[Simmo]

Hi Derek I live in East Freo and would be more than happy to share my battlefield experiences (and library) with you 

 

[Christo]

Hi Derek,

 

a small out of the way site : Vredesmolen at Klerken ( Houthulst)  , a old mill which served as German watch post at 43 m above sea level. Recently renovated.

However, no Australian connections I think. Nevertheless, nice place to visit, nice view over Flanders Fields...

Regards,

 

Christophe.

[Marilyne]

That's an ambitious plan you have there. Good luck with it and keep us updated!

I might hop down there in the same period for a few days, pending approval of leave from the Boss and the Boyfriend not too fussy about me getting off on my own.

Maybe we'll meet...

 

M.

[Interested]

Perhaps someone on the Forum can advise what will and won't be accessible on the 11th November this year.  We were very disappointed in July 2016 when we found a number of sites visited by dignitaries on the 1st were still closed off a couple of days later.

It would be a shame for you to travel all that way and find you can't visit some locations.

Otherwise, I hope you have a successful trip!

[Marilyne]

"Maybe we'll meet" ... 

Well we did and it was a pleasure!!! 

 

I'll take good care of the little koala !! 

 

 

Have a good trip!! 

 

Marilybe