WW1 talks and presentations

[Peter Beckett]

Thought you might be interested in some of the presentations at the Australian War Memorial at Canberra this month.

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85th Anniversary of the Battle of Hamel

Friday 4 July, 2.30 pm

Join a re-creation of Brigadier General Anthony Courage’s staff-briefing prior to Lieutenant General Sir John Monash’s great First World War victory. (ANZAC Hall)

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Experiences of the Western Front: A Digger’s Poems

Every Monday, 3.30 pm

Share the experiences of hardship, loss and hope through a performance of the poetry of Private Reynold Potter, written as he made his way through France and Belgium. (Orientation Gallery)

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Battle of Hamel

Every Tuesday, 3.30 pm

Join a re-creation of Brigadier General Anthony Courage’s staff-briefing prior to Lieutenant General Sir John Monash’s great First World War victory. (ANZAC Hall)

Its a bit too far for me to go (over 500miles). If you want to browse here is the URL

http://www.awm.gov.au/newsletter/2003-7.htm

[Bryn_Hammond]

A colleague has recently returned from a secondment at the AWM and told me about the 'Courage/Hamel' presentation. He also showed me a copy of the script which seemed pretty good.

Courage was an interesting man, being a relatively 'ordinary' regular cavalry officer (15th Hussars) before the war. He appears to have found war very much to his liking. He was severely wounded in the jaw in 1915 resulting in the need for a great deal of reconstructive surgery. He suffered much pain from his wounds but bore it with great fortitude. One Tank Corps Officer referred to him as 'Courage by name and Courage by nature'.