The Windmill Site

The Windmill Site ,

In those forty-five days Australians had launched nineteen attacks... They knew their constant advance during a time of deadlock would compare with any other achievement on the Somme. , [Charles Bean, Australia's official historian]

The site of the old windmill at Pozières was acquired by the Australian War Memorial in 1932 on the recommendation of Charles Bean, Australia's official historian. On 11 November 1993, as the coffin containing the remains of Australia's Unknown Soldier lay in his tomb in the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial, soil brought from this site was cast over the coffin by Robert Comb, a veteran of the Australian Imperial Force who had fought on the Western Front. As he scattered the soil into the tomb Robert Comb said - 'Now you're home, mate'., The significance of the windmill site lies in its location on this low ridge. From here the ridge stretches northwards towards Mouquet Farm and Thiepval After Pozières fell on 23 July to early August 1916, Australian soldiers fought to capture the site of the windmill against strong German opposition. Then, until 5 September, three Australian Divisions were successively committed to battle trying to capture Mouquet Farm. During those seven weeks the AIF suffered 23, 000 casualties, of whom nearly 7,000 died. In Bean's words, carved into the memorial bench on this site, the ruin of the windmill 'marks a ridge more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other place on earth'.,