The Battle of Hamel
between
History and Memory
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Welcome to that website about the battle of Hamel and the history of that village. Its main purpose is to make you discover a very particular event of World War I in France and of the Australian Corps' involvement. Here you will not only find some local history or the account of a battle but also a presentation of the various forms of that period memory. Indeed, Hamel is at a crossing between the local war experience and Australia one - on which its young national conscience is largely based.
So I offer those pages to Australians too far from places where their ancestors fought, to French people looking for available information and, of course, to every people interested in the Great War. I want this way to contribute to the memory duty. That website, launched in July 2001 is progressively built. I have many ideas but not enough time and few means. Therefore, I ask the most expert among you to be not too much severe. Do not hesitate to tell me about your remarks and suggestions.
Nicolas Goret - Le Hamel, on 18 July 2003
My friend Ron Inglis is publishing a terrific guidebook. I helped him a bit and truely believe that it would be more than useful for any Aussie touring the Western Front on his own. So here follows an advertisement :

LEST WE FORGET THE WESTERN FRONT is a guidebook for travelers from Australia and New Zealand visiting Britain and the Western Front. The guidebook contains information about the many places associated with the First AIF along with maps, photographs and driving instructions.

Copies of the guidebook may be obtained from the author Ron Inglis, C/- Auburn Sub-branch, RSL, 33 Northumberland Road, Auburn 2144, Australia. Price: $20 plus postage ($A10 within Australia, $A20 overseas). Copies of the guidebook may also be purchased at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.