[78-L] Villers Bretonneux - sound and songs of the time

[Maria Fletcher]

Dear all,

I have been asked to provide a soundscape to commemorate the recapture of Villers Bretonneux by Australian soldiers in 1918.  The occasion, is that children of Villers Bretonneux will be travelling to Redlands, Queensland, for a commemorative trip, and we will be welcoming the children with a day of exhibitions, events, and music.

I will be selecting 78 rpm records from my own collection, but would also value the expertise of this list, in interpreting the soundscape of that time in history, and welcome any suggestions.

Historical Information

Villers-Bretonneux became famous in 1918, when the German advance on Amiens ended in the capture of the village by their tanks and infantry on 23 April. On the following day, the 4th and 5th Australian Divisions, with units of the 8th and 18th Divisions, recaptured the whole of the village and on 8 August 1918, the 2nd and 5th Australian Divisions advanced from its eastern outskirts in the Battle of Amiens. 


kind regards
Maria