Sample

The Town That Never Forgets
N’oublions jamais l’Australie
Written by Derek Guille
Illustrated by Kaff-eine
Translated by Anne-Sophie Biguet
Prologue by Derek Guille
U
ntil recently I knew very little about the
It has become very clear to me that more
town of Villers-Bretonneux. All I knew
Australians should know about this place, about
was that there was a village in France whose
what happened there in World War I and the
citizens continued to keep a promise, made
legacy and strength of friendship that remains.
almost a century ago, to never forget the
Australians who saved them in World War I.
If we want our children to really know about
I was fortunate to accompany the Melbourne
war we should tell them the stories of the
Symphony Orchestra on it’s 2007 European
people who fought in them. Nelson Ferguson’s
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
tour as a journalist and blogger. Members of
story is representative of thousands who served
mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any
the Brass Section told me of their plans to visit
and suffered, and to follow his story to northern
Villers-Bretonneux, inviting me to recite the Ode
France was for me a privilege and a true
of Remembrance at a private commemorative
education.
The Promise - The Town That Never Forgets
Copyright © Derek Guille 2012.
Paintings copyright © Kaff-eine 2012.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
information storage and retrieval system, without permission
from the publishers.
This edition (2nd printing) published May 2013 by:
One Day Hill Pty Ltd
7 Peel St,
Collingwood VIC 3066
Australia
www.onedayhill.com.au
service for Nelson Ferguson and all those who
served. That day in Villers-Bretonneux is deeply
My thanks to Nelson Ferguson for keeping his
etched into the memories of all of us as a
diaries and to Nelson’s grandsons Don and
Printed in China
truly remarkable and emotional experience.
Dave Farrands for bringing his story to life. Thanks
Catalouging-in-Publication Data is available
from the National Library of Australia
We were warmly welcomed as friends and
also to Kaff-eine for her brilliant illustrations and
discovered the depth of feeling that remains
instant understanding, to Anne-Sophie Biguet
for Australia and Australians.
for the translation and to Bernadette Walters
and her team for making this happen.
RED BILBY
DESIGN
I
f you go to the north of France you can visit a certain village with a school on Victoria Street.
It’s just near the intersection with Melbourne Street, and the school is called Victoria School.
In the main classroom you will find all the flags of Australia – our national flag, the flags of all
the states and territories, and the Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal flags. You will also see
road signs warning of kangaroos and wombats and koalas on the road, even though none of
these animals can be found on the roads of France. Above the blackboard in the classroom is
written N’oublions jamais l’Australie, which is French for ‘Do Not Forget Australia’. It’s written
above the shelter shed in the schoolyard too, in English. There are about forty students at the
Victoria School in the village of Villers-Bretonneux and they know a lot about Australia.
S
i tu vas dans le nord de la France, tu pourras visiter un village qui a une école sur la rue
Victoria. Elle est juste à coté de l’intersection avec la rue de Melbourne, et l’école s’appelle
école Victoria. Dans la salle de classe principale tu trouveras tous les drapeaux de l’Australie – le
drapeau national, les drapeaux de tous les états et territoires, celui de l’Ile du Détroit de Torres,
ainsi que le drapeau aborigène. Tu verras aussi des panneaux routiers indiquant le passage de
kangourous, de wombats et de koalas sur la route, bien qu’aucun de ces animaux ne se trouve
sur les routes de France. Au-dessus du tableau noir dans la salle de classe est écrit: “N’oublions
jamais l’Australie”. C’est également écrit au-dessus du préau dans la cour, cette fois en anglais.
Il y a environ quarante élèves à l’école Victoria dans le village de Villers-Bretonneux et ils en
savent beaucoup sur l’Australie.
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I
n 1918, the world was in the final stages of World War I and Australian soldiers were sent
to regain Villers-Bretonneux from German troops who had invaded and occupied the little
village, which is only an hour from Paris. Over the course of two terrible battles, the Australians
regained the village and stopped the German advance. These battles were in March and April.
In that time, hundreds of soldiers lost their lives and thousands were wounded by bullets,
bombs and poison gas. Australian soldiers took the village back on Anzac Day in 1918, and the
villagers have been grateful ever since.
E
n 1918, le monde était en guerre et des soldats australiens furent envoyés pour reprendre
Villers-Bretonneux aux mains des troupes allemandes qui avaient envahi et occupé le
petit village qui se trouve seulement à une heure de Paris. Au cours de deux terribles batailles,
les Australiens reprirent le village et arrêtèrent l’avancée allemande. Ceci se déroula en mars
et en avril. Durant ces mois-là, des centaines de soldats perdirent la vie et des milliers furent
blessés par des balles, des bombes ou des gaz toxiques. Les soldats australiens reprirent le
village le jour de l’Anzac1 en 1918, et depuis lors les villageois leur en sont reconnaissants.
1 Le 25 avril de chaque année, l’Australie et la Nouvelle-Zélande rendent hommage aux soldats de l’ANZAC (Australian and New-Zealand
Army Corps-corps d’armée australien et néo-zélandais) en commémoration de la bataille de Gallipoli en Turquie pendant la Première Guerre
mondiale. (N.d.T)
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S
hortly after the war ended, the people returning to restart their lives in the village wanted
to thank the Australian soldiers. They decided to have a plaque made to recognise the
efforts undertaken on their behalf. As the plaque was presented the mayor gave the following
speech: ‘The first inhabitants of Villers-Bretonneux to re-establish themselves in the ruins of
what was once a flourishing little town have, by means of donations, shown a desire to thank
the valorous Australian Armies, who, with the spontaneous enthusiasm and characteristic
dash of their race, in a few hours drove out an enemy ten times their number . . . They offer a
memorial tablet, a gift which is but the least expression of their gratitude, compared with the
brilliant feat which was accomplished by the sons of Australia . . . Soldiers of Australia, whose
brothers lie here in French soil, be assured that your memory will always be kept alive, and that
the burial places of your dead will always be respected and cared for . . . ’.
Peu après la fin de la guerre, les gens rentrés au village pour y reprendre leur vie voulurent
remercier les soldats australiens. Ils décidèrent d’ériger une plaque commémorative en
reconnaissance des efforts effectués en leur nom. Alors qu’on inaugurait la plaque, le maire
prononça le discours suivant:
“Les premiers habitants de Villers-Bretonneux qui se rétablirent dans les ruines de ce qui
était autrefois une petite ville prospère ont, au moyen d’une donation, montré leur désir de
remercier les valeureuses armées australiennes, qui avec leur enthousiasme spontané et leur
élan typique, chassèrent en quelques heures un ennemi
de dix fois leur taille. Ils offrent une
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plaque commémorative en signe de gratitude, un bien modeste geste comparé à l’exploit brillant
accompli par les fils d’Australie…Soldats d’Australie, dont les frères reposent ici dans le sol
français, restez assurés que votre souvenir restera à jamais vivant, et que les lieux de funérailles
de vos morts seront toujours traités et entretenus avec le plus grand respect.”
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