The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
VA035
Tuesday 15 April 2008
THOUSANDS EXPECTED AT FIRST WESTERN FRONT DAWN SERVICE
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, today confirmed he would join an expected 4000
people from Australia, France and other allied countries at the Anzac Day Dawn Service on 25
April at Villers-Bretonneux, France.
The Minister said that the service, held at the Australian National Memorial at Villers-
Bretonneux, will commemorate the 90th anniversary of Western Front battles that led to final
victory in 1918.
“Some 295,000 Australians served in the Australian Imperial Force in France and Belgium
between April 1916 and November 1918 in a campaign where more than 46,000 Australians
lost their lives,” he said.
“A key battle on the Western Front was at Villers-Bretonneux where, on the night of 24 and 25
April, soldiers of the 13th and 15th Australian Brigades liberated the village from the enemy.
This was a significant achievement that helped stop the German spring offensive on the
Western Front and contributed to allied victory later in the year.”
As part of the commemorations, Minister Griffin will also attend several ceremonies organised
each year by the local community at Villers-Bretonneux and Bullecourt on 26 April.
During his visit to France Mr Griffin will:
visit key battlefields and memorials at a number of locations including Fromelles, Ypres,
Tyne Cot, Pozieres, Bullecourt and Passchendaele;
attend a Last Post ceremony at Menin Gate;
pay his respects at the Notre Dame de Lorete (the French National Memorial on the
Somme); and
attend bilateral meetings with the French Secretary of State for Veterans’ Affairs, Mr
Jean-Marie Bockel.
The Minister will be available for limited interviews while in France.
Please contact Laura Ryan on 0437 863 109 or email laura.ryan@dva.gov.au.
NEWS 
