The Second Australian Memorial is on the Avenue Des Australiens near the Rue D'Allaines intersection and can be seen from the road. The original Memorial, a statue of a digger killing an eagle with his bayonet, was destroyed by the Germans in World War II. In 1971, it was replaced by this figure of a digger in his slouch hat. [DVA]

Between 31 August and 2 September 1918, Australia's Second Division attacked and captured the German stronghold of Mont St Quentin, the key to the strategic town of Péronne on the Somme River. Tired and under strength, units such as the 21st Battalion skilfully drove the enemy from their well-established positions, and for his courage and leadership during the battle Sergeant Albert Lowerson, 21st Battalion, was awarded the Victoria Cross. It was a costly action: twenty-three men of the battalion lost their lives that day. Today the Second Australian Division's Memorial stands at Mont St Quentin, the scene of one of the division's greatest victories.

This action was soon being hailed as one of the greatest Australian victories of the war, so perhaps it is no surprise that the Second Division decided to build its memorial here.

This is a view of the landscape leading up to Mont St Quentin from the west, close to the Somme River.

The high ground at the Mont, marked [A], dominates the area and it was an important German military strongpoint in the defence of the town of Péronne, out of sight at [B] to the right. On the morning of 1 September, the four companies of the 21st Australian Infantry Battalion assembled at [C] for an attack on German positions on the Mont. They occupied old German trenches with names such as Save Trench, Agram Alley, Galatz Alley and Oder Trench. At 1.30 pm, after an artillery bombardment, three companies moved out and were seen from battalion headquarters disappearing over the skyline. The attack seemed to be going well. At 2 pm, 'A' company moved off and were soon engaging German positions right across the western side of Mont St Quentin. At 6 pm, a message was received from the company commander, Captain James Sullivan, to say that they had reached [D] where they were still taking fire from German machine guns further away towards Péronne. By 9 pm that evening Mont St Quentin was in Australian hands and, along with other battalions, the 21st was holding a semi-circular line on the far side of the hill. The battalion's war diary recorded that while everyone was ‘very tired’ they were in 'high spirits'.

… we reached a trench strongly held by the enemy. With bomb and bayonet we forced them back, making our way gradually along …

[Corporal Philip Starr, 'A' Company, 21st Australian Infantry Battalion, Historical Notes, Mont St Quentin, 1 September 1918, 3DRL 6673/91, AWM 38.]

Corporal Phillip Star's describes the experiences of 'A' Company

21st Australian Infantry Battalion, at Mont St Quentin

1 September 1918

Everything being ready, we started out, moving briskly, and in good order, with the sun bright overhead. Also immediately we were under shell-fire and about here we passed several men coming in wounded from the earlier attacks. 'Don't spare any machine gunners', they said. We came into a small shallow trench that zig-zagged up the side of the hill. We moved along briskly and in good order, although continually harassed by shell and machine gun fire. This was really the starting point of the attack for us, because, although we could not see the enemy, it was apparent we were visible to him. However, when we neared the village, we were for a time concealed, and were enabled to take up our position close by a brick wall which seemed to run along the lower edge of the village. From here we started on the actual attack. The other Companies on the left won their way through the village and swung around into line with us. I do not know the positions of those other Companies, but we ('A' Company) were on the right of the attack with our right flank in the air, but, as the nearest unit on the right was ahead of us, and our field of fire covered the space between, this did not matter a great deal. Still it will give some idea of the importance to the whole line, of taking and holding Mont St. Quentin. It would certainly have meant the withdrawal of the force threatening Peronne, and the postponement of the latter's capture, had we failed.

Our way led through a thick copse of small bushy trees, and through this we pushed, forcing aside the leaves with our bayonets. We were meeting a pretty solid fire from the well concealed enemy, the bullets clipping the leaves about us. It was intended to advance in line with intervals between the men, but this was not possible owing to our having to follow a path leading straight ahead. 'C' Company and the others were further up the hill on the left, and it was there the opposition was strongest, although we on the right were having no easy task. Emerging from the bushes, we came to an open space in which there were some old huts that the enemy had evidently just vacated. Another bushy space then confronted us, from which we had to clear the enemy who was putting up a solid fight. This brought us to a road where we halted for a while, until our left flank should come up to us as we had apparently gone ahead a little faster than they had. They, on their part, were evidently having a stiff fight about the summit of the hill, and it was here that Frank Roberts and so many of his mates fell.

The Huns had fallen back to a place of concealment, and were pouring in a deadly fire before falling further back. It availed them little however, because we were not in the mood to be stopped that day, and exacted a full penalty from the beaten Hun. However, we had scarcely settled in the road before machine guns opened on us, and Private McIntosh was killed. He was struck in the breast, and died instantly. We dashed across to the other side of the road, but the bullets followed us. It was no use going back, so we crossed over and pushed on. Some of us came to a large shell-hole which we occupied and found two men already in possession. They belonged to the unit that had attacked in the morning, and their astonishment was profound when they learned that the hill had been retaken by the enemy. They came along with us when we resumed, and having got into order again, we reached a trench strongly held by the enemy. With bomb and bayonet we forced them back, making our way gradually along, so that the rest of the Huns (on the left) falling back from the determined advance of our left Companies, came under our fire, and forced to give way or surrender, quite a large number accepting the latter alternative. The German heavy artillery were unconsciously giving us assistance at this stage. Those at the head of our company were slowly making their way along the trench, but those in the rear of the company were in the open, and the big 8' [inch shells] and 5.9s were coming very close to us. We were thus extremely anxious to get into the trench, and our advice to the others was so sound, and so very much to the point that they quickened themselves up a little , and enabled us to get in. Our worry then was not so much the enemy in front as of the shells behind. This trench was the last stronghold of the defences of Mont St. Quentin, and shortly after we connected with our mother Companies, and so had reached our objective. But much yet remained to be done. We had to consolidate our position in the event of counter-attacks which were reasonably sure to take place, and in fact did, but they were half hearted attempts, and were, in the main, scattered by our artillery. It was here that the official photographer left us, after having been with us from the start. He was a game man, and took some good snaps.

[Official History 1914-1918 War, Records of Charles E W Bean: 'Account by P H Star of incidents which occurred during the Battle of Mont St Quentin', 3DRL 6673/91, AWM.]

Attack on Mont St Quentin

These three photographs were taken by Captain Hubert Wilkins, official photographer with the Australian Imperial Force, when he accompanied 'A' Company, 21st Australian Infantry Battalion, during their attack on German positions at Mont St Quentin on the afternoon of 1 September 1918.

Battle map: Area of the 21st Australian Infantry attack on German positions at Mont St Quentin, 1 September 1918