Australia WW1 1919 Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Tablet Lapel Badge

White metal and enamel with brooch pin reverse.

The Villers-Bretonneux Memorial Tablet.
Presented by the Mayor of Villers-Bretonneux, on behalf of the town's inhabitants, to members of an AIF Graves detachment, representing the Australian people, on 14 July 1919. The mayor's presentation speech included the following, '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 characterisitc dash of their race, in a few hours chased 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...'.

The tablet was presented to the Australians with the view that after it had toured each Australian state it would be returned for inclusion on a proposed memorial to the Australians to be built at Villers-Bretonneux. Villers-Bretonneux asked for the return of the tablet in 1928 for the new memorial, but the architect who designed it did not incorporate it into his design and the tablet remained in Australia. A tablet with similar wording is located in the Crucifix Corner Cemetery near Villers-Bretonneux.

This badge is thought to be a fundraising badge purchased during the tour of the memorial tablet.

30mm x 18mm.

Code: 2616