Artillery was the most deadly Weapon of World War 1. The full horrors of massed artillery were particularly noticed at Verdun and on the Somme. In episode 44 we explore the common weapons, shell types, fuses and tactics used.

Sources: Charles Bean’s Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 (Vol. III), Australian War Memorial, The Somme by Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson, World War I Artillery (Imperial War Museum archives).

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In this episode we look at the VC actions of two postumous VCs from Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. Thomas Cooke and Claud Castleton.

Sources: Australian War Memorial, London Gazette (September 9 and 26, 1916), Charles Bean’s Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 (Vol. III), Eastern Daily Press (July 1, 2006), Wikipedia (List of First World War Victoria Cross recipients)

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Mouquet Farm was a battle within the broader battle of Pozieres which in itself was a battle during the Somme Offensive. This small area saw 6800 Australian casualties within a few weeks.

Sources: Charles Bean’s Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 (Vol. III), Australian War Memorial records, London Gazette (September 9, 1916), Scott Bennett’s Pozières: The Anzac Story, Anzac Portal.

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Martin O'Meara a strapping young lad from Lorra Ireland Migrated to Australia to make his way in the world A VC action and significant injury at Mouquet Farm subsequent woundings at Bullecourt and Messines Ridge all took their toll. O'Meara's story testament to the everyday heroism and the everyday trauma of the Western Front.

Sources: Australian War Memorial, Australian Dictionary of Biography (Richard E. Reid, 1988), London Gazette (September 9, 1916), Ian Loftus’s The Most Fearless and Gallant Soldier I Have Ever Seen, National Museum of Ireland, Irish Times.

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A young man, an adventurous spirit and 3 different wars in South Africa.

Sources Australian War Memorial, Australian Dictionary of Biography (Merrilyn Lincoln, 1981), London Gazette (December 23, 1915)

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John Leake single handedly cleared a German machine gun post at Pozieres. His subsequent desertion speaks volumes to the traumas that soldiers suffered, particularly on the Somme.

Sources: Australian War Memorial, London Gazette (September 9, 1916), Wikipedia, InDaily, National WWII Museum.

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William Jackson's story during a trench raid near Armentieres is truly remarkable. Join us for his amazing story.

Sources: Draws on Australian War Memorial records, London Gazette (September 9, 1916), Harry Willey’s biographies, and Hay Historical Society research.

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Pozieres was Australia's horrific Somme experience an experience that saw approximately 20% of the AIF become casualties in a period of 6 weeks.

Script draws on Charles Bean’s Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, Australian War Memorial records, and secondary sources like Pozières: The Anzac Story by Scott Bennett.

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Arthur Blackburn had a unique experience encompassing the most awful locations Australians found themselves in both world wars. Blackburn was a scout at Gallipoli and made it further inland on day 1 than any other Australian soldier in the whole campaign. He then won the VC at Pozieres before being invalided home with pleurisy. Pursuing a legal career between wars Blackburn packed away the wig and robes to command a machine gun battalion in WW2 where he fought the Vichy French in Syria and the Japanese in Java. Blackburn was taken prisoner by the Japanese and spent 3 years in POW camps.

Sources: Information drawn from the Australian War Memorial, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Anzac Portal, and Wakefield Press’s Arthur Blackburn, VC by Andrew Faulkner.

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