Amiens, France
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Good afternoon.
It’s wonderful to be in here in Amiens and a great privilege to be representing the Australian Government at this dedication of the Royal Australian Engineers Bridge of Friendship.
It’s made all the more special on the eve of Anzac Day.
Australia and France share a very special relationship, forged right here in the throes of the Great War.
And more than 100 years later that bond that remains strong.
The opening today of this commemorative Bailey bridge, donated by the Royal Australian Corps of Engineers, is a significant event for both our countries.
This Bridge stands as a lasting monument to all the Australian engineers who served in the Great War.
There are so many untold stories of the Great War, and in preparing for this event I was, as I am frequently in this job, enamoured by the bravery of our troops.
Our soldiers did some pretty amazing things in the face of certain danger on the 8th August 1918, in the Battle of Amiens.
There was Lieutenant Ralph Hunt of the 12th Field Company Australian engineers, who was inspecting a bridge with a fellow Sapper when his mate was hit by heavy machine gun fire.
With little disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Hunt carried his mate 200 yards, still under fire, to safety.
And then he cooly set to work on an engineering report detailing the state of that bridge and surrounding roads, as he would have any other day.
There’s the actions of Sapper Arthur Dean and Sapper William Campbell of the 12th Field Company, Australian Engineers who were held up by a party of Germans in a machine gun nest.
The pair dashed several hundred yards across the open, under intensive rifle and machine gun fire, overthrowing some 40 Germans who, rather than taking on these two brave Aussies, raised their white flag.
This act of courage was deemed to have ultimately saved many lives, clearing the way for the Aussie troops to advance about half a mile, clearing the approaches to a nearby bridge and opening up the first literal communication across the Somme, leading to the capture of Chipilly, just up the road.
These three soldiers were all nominated for the Victoria Cross – the only engineers nominated for this award in the Great War.
While they didn’t receive the Victoria Cross, they did receive either a Distinguished Service Order or Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Our sappers showed enormous courage, resourcefulness and ingenuity.
Today we pay special tribute to the remarkable efforts of every Australian Engineer Unit involved in the Great War.
They did Australia proud and we honour their service and sacrifice.
This bridge is a lasting monument to the special friendship that endures between France and Australia, with a twin bridge in Queensland.
On behalf of the Australian Government, I congratulate the Royal Australian Corps of Engineers, the Amiens City Council and everyone involved in bringing this project to reality.
As people stop to walk or ride across this Bridge, they’ll be prompted to learn about the feats of our Australian engineers during the First World War, as the generations their contribution will always be remembered.
And I have no doubt that the Royal Australian Engineers Bridge of Friendship between Australia and France will continue to bring our two countries and our peoples closer together.
Thank you.
