Battle Of Fromelles Essay

During World War One, there was a battle, which, while not as well known as Gallipoli, which finished only 6 months prior, is certainly just as significant to Australians both past and present. The battle of Fromelles saw thousands of soldiers die in less that one day, and although being regarded as a complete and utter failure, has taught Australians the importance of individuals. It has also taught people that war is not fun and games, the way it is romanticized in film and television, but is truly, indescribably inhumane and murderous. Good or bad, the battle of Fromelles cannot be called anything less than significant.

The battle of Fromelles is often regarded as the most severe and overtly pointless battle that Australians fought throughout World War One. The 5533 lives lost throughout this 14 hour battle outweighs any good that could have come from it. The battle took place from 6pm July 19th, 1916, and ended at 8am the following morning. The intent of this battle was to distract German troops and try to draw them away from the Somme. Unfortunately, the German troops at Fromelles had predicted the battle and were well prepared, and outnumbered the British and Australian troops 3:1. Because of this, the Germans were able to prepare trenches and guns for the battle, and when the Australian and British divisions arrived they overpowered them with their machine guns. Some German trenches were captured Australian brigades, however, due to having so few men compared to the Germans, they were forced to

However, even with this in mind, the battle was a significant one, for both good and bad reasons, and this cannot be denied. Through the sheer number of soldiers lost, all the way to the depiction of the Australian spirit in preserving the memories of these men, it is clear that the battle served a purpose, in the