Mouquet Farm, near Pozieres, France, 1916

‘Moo Cow Farm’, as the Diggers called it, is right in the middle of the Pozieres – Thiepval Ridge where the German Army had chosen to make its stand and had used the eighteen months in this position to establish phenomenal defenses.

The British Army had suffered unbelievable casualties in early July 1916 assaulting the fortified machine guns and artillery. On July 1^st, in only one day, 20,000 soldiers died and 40,000 were wounded.

Three Australian Divisions were brought from Belgium and entered the battle on 23^rd July.

The ruins of the farm were a heavily fortified German stronghold. After much fighting around Pozieres, the Australian 4^th Division gradually fought their way towards the farm on the 7^th August . When the 4^th Div. was exhausted the 1^st replaced them in the sea of mud. Some gains were made at the cost of 92 officers 2558 men…..virtually destroying the Division. The 2^nd. Div. returned and in 4 days fighting lost 1268 men and were again replaced by the 4^th Division.