No wonder they're big on Ozzies around here - Oz and Victoria in particular have had a huge history with Villers-Bretonneux
That's the place you can see in my video from the top of the tower - the place with the easily visible church steeple.
"The school in Villers-Bretonneux was rebuilt using donations from school children of Victoria, Australia (many of whom had relatives perish in the town's liberation) and above every blackboard is the inscription, "N'oublions jamais l'Australie" (Let us never forget Australia).[19][20] The annual Anzac Day ceremony is held at this village on Anzac Day, 25 April. Traditionally, Australian commemorations have focused on Gallipoli. However, Anzac Day commemorations since 2008 have also focused on the Western Front, and dawn services marking the anniversary of the battle of 24/25 April 1918 are held on Anzac Day itself at Villers-Bretonneux.[21][22]
Villers-Bretonneux is the sister city of Robinvale, Victoria, Australia.[23]"
"In 2015, Simon was awarded the honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for "distinguished service to Australian-French relations."[1][3] On April 25, 2018, welcomed French Prime MinisterEdouard Philippe and Australian Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull to Villers-Bretonneux for the grand opening of the Sir John Monash Centre, which was dedicated to the Australian military and its soldiers during World War I.[4]
Dr. Patrick Simon contracted COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in France in late March 2020 and was placed in intensive care for more than fifty days.[1][5] He was initially admitted to a hospital in Rang-du-Fliers, but was transferred to CHU d'Amiens hospital in Amiens.[4] Simon's condition initially stabilized in April, but rapidly deteriorated in May 2020.[5][3]
Patrick Simon died at CHU d'Amiens hospital in Amiens on 13 May 2020, at the age of 63 following a seven-week illness with COVID-19.[1][2][5][3][4]
The Australian Ambassador to France, Brendan Berne, ordered flags at the embassy in Paris to be flown at half staff in Simon's honor.[1] The small town of Robinvale, Victoria, which is twinned with Villers-Bretonneux, paid tribute to Simon, saying, "We extend our condolences to Mr Simon's family, friends, the Villers-Bretonneux community, and the Robinvale-Villers Bretonneux Association members during this sad time."[6] Robinvale was named after Lieutenant Robin Cuttle, who was killed in action in Caix during the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux in 1918.[1] Simon had visited Robinvale several times, most recently in October 2019, and developed close personal and professional relationships with the town's leaders.["
