The first site was the Pozieres Memorial. The high ground at Pozières was an essential advantage, and a place from which further attacks could be launched. The 1st Division was the first to go into the battle, and did so on 23 July 1916. The Australians managed to capture the village of Pozières, whereupon they were subjected to relentless artillery bombardment that reduced the village to rubble and inflicted a heavy toll among the allied troops. The 2nd Division relieved the 1st, and suffered even more losses attacking towards the heights east of the village. The 4th Division then went in, pressing its attack north towards Mouquet Farm and holding off German attempts to retake Pozières. Each of the three Australian divisions, though severely reduced, served a second tour on this notorious battleground.
The memorial commemorates the officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the First Australian Division who fought in France and Belgium in 1916, 1917 and 1918. The boys payed their respects by placing poppies beside the names of a number of fallen Australians.
The highest ground in the area of Pozieres was the site of a windmill. From this spot you could see advancing troops in all directions. The windmill was secured by Australian forces on August 5 1916.
Australia's official war historian, Charles Bean, said, 'The Windmill site … marks a ridge more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other place on earth'.
The windmill was gradually smashed up by artillery fire. It was eventually reduced to a pile of rubble. Remains of the windmill and the German blockhouse have been left and grassed over, leaving the undulating ground as a preserved battlefield site at this place.
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