2020 Calendar of events
Due to the Corona Virus the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, ANZAC Memorial in Sydney, Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne and National ANZAC Centre in Albany were closed to the public but have now re-opened with restrictions on numbers and the times of visits. Please check each venue for the current opening times and any other requirements.
Gatherings such as lectures, meetings and Commemorations can no longer be conducted as they have been in previous years. Events planned by FFFAIF and kindred organisations are impacted and in some cases alternatives are being considered.
This Calendar of events is therefore indicative of key dates and events and will be updated to advise of alternative arrangements, deferrals and cancellations.
Tuesday 1 December, FFFAIF AGM
Zoom Meeting
7:00pm Australian EDT
8:00 am Greenwich Mean Time
9:00 am Central European Time
RSVP to agm.rsvp@fffaif.org.au
Dates in History
August
1 August 1917 Third Battle of Ypres begins.
3 August 1914 Australia offers assistance to Great Britain in the event of War.
3 August 1916 Australian Light Horse in Battle of Romani, Egypt .
4 August 1914 Great Britain Declares War on Germany.
6 August 1915 Battle for Lone Pine, Gallipoli.
7 August 1915 Australians charge at the Nek, Gallipoli.
8 August 1916 Battle for Moquet Farm.
8 August 1918 Battle for Amiens begins.
10 August 1914 Voluntary recruitment for the 1st AIF begins.
13 August 1914 Establishment of the Australian Red Cross.
19 August 1914 Expeditionary force sails from Australia to capture German possessions in the Pacific.
21 August 1915 Last major fighting on Gallipoli takes place at Hill 60.
24 August 1916 Official inauguration of the Australian Comforts Fund (ACF).
26 August 1916 6th Australian Brigade attacks Moquet Farm on the Somme.
31 August 1918 Battle of Mont St. Quentin begins.September
1 September 1918 Battle of Mont St. Quentin continues
11 September 1914 Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force lands at Rabaul.
14 September 1914 HMA Submarine AE1 lost off New Guinea
17 September 1918 Australian attack on Hindenburg Line in the Picardy region of France.
19 September 1918 5th Light Horse brigade capture Nablus.
20 September 1912 Official formation of the Australian Flying Corps.
21 September 1914 German New Guinea surrenders.
25 September 1918 Anzac Mounted Division capture Amman.October
1 October 1918 Australian Light Horse take Damascus.
5 October 1918 Capture of Montbrehai, France by AIF.
10 October 1917 Battle of Poelcappelle, Western Front. (Third Battle Ypres).
21 October 1915 Australian Red Cross Missing & Wounded Bureau established.
21 October 1916 5th Australian Division enter the front line near Flers, Somme.
28 October 1916 First conscription referendum.
30 October 1918 Armistice with Turkey.
31 October 1917 4th Light Horse charge at Beersheba, Palestine.November
1 November 1914 1st AIF Convoy sails from Albany, Western Australia.
7 November 1916 Third Battle of Gaza.
9 November 1914 HMAS Sydney sinks the Emden.
11 November 1918 Germany signs the Armistice. REMEMBRANCE DAY.
11 November 1941 Opening of the Australian War Memorial
14 November 1917 End of Third Battle of Ypres, Western Front.December
2 December 1914 First Australian military aircraft despatched to war.
3 December 1914 First AIF disembarked in Egypt
3 December 1915 Siege of Kut begins in Mesopotamia.
7 December 1915 Evacuation of ANZAC troops from Gallipoli begins.
9 December 1917 Jerusalem occupied by the Desert Mounted Corps.
12 December 1917 HMAS Australia damaged in a collision with HMS Repulse.
13 December 1915 Australian Light Horse fight at Um Rakham.
20 December 1915 Last Australian troops evacuated from Gallipoli.
20 December 1917 Second conscription referendum held in Australia.
21 December 1916 Australian Light Horse capture El Arish
23 December 1916 Battle of Magdhaba, northern Sinai
31 December 1914 The second convoy of the First AIF departed Albany Western Australia.January
9 January 1917 Light Horse captures Rafa.
17 January 1917 No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps sail for France
18 January 1919 Versailles Peace Conference opensFebruary
3 February 1915 Turkish forces attack the Suez Canal
5 February 1917 Captain H.W. Murray wins Victoria Cross in France
19 February 1915 Allied warships shell DardanellesMarch
17 March 1917 Australians occupy Bapaume, Western Front
18 March 1915 Allied fleet second attempts to breach Turkish defences of Dardanelles
20 March 1916 Anzac Corps land in France
21 March 1918 Final German offensive begins
26 March 1917 Captain Cherry, 26th Battalion wins VC at Lagnicourt
28 March 1918 Sergeant McDougall, 47th Battalion wins VC at Dernancourt
31 March 1921 Formation of the Australian Air Force-
Recent News
- Patron-in-Chief – His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd)
- Inaugural Patron-in-Chief – The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO
- Fromelles Day Sydney 20 July 2020: Commemorative Procession from the Archibald Fountain to the Anzac Memorial and Commemorative Service
- Fromelles Day 2020 Commemorations @ Fromelles, Melbourne and Sydney
- DIGGER 71
- ANZAC Day in the time of Coronavirus
- DIGGER 70
- DIGGER 69
Topics
Past News
Photos
- The Families and Friends of the First AIF supports DNA testing on the remains of Australian and British soldiers found on the battlefields of the Great War and efforts to identify as many of the fallen as is possible.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Patron-in-Chief – His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd)
His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) was sworn in as the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 July 2019 and is the FFFAIF Patron-in-Chief, succeeding the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK AC(Mil) CVO MC … Continue reading
Inaugural Patron-in-Chief – The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO
The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO retired from the role of Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia in March 2014 and stepped down as FFFAIF Patron-in-Chief, a role she held from February 2009. Dame Quentin has accepted an Honorary … Continue reading
Sydney Commemorative Service for the Battle of Pozieres
During The Battle of Pozieres, from 23 July 1916 until 7 August 1916, the AIF suffered enormous losses. Charles Bean, Australia’s official war historian described the Pozieres ridge as being more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other place … Continue reading
Commemoration of the Battle of Fromelles, Thursday 19 July 2018
Thursday 19 July is the 102nd anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles in northern France, the first battle involving Australian troops on the Western Front following the withdrawal from Gallipoli. It was and remains the largest loss of Australian life … Continue reading
Bastille Day Community Celebration Saturday 14 July 2018 La Perouse Museum & Grounds
Saturday 14 July 2018 9:30am – 2pm Location La Perouse Museum & Grounds Address 1542 Anzac Parade, La Perouse Come and celebrate Bastille Day, the French National Day with historical re-enactments, food and drink stalls, live entertainment and fun activities … Continue reading
Sydney Centenary Commemoration of the Third Battle of Ypres
The Families and Friends of the First AIF invite you to attend or view the Commemoration of the Centenary of The Third Battle of Ypres including Menin Road, 2025 September Polygon Wood, 26 September to 3 October Broodseinde, 4 October … Continue reading
Flanders Memorial Garden dedicated at the Australian War Memorial 4 April 2017
More than 6 000 Australian soldiers are buried in unknown graves in Flanders fields. Now there is a Flanders Memorial Garden at the Australian War Memorial containing soil from those battlefields, Flanders cemeteries and Australian places that the soldiers knew … Continue reading
Special Event to Welcome Martial and Catherine Delabarre to Sydney
2008 Photo: Martial Delebarre (President Association Fromelles-Weppes-Terre de Memoire 14-18 (F.W.T.M. 14-18 ), Hubert Huchette (Mayor of Fromelles) and Francis Delattre (President de Union des Anciens Combattants – de l’UNC) The Fromelles Association and the Australian Branch of the Western Front … Continue reading
Message of support to Belgium and French members
ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Polygon Wood & Buglers at Menin Gate Following the terrorist bombings in Brussels, FFFAIF President, Jim Munro has sent the following message of support on behalf of the FFFAIF Committee of Management and Members. Dear … Continue reading
VALE – Claude Durand, OAM
Claude Durand and his wife Colette welcoming the 2012 FFFAIF Tour Group to the Bullecourt luncheon. Claude observing Maurice Campbell presenting a Gilgandra tea-towel to Yves Fohlen. It was with great sadness that news has been received of the sudden … Continue reading