The sound of the Australian Army Band draws a quiet crowd of 800 towards the Amiens Cathedral in Northern France, an impressive structure that survived World War I.
During the war, Amiens stood as a vital logistics and communication hub at the crossroads of French rail and road networks. Its capture became a key objective for German forces during their 1918 offensive. However, their advance was ultimately halted by Australian troops in the defence of Villers-Bretonneux, securing the city and helping turn the tide of the war.
More than a century later, the echoes of that history remain throughout northern France, including many of the places the band is touring through Europe.
Music director and contingent commander for the band’s Anzac Day tour, Major Doug Hall, said its performance in Amiens was a highlight.
“It’s a terrific honour to be invited to play there,” Major Hall said.
“It feels such a privilege that the community has welcomed us to perform in such an important piece of history in support of Anzac Day. Even today, they feel part of our history as well.”
Music has always had a place in conflict. Long before it became a tool of remembrance, it was used to pace marching feet, to honour the fallen and to bring a sense of home to those serving far from it.
‘Songs like Waltzing Matilda are etched in our history, and bringing them here connects us back to that tradition.’
The Australian Army Band traces its lineage to the earliest days of the Australian Imperial Force, when musicians were embedded within units, often drawn from civilian bands who volunteered for service. On the Western Front, they played in rest areas and behind the lines, sometimes within earshot of battle, offering brief but vital moments of relief from the strain of war.
“It’s the same purpose today,” Major Hall said. “Music has always been a universal language, it has no shelf life.
“Songs like Waltzing Matilda are etched in our history, and bringing them here connects us back to that tradition.
“It transcends any other language and allows us to evoke those emotions of sacrifice and mateship.”
In the lead-up to Anzac Day, the band’s journey across Belgium and France has followed many of the paths of those who served more than a century ago.
At the Menin Gate, where the last post ceremony has been held nightly for more than 100 years, the band’s music carried across thousands of names etched into stone, many of whom are Australian.
For Corporal Nii Anang, a keyboardist from the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, the performance at the Passchendaele Museum stood apart.
“It felt like it transcended more than just the sound we were making,” Corporal Anang said. “It was more than that … it’s hard to explain, but it was really beautiful to connect with.”
At the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing in Belgium, and in towns and villages still marked by the legacy of World War I, the band’s music has brought together communities who continue to live among its remnants.
For Corporal Anang, the experience has also revealed the enduring connection between Australia and the people of the region.
“I’m realising more and more how much they appreciate what we did, and the impact Australia has had on these countries,” he said.
“You want to pay tribute and honour those who came before you, but I’m also full of joy, and grateful to be considered worthy to be able to perform in this way.”
For Major Hall, the response from local communities has been as memorable as the performances.
“Everywhere we’ve gone, people have been so welcoming,” he said.
“When they see the slouch hat, they come and ask what we’re doing, where we’re playing. It’s been incredibly generous and inviting.
“It’s an absolute privilege to play and be welcomed like this anywhere. Playing on this hallowed ground connects us to our past in remembrance of the Anzacs.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.defence.gov.au ’
