Museums on the French Flanders and Artois Battlefields, France

This is a private museum in the village of Bullecourt owned by M. Jean Lataille. Visitors are welcome to see the collection which has grown over the past twenty five years into a fascinating display of equipment, memorabilia, photographs and documents. It features stories and memories of the men who fought in the Battle of Bullecourt during April 1917, when the Australian and British troops attacked the German defenders in the newly constructed Hindenburg Line (known as the Siegfriedstellung to the German Army). Tanks went into the attack and the museum collection includes many parts of these tanks salvaged from the battlefield.

The village of Bullecourt, and most especially M. Lataille, has forged a special bond with Australia due to the tremendous sacrifice of several thousand casualties killed, wounded and missing here in the spring battles of 1917.

Opening Hours & Admission

The museum does not open on a formal basis, and visitors are advised to contact M. Lataille in advance of a visit.

There is no admission fee but a donation will be gratefully received towards the upkeep of this special collection.

Jean Letaille

1 Rue d'Arras, 62128 BULLECOURT

Telephone: +33 (0)3 21 48 92 46

The museum was created in 1990. It is located on the second floor of the Town Hall (Mairie) at Fromelles. The collections in the museum include dioramas, equipment, photographs, documents and items found on the battlefields near to the village.

All the items on show in the museum are tagged with a description in English, French and German.

The northern sector of the village was occupied by the Imperial German Army from early October 1914. The Front Lines remained in the same location for over three years.

Opening Hours & Admission

• Every second Sunday in the month from April - December: 09.00 - 12.00; 14.00 - 19.00 (visitors are strongly advised to check the hours of opening before making a special visit - see contact details below)

Guided tours for groups by prior reservation only. Allow at least 3 weeks to make arrangements.

Closed: June, July and August.

Prices: Adult: Euros 3,50; Adult Group (from 10 persons, per person): Euros 2,50

Contact for visits: Mairie de Fromelles (French speaking only): +33 (0)3 20 50 20 43

For more information, museum bookings, research and donations to the museum see the museum website.

Association pour le Souvenir de la Bataille de Fromelles in 1916,

Mairie, Rue de Verdun, 59249 FROMELLES

Telephone: Henri Delpierre: +33 - (0)3 20 50 60 72

Email: Martial Delbarre (French and English speaking) martial.delebarre@wanadoo.fr

Email: Joseph Lagae (French, English and German speaking) jos.lagae@belgacom.net

Web site: www.asbf14-18.org

The museum is located on the summit of the ridge at Notre Dame de Lorette, within the area of the French military cemetery. There are over 2,000 items on display showing life in the French Army and its costly battles in Artois. The exhibition of items includes equipment, uniforms, documents, photographs and a walk-through reconstructed trench and bunker system animated with lasers. A commentary to accompany your visit can be selected in French or English. A diaporama (photographic slide show) presents 400 rare stereoscopic (3-D) images created in the 1914-1918 period.

Outside the museum a battlefield area is dedicated to trenches, which have been redug in their original locations, and a selection of artillery pieces, machine guns, shells and barbed wire. Panels describing the items on view are in French, English and German.

A small shop sells souvenirs, books and postcards.

Opening Hours & Admission

Museum and battlefield area open every day from 1^st February to 15^th December: 09.00 hours to 20.00 hours.

For visits out of season contact: +33 (0)3 21 45 15 80

Admission fee.

Cimetière National de Lorette Ablain-St-Nazaire