From Flatiron Copse, take the D20 to Contalmaison. Before the village, turn right by the water tower and at the crossroads after 1.5km turn left towards Pozières. About 500m beyond this, on the right near the concrete pylon, the site of Munster Alley can be seen 200m to the northeast. In Pozières, at the D929, first go right, then take the left fork until level with the Australian memorial to the right on the site of the old windmill. Mouquet Farm sits 1.5km across the fields to the northwest.
Pozières was the key to any advance along the Albert-Bapaume road. It sits on the highest point of a commanding ridge that straddles the road and runs from Thiepval to Longueval. Pozières was an objective for the 8th Division on 1 July, but four British attempts to seize it in the middle of that month failed.
The 1st Australian Division attacked on 23 July and within two days had taken most of the village. The 2nd Australian Division renewed the assault on 29 July but was heavily rebuffed. A second attempt on 4-5 August pushed the line beyond the ruined windmill on the village’s northeastern edge. The 4th Australian Division then extended the line north towards Mouquet Farm. In six weeks the Australians suffered 23,000 casualties, almost as many as at Gallipoli.
On 29 July, Oswald Blows took part in the 28th Australian Battalion’s attack. He advanced across the road that forks left off the D929, only to find the wire uncut. The Australian memorial now stands on the remains of the windmill. On the same day units of the British 23rd Division started to take Munster Alley to the southeast. Fighting over the same ground a week later, William Short was awarded the Victoria Cross.
