28 replies to this topic

[gladiator]

Readers of this topic might be interested in what  Jean Letaille (the current owner/curator) of the marvellous Bullecourt Museum has just sent me......an artists impression of what will be the new Australian Museum 1914/1918 at Bullecourt .....scheduled for completion & opening in November 2012.  

Hope that they will make some mention of the British Regiments whose troops bravely fought alongside their troops at Bullecourt as well.

Attached Files

•  Bullecourt iPhone.jpg   21.6K   1 downloads

[59165]

Hi.
How is Jean? Is he out of hospital? I saw him last week or so & both he & I had a rant over the Australian prefix but,we needn't have worried.
This was down to the architect & no one else & the folks involved** told him that it will not be called just Australian.They didn't want that at all (& obviously know their history).
**all aussies,bless 'em!!!
Now.If only our Govt.were willing to put in a bit of cash & effort,too .
Dave.

[ianw]

I suspect that by 2012 there will be more news available about the finding of the remains of casualties at Bullecourt - so the museum opening may well be a timely one. We will all be beating a path there. I don't mind if the Aussies take the lead on this one as the facts of what happened there will be exposed to more visitors. This can only be a good thing for the Remembrance of those of all nationalities who fell around bullecourt.

[willy]

59165, on 02 February 2011 - 01:51 PM, said:

Now.If only our Govt.were willing to put in a bit of cash & effort,too .
Dave.

Well said Dave, but don't hold your breath.

[centurion]

59165, on 02 February 2011 - 01:51 PM, said:

Now.If only our Govt.were willing to put in a bit of cash & effort,too .

I may be cynical (no I am cynical - it comes with age and experience) but suspect that if Aussi government money has been put in (is this the case?) then there may be some votes in it which, sadly ,is probably less so here (it also probably helps that Australia has not had a financial crisis Possibly Australians trust banks less and keep their money somewhere safe )

[AussiesinArras]

Hi Folks,

I have been told that it is a joint Australian and French funded project. It is my understanding that the Australian Government has the money ready however there seems to be some items still being worked out on the French side.

As the new museum will be basically in the same footprint as the existing museum, the barn and the outbuilding, it will have to be closed to the public during the works. Jean told me that it could be closed for up to a year.

Regards, Peter

[willy]

It's a shame that with all the open space around Bullecourt that the new musee could not be built other than on the existing site, to have it closed for a year, is disappointing.

[AussiesinArras]

Hi Willy,

Jean has donated the land that the buildings stand on and the buildings/structures themselves. Hence the reason for staying where it is, plus you have the psychological impact of moving the collection away from where Jean is residing.

With the loss of Denise, the museum was the only thing that kept him going. Perhaps, he still needs it.

By the way, Jean also donated the land where the Bullecourt Digger stands.

Regards, Peter

[ianw]

I think a bit of patience is in order here. The new museum will be a fantastic validation of Jean's excellent work over many years and it's absolutely appropriate that the original premises should be used - practical as well because folk don't tend to give buildings and land away every day.

[willy]

AussiesinArras, on 08 February 2011 - 12:50 PM, said:

Hi Willy,

Jean has donated the land that the buildings stand on and the buildings/structures themselves. Hence the reason for staying where it is, plus you have the psychological impact of moving the collection away from where Jean is residing.

With the loss of Denise, the museum was the only thing that kept him going. Perhaps, he still needs it.

By the way, Jean also donated the land where the Bullecourt Digger stands.

Regards, Peter

Hi Peter, thanks but i know that, Jean is a wonderful guy and is very passionate and i thank him for his support and help over many, many years, it is a wonderful gesture from him as allways, but it is sad that his collection will not be available for a year or so.

[AussiesinArras]

Hi Willy,

Agree that the absence of access to the collection is sad. It is an important facet of my business, as well as being a friend of Jean.

The Australian Dept. of Veteran Affairs official involved told me, when I asked about access,  that there was no sutiable premises available nearby, it would need to be for up to 12 months, it had to be totally secure, it had to be designed and the collection then presented in a manner to match the temporary accommodation, it had to be staffed, who would put up the money to pay for it..............................etc

I got the idea ......... it was not going to happen.  

Regards, Peter

[59165]

Some of us would have staffed it for feck all but,it's out of Jean's hands now & no one else was asking.

[willy]

59165, on 08 February 2011 - 11:44 PM, said:

Some of us would have staffed it for feck all but,it's out of Jean's hands now & no one else was asking.

My sentiments too Dave.

[AussiesinArras]

Hi Folks,

Jean has told me that the existing museum will close on or around 15 May and the works are expected to go to November this year.

Regards, Peter

[Keith Roberts]

I'll try to visit again before the closure. I always feel that his collection is special in a very human way, and I can't help feeling that once the contents are organised professionally something of that personal flavour will be lost.  That apart it will be a fitting trbute to his effort as well as to the memory of all those who fought at Bullecourt when the new museum opens.


keith

[Siege Gunner]

One thing that the new Museum must contain is a photographic record of Jean's museum as it originally was.

[59165]

AussiesinArras, on 20 April 2011 - 09:57 AM, said:

Hi Folks,

Jean has told me that the existing museum will close on or around 15 May and the works are expected to go to November this year.

Regards, Peter

Hiya,Peter.
The museum will open in april.Work is in full swing & the new roof on the barn should be finished next week.
ps.I have tried to reply to your pm a few times but,nothing.
Dave.

[59165]

Place is finished,on the outside.Looks great &,oddly,fits in well with the rest of the street.

[59165]

All done on the outside.



This was about a week ago.Last time,they had just stripped the roof.Team is doing well.I'll be there tomorrow & I'll see if there's any more progress.

[AussiesinArras]

I understand that the Official Opening of the Museum is 2.00pm on 25 April 2012....ANZAC Day.

The usual ANZAC Day Ceremony has been scheduled for 11.00am rather than the 4.00pm from last year.

The Australian Department of Veteran Affairs states, on their website, that vehicles cannot be parked within the village during the Ceremony and the Museum opening.

Sincere thanks for posting the photos.

Will be back in Arras in less than one month and cannot wait to go out to see Jean and the Museum's progress.

Regards, Peter

[59165]

Best to ring beforehand,Peter.Jean spends more time at the clinic/hospital now than he does at home.PM me when you are due over & I'll find out if he'll be home.
Safe trip,Peter.
Dave.

[magscotabroad]

just refound this thread, here are some of the latest articles from the Voix du Nord newspaper

http://www.lavoixdun...ande-guer.shtml

http://www.lavoixdun...erre-d-ar.shtml

http://www.lavoixdun...perpetuee.shtml

http://photos.lavoix...2_itemId=229059

I have given all the links to the articles from today's newspaper

br
mags

[Ken Lees]

Great photos in those articles. I hope to visit sometime next week.

Is there a website for the museum that gives opening times, prices, etc?

[angelab]

Ken Lees, on 26 April 2012 - 07:19 AM, said:

Is there a website for the museum that gives opening times, prices, etc?

Ken according to the newspaper article, the museum is open Tues-Sun 2-6pm.  (i.e. closed Mon).
Admission 3 euros, children free.
Telephone  03 21 55 33 20
email : musee-bullecourt1917@orange.fr

I was travelling home from Arras yesterday, so thought I would go to Bullecourt en route and see if it was possible to visit the museum after the opening ceremony.
After standing through the last four speeches (in the wind and rain), I did manage to squeeze in with the first wave - though it was so full that it was not possible to take it in in detail.  I shall certainly go back on my next visit.

The museum is two rooms: the main one, with brick walls and many shovels etc hanging from the roof, deals with the fighting around Bullecourt;  the second, smaller one, is devoted to memorabilia and large photos of individual soldiers who lost their lives, and a rolling list of 6,000 names projected on the wall - Allied and Germans who have no known grave.

Here are a few photos.  They're not as good as the batch that appears in the last of the newspaper links given above though!

Angela  (sorry, don't know why the middle one has come out on its side; I thought I had turned it round!)

Attached Files

•  bullecourt5GVsmall.jpg   34.04K   2 downloads
•  bullecourt6small.jpg   30.74K   2 downloads
•  bullecourt4small.jpg   32.08K   0 downloads

[Ken Lees]

Thanks Angela.

It certainly looks worth a visit. If we ever get a day without rain I might cycle over and have a look.

Ken