Our People in QLD
Nick Lines - Maleny
Maleny man Nick Lines, 31, joined the Army in 2007, and he’s already served in Afghanistan, but his next deployment will take him even further from home.
Nick is one of three soldiers just awarded a scholarship by the Chief of Army to study military history and attend Anzac Day ceremonies in France.
Nick will be going to Villers-Bretonneux to celebrate Anzac Day in the French town that has never forgotten the Australians.
In March 1918 the Germans had attacked with over a million men released from the Russian front after the Tsar’s government was overthrown. At Villers-Bretonneux they were about to smash through the Allied lines and capture the key town of Amiens but the Australian counter-attack on 24-26 April 1918 stopped them in their tracks.
Even now the streets of the town are named in honour of Australian cities. Their school was rebuilt using donations from Australian schoolchildren.
This won’t be Nick’s first overseas trip — he was in Afghanistan in 2008 — but it will give him a chance to find out about Army history instead of making it.
Nick will be leaving on 18 April, farewelling his wife Kirrily, daughter Anastasia and the ‘bump’ which everyone thinks will soon be called Carlos.
On Anzac Day he will be at Villers-Bretonneux at dawn, and later at Hamel, taking part in the Australian memorial ceremonies.
“This will be much more than just sight-seeing,” said Nick.
“The Chief of Army wants me to research the battle of Hamel, plus prepare profiles of Major-General Sinclair-MacLagan and a fallen soldier, CPL N J Roach.
“Then I’ll be expected to give presentations on each one.
“On the day itself I’ll be part of the wreath-laying ceremony at Hamel,” said Nick. “It will be pretty significant for any soldier and I’m sure I’ll be awestruck.
“I joined the Army because I love Australia and these blokes actually died defending what we believe in. I’ll be honoured to tell their story.”