2014 Australia at War. The Western Front 50 Cent Colour Printed Uncirculated in Card

The Western Front was an unbroken stretch of land running 760 kilometres from the English Channel near Ostend, Belgium, to Belfort, France. This narrow war zone was the site of many gruelling battles, fought back and forth often to acquire as little as a few inches of land at a time.

Here, Australian troops spent three years fighting Imperial Germany. They fought at Fromelles, Pozières and Mouquet Farm on the Somme in 1916. In 1917, they pursued the Germans to the Hindenburg Line, and fought them in a third battle of Ypres in Belgium. In 1918, they defended the city of Amiens, battling alongside American troops at Hamel. The last Australian action of the war was at Montbrehain on 5 October 1918.

Dr Peter Pedersen, author of Anzacs on the Western Front said,

“The Western Front has always stood in Gallipoli’s shadow,” despite many of Australia’s greatest contributions to the war occurring there.

Coin’s reverse features an artistic representation of soldiers paying tribute to fallen colleagues on the Western Front, accompanied by a colour-printed remembrance poppy.

Part of the Australia at War series, which features 18 coins that reflect the nation’s pride in our brave servicemen and women.

*Stock images courtesy of the Royal Australian Mint.