In April 2024, the Alliance Francaise member's choir Chantefique had the wonderful opportunity to travel to France to perform
three concerts in Amiens and Villiers-Bretonneux. Below, Chantefique member Nicole Atkinson shares her experience.
Many in the choir had family connections with the Picardy area during World War I. This made our trip together with Chantefique all the more poignant and special.
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| Chantefique at the Sir John Monash Centre. |
Recently our French choir, Chantefique visited Amiens, France to participate in the opening of the Bridge of Friendship between Australia and France. It was a true and wonderful choral collaboration between L’ensemble du Diapason, a local Amiens choir and our choir from Brisbane.
We were also invited to sing at the Sir John Monash centre near Villiers -Bretonneau. This is a large Australian museum and monument. ANZAC dawn services are broadcast from here each year.
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| Nicole and Martine at the John Monash Centre. |
At the Sir John Monash centre, my sister Martine and I were able to donate, on behalf of the choir, a book of letters. These were written home to Australia from Egypt, France and England during World War 1. Our grandmother, ‘Queenie’ Avenell, was a nurse with the Australian Army, based in 1916 at No 13 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne. Many soldiers from Picardy would have passed through here on their way to England. The director of the museum graciously accepted the book.
Our mother, Rosslyn, Queenie’s daughter, met a Frenchman Georges Héro in Paris in 1948. They returned to Brisbane and married in 1950. So,
Martine and I also had a grandfather with the French Army in World War 1. Henri Héro.
Many in the choir had family connections with the Picardy area during World War 1. This made our trip together with Chantefique all the more poignant and special. We could remember and commemorate, along with the local French people, the sacrifice and service of these ordinary soldiers and nurses whose lives were forever affected by this war. Lest we forget.
Nicole Atkinson (Héro), 2024
