Our Name

Our name is taken from the World War I Battle of Hamel fought in France on 4 July 1918.

The battle was the first commanded by Lieutenant General John Monash after being given command of the Australian forces. Hamel is viewed by many people as a turning point in the war.

Known as a meticulous planner, Monash brought together, for the first time, the infantry, armour, and the air corps in a coordinated effort. He established  clear objectives for the battle, fully briefed all troops and demanded detailed plans be drawn up for every stage. He ensured effective communications between all groups during both planning and execution.

As a result of Monash's detailed and rigorous approach, the battle achieved all objectives and was over in only 93 minutes with fewer than 1,000 Australian casualties.

Although not a large battle, Hamel was special because for the first time in many months, the Allies began an organised offensive.

As a result of the success at Hamel and the subsequent battle at Amiens, Monash was knighted on the battlefield by King George V in 1918 - the first person to receive this honour in 200 years.

Monash's strategy and approach was adopted for all subsequent battles which hastened the end of the war.