Hamel after July 4th

Four illustrations for the 4th Australian Divisional Artillery Commemorative Booklet. The illustrations are mounted on card and they are 'Hamel after July 4th', 'Fritz up, Premont', 'Villers Bretonneux', and 'Ors - Sambre Canal'. The last one is signed by C W Bostock, another AIF soldier. Hamel had been held by the Germans up until the 4 July, 1918 when the AIF and Americans instigated one of the most prepared battles of the First World War. Led by Sir John Monash, the town was captured within 93 minutes.
The sketch of Premont depicts a German aircraft caught in the Allies spotlights. No. 3 Squadron Australian Flying Corps (AFC) was based for a time at Premont field in 1918. Centre sketch of Villers Bretonneux, which was a region of the Somme that sustained much damage.
Lower sketch depicts the town of Ors in France, with many ruined buildings. Ors is near Mont St Quentin and Peronne, both of which saw major battles during the First World War. Mont St Quentin was taken by troops of the 2nd Division on 1 September 1918. This great natural fortress reinforced by every device which German engineers could conceive was thought impregnable by its defenders, and its capture by the Australians, who were met everywhere by almost insurmountable obstacles, ranks as one of the most brilliant achievements of the war.
The AFC was established in 1913. In 1915 Australia was asked by Britain to form compile squadrons for service with the RFC . Australia responded by despatching No. 1 squadron to Egypt. During the next two years the squadron operated first from Heliopolis and later in Palestine and Syria. More squadrons were raised in Australia for the Western Front. No. 2, 3 and 4 squadrons arrived in France during August, September and December 1917 respectively. No. 2 squadron (flying DH5s) was attached to the Third Army and during the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917 carried out patrol duties, ground strafing of enemy troops and bombing. No. 3 squadron (flying RE8s) was supporting the last phase of the Passchendaele campaign in Flanders. The last Australian squadron to arrive (No. 4 flying Sopwith Camels) took up its duties with the First Army. At the end of the First World War, the AFC was disbanded and replaced by the Australian Air Corps which became the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1921.