German pill box Aubers N 22 A 9580

Sketch of a German pillbox fortification at Aubers, a town near Fromelles in northern France. The town was part of the Aubers-Fromelles sector and saw heavy fighting during the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916, the first battle on the Western Front fought by troops in the AIF. The battle was a disaster, with heavy Australian casualties and the inability to break the German lines. Pillboxes were developed during the First World War to provide a secure place near the trenches to fire an attacking side and were strong enough to withstand attacks from grenades and small-arms fire. They were used as defences behind the front line, so if the line was breached the attacking side would meet further resistance beyond the line.