Albany Mayor Milton Evans said that a ‘friendship’ with Peronne, located on the Somme River near Villers-Bretonneux, was important with the centenary of Anzac Day and the Gallipoli landings less than six years away.

Mr Evans said he did not have to be convinced about establishing the link, with the city wanting to put itself at the forefront of Australian-based commemorations in 2014.

There was also his family’s links with WWI.

Mr Evans’ grandfather, Charles Stanton, served on the Somme as an officer with the British army before migrating to WA in the 1920s.

“As I kid, I can remember being fascinated by the piece of shrapnel still stuck in his ear,” he said.

Mr Evans said the approach was initially made by Peronne and provided an ideal opportunity for Albany for future tourism promotion.

Albany City Council is to consider becoming a sister city at its next meeting.

The idea was first raised during a visit by Premier Alan Carpenter last April as part of the Premier’s Anzac Student Tour 2008 to the Western Front.

The French town’s mayor told visiting officials she was keen to develop ties with Australia in memory of the price Australian soldiers paid for the town’s freedom – something which was still vivid in the minds of the French.

Peronne mayor Valerie Kumm said a sister city was a way the people of Peronne could say thank you to Australians for the way the Anzacs sacrificied their lives in liberating the town from the Germans.

Australian soldiers stormed a German stronghold at nearby Mont St Quentin in one of the last battles of 1918. After three days of bitter fighting that led to the award of eight VCs, they liberated Peronne from the Germans.

Armistice was signed 10 weeks later.

Brigadier Geoff Hand, who was part of the Premier’s delegation, contacted South West MLC Matt Benson after realising Albany was ideal for establishing closer ties.

Mr Benson quickly realised its importance to the region if acted on immediately and negotiations between civic authorities in Peronne and Albany then began.

An important stage was reached last week when Ms Kumm wrote to Mayor Evans inviting him and a delegation from Australia to Peronne’s Armistice Day 90th anniversary.

Mr Benson said the significance of the relationship with the French was that it was built on blood.

“Fairly obviously the link to Albany is there given the significance of Gallipoli, and there are far more Australian troops killed and remain in France today, than whatever occurred at Anzac Cove,” he said.

“And that is not to denigrate Gallipoli of course.”

Mr Benson questioned why any other place in Australia would be considered given Albany’s obviously strong connection as the first Anzacs’ last sight of Australia when they left to go to war and where the first official Dawn Service was conducted.

“It goes beyond mere symbolism and has many cultural and social benefits, including tourism,” Mr Benson said.

“All those Anzac links are inexorably tied to the subsequent movement to the Western Front.

“It’s a marvellous opportunity to tie up military tourism. For me, there was no way known I was going to let any other town in Australia grab this opportunity.”

Albany Senior High School student Neil Graham was part of the Premier’s tour this year.

He gained his place after researching and speaking about the invaluable role played by Aboriginal soldiers who served in Gallipoli, France, Belgium and Palestine in WWI.

The first troop ships carrying 30,000 men and 10,000 horses headedfor the war zone stopped in King George Sound to form a convoy to cross the Indian Ocean in 1914.