Evening all, This is a bit early for many but might be of interest to some - the mass burial site of c 400 Tommies and Diggers (July 1916) is to be opened in a few weeks time so that the remains can be recovered and laid to rest in dignity in a new CWGC cemetery. CS Ministry of Defence | Defence News | History and Honour | WWI soldiers to be exhumed from mass graves
I was thinking at first that it looks like the government has got something right for once then being the sceptic that I am I started to wonder how much pressure they were under from the Austrailian government knowing how proud they are of their war dead. Anyway good luck to them and lets hope they can identify all 400 or as near as possible to that number. I think this would be a interesting story to follow as it develops Thanks for the post Kapitaino Andy
In The Brisbane Times, earlier this week.. Race on to identify diggers at Fromelles - National - BrisbaneTimes
Interesting article - it is incredible to think this will be the first Great War cemetery created since 1938.
It is reassuring to see that the war dead will be given a proper burial and final closure for the families involved. Regards Tom
From the West Australian 28 Mar 09 Cheers Paul Thanks, Paul. It's still nice to see news on paper, as it were, rather than a website. CS
It is reassuring to see that the war dead will be given a proper burial and final closure for the families involved. Regards Tom Indeed but I can't help wondering what might happen in a few years down the line - will people still feel that way or will they start to forget, or perhaps feel it is not as important as it once was. The basic issue won't go away, however: if you stick a spade or JCB bucket into the ground in that part of the world, then sooner or later you will disturb somebody. CS
I think with the opening of the Red Cross archives to researchers this is going to be the first of many mass graves to be found - as my great uncle was confirmed to have been buried in a mass grave near Kemmel (location not known) I look forward to see what can be found Chris
I think with the opening of the Red Cross archives to researchers this is going to be the first of many mass graves to be found - as my great uncle was confirmed to have been buried in a mass grave near Kemmel (location not known) I look forward to see what can be found Chris From what I understood in the media, there were so many records in the Red Cross archives that it would take upwards of several years to copy them all into a modern database. Even then, it would not be as global or detailed as we might like: some records are very basic with the big three plus rough location of death, whilst other are more detailed and linked to detailed grave locations. We await with interest..... CS
Afternoon all, The CGWC sponsored website 'Remembering Fromelles' has now gone live. It will cover the exhumation and reburial of the Australian and British troops who currently lie in a series of burial pits near Pheasent Wood. The original burials were in July 1916 in rather hurried circumstances. The project will attempt to identify individuals as far as is possible, and the remains wil be laid to rest in a new CWGC cemetery a short distance away. Fromelles CS
Cheers for the update CS, I love the way they have added colour to the memorial by way of the Unit Badges and Brass Titles and Badges.
Cheers for the update CS, I love the way they have added colour to the memorial by way of the Unit Badges and Brass Titles and Badges. Thanks Andrew. The coloured badges work very well on that plain statue: enamel, I assume. CS
I remember Paul Cobb givening an excellent talk on the Battle of Fromelles to our WFA Branch some years back, good to know it has a happy ending 90-odd years on.
Paul Cobb published a book on Fromelles a while back. Fromelles 1916: Amazon.co.uk: Paul Cobb: Books That looks like a fairly serious book and reasonably priced at £12 or so....damn...there goes the cats birthday present money...
Having visited the area last year I must say that it is a very sobering and moving place to visit, especially after the discovery of the new buries after so long. Spider
Thanks Spider, nice shots. Just read this on a review of Peter Pederson's Fromelles Battleground: 'After the war, the British and Australian Official Historians argued as to how the battle should be interpreted. Most of the correspondence that accompanied their exchange of drafts has not been published. It makes interesting reading! On a more trivial note, the List Regiment of the 6th Bavarian Reserve Division held the Sugar Loaf on 19/20 July. Numbering among the regimental runners was one Adolf Hitler. ' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fromelles-Battleground-Peter-Pederson/dp/085052928X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b So there is a WW2 connection!
