Recovery of Fromelles WWI dead begins
6 May 09
Work has begun to recover the bodies of up to 400 British and Australian soldiers believed to have been buried at the First World War mass graves at Fromelles in northern France.
Removal of the first layer of soil at Fromelles with Major General Matthew Sykes, Lieutenant General David Hurley and Major General Mike O'Brian from the Australian Defence Force
[Picture: Oxford Archaeology]
In a simple yet poignant ceremony held yesterday, Tuesday 5 May 2009, at Pheasant Wood in the small village of Fromelles, Reverend Ray Jones from St George's Memorial Church in Ypres and Fromelles' parish priest Father Duprez blessed the site of the five mass burial pits, before the turning of the first soil began.
The process of recovering the bodies will last until September 2009 and it is hoped by both the UK and Australian Governments that identification of some of the fallen will be possible. DNA will be taken from a small cross-section of remains to test for viability.
At the ceremony, dignitaries from the UK, Australian and French Governments were present alongside representatives from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which is overseeing the project on behalf of the UK and Australian Governments, and the team from Oxford Archaeology which is undertaking the recovery operation.
Defence Minister Quentin Davies said:
"Today's ceremony marks the start of our programme to see these brave soldiers laid to rest with the honour and respect they deserve. Archaeologists will now embark on painstaking work that will hopefully lead to the identification of the remains of hundreds of British and Australian soldiers.
The Reverend Ray Jones from St George's Memorial Church in Ypres and Fromelles' parish priest Father Duprez bless the site
[Picture: Oxford Archaeology]
"I urge families whose relatives may have died here in 1916 to check the list of possible casualties and come forward if there is a chance their grandfather or great-grandfather died at Fromelles."
The existence of the mass graves was confirmed in 2008 and a decision was made by the British and Australian Governments to conduct a full archaeological excavation of the site, with the cost of the recovery operation shared equally.
The soldiers' remains will initially be stored in temporary mortuary facilities and DNA samples will be extracted from a small cross-section to determine the viability of a larger testing programme, and the potential to match with surviving relatives.
By the end of the project in 2010 all the bodies will be permanently laid to rest in individual graves at a new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Fromelles, the first to be constructed in fifty years. Wherever it has been possible to identify the remains, named graves will be provided.
His Excellency Mr David Ritchie, Australian Ambassador to France, said:
"The United Kingdom and Australian Governments are jointly committed to honouring the ultimate sacrifice of these World War One British and Australian soldiers. It is only through this commitment that these men can finally be laid to rest."
Kate Brady, Artefacts Specialist for Oxford Archaeology, holds up some clothing found in the local area
[Picture: Oxford Archaeology]
Admiral Sir Ian Garnett, Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said:
"Today marks the beginning of the journey to afford many of those killed at Fromelles with a fitting and dignified final place of rest. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is honoured to be managing the project on behalf of the UK and Australian Governments, and the creation of the new cemetery will provide a focus for pilgrimage and remembrance for years to come."
The lists of names of UK and Australian soldiers who are thought might be recovered has been published, and families who believe their relatives may have lost their lives at Fromelles are urged to check the lists at www.cwgc.org/fromelles
The Battle of Fromelles began 19 days after the opening of the Somme campaign and was the first major battle involving Australian and British troops on the Western Front. The 5th Australian Division suffered 5,533 casualties, of which 1,780 were killed, and the 61st British Division suffered losses of 1,547 men killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
Anyone believing they may be related to British soldiers buried at Fromelles should contact: Historic Casualty Casework, Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, Imjin Barracks, Gloucester GL3 1HW, Tel: 01452 712612 Extensions 6303 or 7330, Email SPVA-JCCC-fromelles-GroupMailbox@spva.mod.uk
The Australian Army has developed a working list of the First Australian Imperial Forces soldiers it believes may be buried at the site and is encouraging relatives to register their details. Further information is available at http://www.defence.gov.au/fromelles