Lambis Englezos is back in Melbourne after having his research confirmed by the discovery of the bodies of the missing Diggers from the Battle of Fromelles. Lambis spent the past three months in the Fromelles area and was present each day of the 3 week archaeological dig at Pheasant Wood.
Photo: Lambis Englezos, Tim Whitford & Ward Selby at Pheasant Wood.
The Herald Sun in Melbourne published this report today, 20 June, from an interview with Lambis Englezos on his return.
Dignity plea for buried Diggers in France by Michael Warner
THE Melbourne schoolteacher behind the discovery of a mass war grave in France has pleaded for the soldiers to be given a dignified reburial.
Lambis Englezos, who has returned to Melbourne after witnessing this month’s emotional dig at Pheasant Wood, believes the remains of all 173 Diggers and 300 British can be properly identified.
The dead were buried by German troops after the disastrous WWI Battle of Fromelles on July 19, 1916.
“From what I have seen, each of the bodies is recoverable. The tight clay has kept them in place and the bones are articulated.
“Physically, they can be removed body by body,” Mr Englezos said.
“We’ve got to make every effort to recover our war dead . . . you can’t leave them there like that.
“What I am after is the dignity of a reburial, either as a known or an unknown,” he said. “They are not at rest.”
Work stopped on the Fromelles site last Friday as Australian, French and British authorities determine what to do next.
Opinion is divided over whether the bodies should stay in the ground, with a memorial built over them to honour their sacrifice, or whether they should be exhumed and reburied at a nearby Commonwealth war grave.
Mr Englezos, an amateur historian who found the grave site last year after a six-year search, said DNA testing and reburial could begin as early as April next year.
“You can’t do it through the winter — even in March, it’s still very wet at the site. So it might be April or even May next year before they can do a recovery — if, indeed, that is what they do,” Mr Englezos said.
An estimated 5533 Australian soldiers were killed, wounded or disappeared in just over 24 hours during the Battle of Fromelles — the deadliest single day in Australia’s history
The same newspaper is provoking discussion by its Editorial; Let them rest – in the same edition as Lambis’ interview. Following is a transcript of the editorial from The Herald Sun today, 20 June 2008.
Let them rest Editorial
THE remains of 170 Australian troops discovered in burial pits near Fromelles in northern France should not be disturbed.
We agree with the RSL that the site of one of Australia’s bloodiest battles during World War I should be designated a war grave.
Some 1719 Australian troops were confirmed killed and many others went missing on the night of July 19, 1916. Casualties totaled 5533.
A fitting monument to their sacrifice should be built on the site and made a significant part of our next Anzac Day.
The Herald Sun invites comments from anyone reading these two articles. Click here to comment – then scroll to the bottom of their Editorial page.
Comments are also sort on the Lambis Englezos article. Click here to comment – then scroll to the bottom of their page.
FROMELLES IS NOT HONOURED ON THE NATIONAL OR ANY STATE MEMORIAL IN AUSTRALIA.
FFFAIF SUPPORTS ALL EFFORTS TO RECOGNISE FROMELLES ON OR AT THE NATIONAL AND ALL STATE MEMORIALS THAT PRESENTLY LIST BATTLES BY NAME.
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