The 93rd Anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles was commemorated in France at three services held at significant locations at Fromelles on Sunday 19 July 2009.
Thanks to the generosity of members and supporters of the FFFAIF in France who have sent images of the Commemoration Services for the Battle of Fromelles and images available from the CWGC we are able to publish an expanded account of this year’s services.
The first service was held at The Australian Memorial Park, Fromelles. The Memorial Park is located on the site of German blockhouses which were part of the well established German defensive line at Fromelles. The Address by the Australian Ambassador to France, His Excellency, David Ritchie can be read by clicking here.
Photo: Mr David Ritchie, Australian Ambassador to France. [Kate Brady OA]
Click on the slideshow below to view images of the ceremony (click on Full for full screen viewing).
[slideshare id=1778996&doc=19julyaust-memorialpark-090728025651-phpapp02]
Upon completion of this service, the commemoration then moved to VC Corner Australian Cemetery, where wreaths were laid at the Cross of Sacrifice.
VC Corner Cemetery contains the bodies of 410 unidentified Australian soldiers who died in the Battle of Fromelles and who are buried in individual but un-marked graves.
Photo: Standard bearers and guests move along the road to VC Corner Military Cemetery [Carole Laignel]
Click on the slideshow below to view images of the ceremony at VC Corner Australian Cemetery.
[slideshare id=1778984&doc=19july-vccorner-090728025232-phpapp01]
The Commemorations were completed at Pheasant Wood, the site of mass burials of Australian and British soldiers who fell in the Battle of Fromelles by the German Army.
Photo: Mr David Richardson, M Hubert Huchette, M Martial Delebarre AM. [Kate Brady OA]
A message from Lambis Englezos, whose research efforts were responsible for locating the graves of the missing from the Battler of Fromelles, was read by Mr David Richardson, Deputy Director-General of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and the Mayor of Fromelles, M Hubert Huchette.
Click on the slideshow below to view images of the ceremony at Pheasant Wood.
[slideshare id=1778998&doc=19julypheasantwood-090728025706-phpapp02]
With the official services completed, those assembled were invited to the Fromelles village hall to share a Verre d’Amitié (‘a glass of friendship’).
Photo: Verre d’Amitié at the Fromelles village hall
Sam Rossato from the Australian Embassy with Colonel Skowronski, Australian Military Attaché and
Dr Louise Loe representing Oxford Archaeology [Hubert Huchette]
*****
The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood by German soldiers following the Battle of Fromelles on 19/20 July 1916 dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds the joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.