The small French village of Fromelles is preparing for an historic event which will take place on 30th January 2010. At 11.00am next Saturday the first, in a series of military funerals will take place for the re-interment of the soldiers whose remains were exhumed from the graves dug by the German Army after the Battle of Fromelles fought on 19/20 July 1916.
Photo: Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Cemetery, January 2010
[Australian Army Fromelles Project]
The Hon Greg Combet AM MP, Australian Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science has stated that “………….all 250 soldiers will be buried with military honours. The burials will commence on 30 January with a single burial on that day. Subsequent burials, with the exception of one held over to July, will occur on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week in February (weather permitting)at approximately 30 soldiers per day, with individual services and burial parties.
“The Australian and British Armies are contributing equal numbers of soldiers for the burial [parties] as the force in which each soldier served will be unknown at the time [of burial]. Each burial will be undertaken by soldiers of both nations and presided over by a military padre. A bugler, firing party and flag orderlies will also mark each day’s burials. The final soldier will be buried during the Commemorative Event on 19 July 2010.
“The Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery is currently under construction and will be 70% complete by January 2010. As there is still significant work to be done, it will remain a construction site until 19 July 2010. Members of the public who wish to attend the burials will be able to view proceedings from a designated viewing area outside the cemetery wall.”
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has been working to complete the construction necessary to allow the burials to take place. You can follow the progress of the project by visiting the CWGC remembering Fromelles website.
The Australian Army Fromelles Project Don’t forget me cobber notes that:
Re-interment of the soldiers recovered from Pheasant Wood will commence on Saturday 30 January 2010. The timing of this event is on the request of the Mayor of Fromelles, Monsieur Hubert Huchette. This will allow the Fromelles community to attend and offer their support for the Project and to commemorate the sacrifice of the soldiers of Pheasant Wood. The Project’s success to date has been in large part due to the support of the town and its people. It is with great appreciation that the Project has an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of the Mayor and residents of Fromelles for their assistance with, and enthusiasm toward, the Project.
Photo: Monsiuer Hubert Huchette, Mayor of Fromelles
inspects the sword before it is mounted on the Cross of Sacrifice
at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Cemetery, December 2009
[Hubert Huchette]
Details of the Commencement of Re-Interments Service can be found at Australian Army Fromelles Project Don’t forget me cobber by clicking here;
further information can be found on CWGC remembering Fromelles by clicking here.
An example of the support offered by the people of Fromelles to the project has been witnessed by the FFFAIF through the willingness of locals to share photos and reports on the progress in and around the village.
The following photographic record of sections of the cemetery construction were taken by FFFAIF member and Secretary of the Fromelles Museum (Fromelles Weppes Terre de Mémoire 1914-1918), Carole Laignel and Monsiuer Hubert Huchette, Mayor of Fromelles.
Click on the frame below to see images of the cemetery construction:
[slideshare id=2992868&doc=constructionfromellescemetery-100125233308-phpapp01]
‘Merci’, Carole and Hubert!
*****
The Families and Friends of the First AIF applauds the joint Australian–UK decision to conduct a full DNA testing program on the remains of Australian and British soldiers found in mass graves at Pheasant Wood (Fromelles), and for their continuing commitment to identify as many of the fallen as is possible. We also thank the Australian, UK and French governments for affording dignified individual reburials for these soldiers, buried by German soldiers following the Battle of Fromelles on 19/20 July 1916, in the new Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery with services commencing on 30th January 2010.