The recent announcement by Australian Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, The Hon. Warren Snowdon that a new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery would be created at or near the Pheasant Wood site and the soldiers’ remains would be exhumed and reburied with full military honours beneath individual headstones, has once again put Fromelles in the media spotlight.
Photo: Fromelles road signs [Ray Hudson]
The following reports appeared in the world press:
The Times Online: Troops in lost grave to be buried with full honours. Click here.
Oxford Mail: Dead soldiers bodies found. Click here.
The UK Herald: Troops In War Mass Grave To Be Buried. Click here.
Scoop World NZ: War Grave Plans Announced for Fromellles WW1 Dead. Click here.
International Herald Tribune: WW1 soldiers in mass grave to be reburied. Click here.
The Telegraph U.K.: Hundreds of British troops to be exhumed in France. Click here.
The Australian media has the following reports:
The Australian: Fromelles to get Digger Cemetery. Click here.
The Sydney Morning Herald: Full honours for fallen troops. Click here. Australian WW1 remains to be reburied. Click here.
ABC Radio Australia: Fromelles soldiers to be buried with military honours. Click here.
The Herald Sun: 170 mass grave Diggers to be buried with honours. Click here.
The Melbourne Age: Fromelles fallen to be reburied with honours. Click here. Reburying soldiers ‘the decent thing’. Click here.
The Brisbane Times: Full honours for fallen troops. Click here.
The ABC: Diggers group back Fromelles reburial. Click here. On this page you can also click on a video of the announcement and and audio recording of the announcement. Fromelles Mayor committed to remembering WW1 soldiers. Click here. Audio recordings available on this page also.
Illawarra Mercury: Fromelles burial plan brings mixed emotions. Click here.
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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.
FFFAIF Policy Statement
The Families and Friends of the First AIF believes that the Australian Government through the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs should commit the to re-burial of the “missing of Fromelles” with individual graves and headstones in a new Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Pheasant Wood after DNA testing.