Since 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, Fromelles has returned to the media spotlight.
Photo: Fromelles Church [Ray Hudson]
The announcement was made at the Cobbers Statue in Melbourne on Thursday 31 July and was broadcast on TV news. Selected coverage can be viewed through the Families and Friends of the First AIF website by clicking on the images following.
RSL supports dignified reburial of soldiers of Fromelles
Australian Minister for Defence Science and Personnel announced that the remains of the “missing” WW1 soldiers of Fromelles would be exhumed and reburied with full military honours beneath individual headstones in a new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery near the Pheasant Wood site. Nine News item with interview of National President of RSL Bill Crews.
Watch the news item here:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs5TPKmrFvE]
Relative supports dignified reburial of soldiers of Fromelles
Australian Minister for Defence Science and Personnel announced that the remains of the “missing” WW1 soldiers of Fromelles would be exhumed and reburied with full military honours beneath individual headstones in a new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery near the Pheasant Wood site. Nine News item with interview of a relative, Tim Whitford.
Watch the news item here: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLdmZVGFS78&feature=user]
Dignified reburial of soldiers of Fromelles
Australian Minister for Defence Science and Personnel announced that the remains of the “missing” WW1 soldiers of Fromelles would be exhumed and reburied with full military honours beneath individual headstones in a new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery near the Pheasant Wood site. 7 News item.
Watch the news item here: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn3qZe_rwms&feature=user]
The Australian, Saturday 2nd August features an article entitled: Fromelles diary reveals nation’s worst day, which features extracts from the diary of Captain Frederick Percy Williams. Williams was a Church of England chaplain attached to the 58th Battalion during the Battle of Fromelles and in his diaries he writes of the battle, the horrific casualties and a “morning of desolation”. To read the article click here.
United Press International also featured an article entitled: Soldiers from 1916 to be reburied. To read the article 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 welcomes the Australian Government commitment to the re-burial of the “missing of Fromelles” with individual graves and headstones in a new Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery near Pheasant Wood and believes that DNA testing should be used to help identify as many of the soldiers as possible.