Brothers In Arms

Johan Vanderwalle, co-author of Beneath Flanders Fields – The Tunneller’s War, is visiting Australia in a quest to honour the fallen Diggers of the Great War.

Photo: Johan Vanderwalle and Lambis Engelzos

In 2007 Johan played a key role in the exhumation of five Diggers buried since 1917 in the mud of Zonnebeke Belgium. To find out more about the  story of the Zonnebeke Five click here.

To hear the story directly from Johan The Shrine of Remembrance is hosting a talk on 13th December. For more details click here.

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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.