*Last Post Service

Posted on 11/03/2009 by FFFAIF

Members of the FFFAIF who will be in the Ieper area on Monday 4 May 2009 are invited to take part in the Last Post Ceremony at Menin Gate – where a wreath will be laid on behalf of the Association.

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Photo: The Last Post Buglers, Menin Gate Ieper [Anny DeDecker]

Details of the service can be found on The Last Post Association website by clicking here. Their website describes the service as taking place:
Every evening since 1928, at precisely eight o’clock, the Last Post – the traditional salute to the fallen warrior – has been played under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ieper, Belgium.
This daily tribute – performed by a team of local buglers – serves to honour the memory of the soldiers of the British Empire, who fought and died in the immortal Ypres Salient during the First World War.
It is the aim of the Last Post Association to maintain this ceremony in perpetuity.

The 27,688th Last Post Ceremony will take place in Ieper tonight, 11 March 2009.

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Photo: FFFAIF Secretary Chris Munro reciting The Ode at Menin Gate, April 2008 [Johan Durnez]

If you need more details about the FFFAIF wreath laying ceremony at the Menin Gate please contact FFFAIF Secretary Chris Munro at projectfffaif@yahoo.com.au

Look forward to seeing you at The Menin Gate at 19:30 on 4 May 2009

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The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in Events, Ieper/Ypres, The Western Front | Comments Off on *Last Post Service

Memorial Way No.4

Posted on 03/03/2009 by FFFAIF

In Memorial Way this week we look at The Gundagai War Memorial in country NSW. The information and photos have been provided by FFFAIF Committee member Graeme Hosken. Graeme also edits our DIGGER Magazine.

The Gundagai (NSW) War Memorial

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The Gundagai Memorial carries the names of 1133 men and women from the town and surrounding district. 

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World War I enlistments number 486 of whom 79 men paid the ultimate sacrifice (16.3%) . This is a remarkable contribution as the 1911 Census shows that the population of the town at that time was just 1,921.

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Photo: Men from the 7th Light Horse, Gundagai. Source: National Library of Australia

Another photo from the National Archives Collection shows two returned World War 1 soldiers being carried triumphantly by local townsfolk.

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The foundation stone for the memorial was laid in 24 May 1928 by Major General Charles Frederick  Fox, who led the first Australian colonial volunteers to land in South Africa during in the Boer War and became known as “Fighting Charlie”.  He commanded the 1st Light Horse Brigade in the Middle East and soon after his return to Australia was elected to the Senate in 1919 and devoted himself to the welfare of returned soldiers.  Read more of this remarkable career by clicking here.

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The monument is located at the northern end of the Prince Alfred Bridge and must have been lucky to survive its location adjacent to what was once the Hume Highway before the town bypass was built.

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The nearby Gundagai  Museum has an interesting display on WWI and local enlistments and is worth visiting if you are in the area.

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The Register of War Memorials in New South Wales  also lists the ANZAC Park War Memorial in Gundagai.

anzac-park_smlPhoto: ANZAC Park Memorial, Landon Street, Gundagai

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The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

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Briefing Room No.3

Posted on 03/03/2009 by FFFAIF

While visiting the Western Front in the Spring of 2008 FFFAIF member Stuart Curry met Johan Vandewalle. Here is the first part of Stuart’s story about his time spent on the Battlefields with Johan.

Johan Vandewalle owns a small café called Anzac Rest which is situated at the western tip of Polygon Wood. I was lucky enough to meet him one day at his bar and he was overwhelmed with the amount of research information I had on my family diggers and offered to show me around the area. 

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Johan is known locally and internationally as the ‘dugout king of Belgium’. From the books he has written to the documentaries he appears in there appears to be nothing he does not know about the tunnellers of World War One.

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Photo: Looking down into Vampire Dugout, a project of Johan’s.

 With my interest in Australian Field Artillery the first place we visited was a position on the reverse slope of Westhoek Ridge.

0528Photo: View from Westhoek Ridge towards the village.

 It was from this position that the 14th Machine Gun Company was engaged in the Battle of Menin Road on 20 September 1917,  helping the 2nd Division with their creeping barrage. During the morning of the Battle, starting at 5.40a.m., 16 guns fired 140,000 rounds towards the German lines in just 10 minutes. The diagram below shows the area in which the 14th machine Gun Company concentrated its fire power during the lead up to the Battle for Menin Road.

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 From our position on the Westhoek Ridge, where E Battery was located, we could see across the fields, which were once the battlefields, towards a red roof house in the distance, near the village of Westhoek in Zonnebeke. 

It was here that Johan was involved in the discovery and exhumation of what was to become known as the Zonnebeke Five.  The five were Australian Diggers who had paid the ultimate sacrifice in the fighting near  Polygon Wood  on 30 Spetember 1917 and had been buried by their mates, lying undisturbed for 91 years.

0529Photo: The resurfaced section of the road where the Zonnebeke Five were discovered. 

 You can read the full story of the Zonnebeke Five on Johan’s website, www.polygonwood.com/.

 Johan then took me to British New Butte Cemetery to show me their graves. I shook his hand and thanked him for helping the Diggers finally rest in peace.

0530Photo: Johan Vandewalle at the graves of the Zonnebeke Five.

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You can read more about The Zonnebeke Five on the FFFAIF wwebsite by clicking on the following links:

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The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in Briefing Room, Polygon Wood, The Western Front | Comments Off on Briefing Room No.3

A is for Animals

Posted on 03/03/2009 by FFFAIF

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There is a new exhibition open until 22 July at the Australian War memorial called A is For Animals.

The Australian War Memorial describes its exhibitions as offering:
an A to Z of animals in war, from mascots and messengers to creepy-crawlies. Animals are put to many uses in war. Sometimes they have jobs to do: the horses, camels, mules, and donkeys used to transport soldiers and equipment, as well as carrier pigeons and tracker dogs with their special talents. Often animals are used as mascots and pets, or as symbols on badges and flags. A is for animals also looks at those unwelcome animals, such as insects, rats, and wild creatures, that make life in the field even more difficult and dangerous.
The exhibition has been developed with a young audience in mind, but visitors of all ages will enjoy its fascinating and moving stories.

In conjunction with the exhibition the AWM has online a number of excerpts from the Frank Hurley film With the Australian Forces in Palestine1916-1918. Excerpts include footage of The Australian Light Horse on maneuvers and The Imperial Camel Corps.  Click here  to view these b & w film excerpts.

*****

The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in Australian War Memorial, Events | Comments Off on A is for Animals

Friends 15th News

Posted on 03/03/2009 by FFFAIF

The Friends of the 15th Brigade will be holding their annual ‘Pompey’ Elliott memorial service at the Burwood Cemetery, Melbourne at 11:00am on Monday 23rd March, 2009 – the 78th anniversary of Elliot’s death.

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Photo: ‘Pompey’ Elliot’s grave. [Lambis Englezos]

“Pompey’s” biographer, author/historian and FFFAIF member Ross McMullin will be the guest speaker.

To attend the service enter via the far right hand corner of the cemetery.

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On Sunday 29th March at 2pm you are invited to join the Friends of the 15th Brigade at a social get-together at the Hellenic RSL – 14 Ferrars Place, South Melbourne – to say thank you to Jacquie Todd and the founder of the group and author Robin Corfield.  Bring a plate, photos, artefacts, letters and memorabilia.

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The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in Commemorations, Events | Comments Off on Friends 15th News

Member Talk at Shrine

Posted on 03/03/2009 by FFFAIF

Mike Goodwin at the Shrine

FFFAIF member Mike Goodwin will be speaking at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance on Friday 13 March.

Mike is the co-ordinator of Mackay North State School’s “Lest We Forget” History Project which has run in the school since 1998 and included five overseas tours to the Great War battlefields by groups of students.

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Photo: 2008 Nth Mackay State School tour group in the playground of Victoria Primary School, Villers-Bretonneux. [Mike Goodwin] 

If you are in town why not go along and listen to what Mike has to say on the emotional journeys undertaken by young Australians as they connect with their wartime heritage. 

For more information on this talk and others at the Shrine of Remembrance click here.

*****

The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

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*Anzac Day overseas

Posted on 25/02/2009 by FFFAIF

Overseas Anzac Day Services

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs has announced details of the major commemorations for Anzac Day in France and Turkey for 2009.

Commemorations in France will commence with a Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux. The site will open at 3.30 am and the service will commence at 5.30 am. Later in the morning a wreath laying service will be held at the French Monument in the Town Centre of Villers-Bretonneux. This will be followed by a Commemorative Concert featuring the Amiens Brass Orchestra with regional and Australian Choirs.

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Photo: The Australian Memorial Villers-Bretonneux, 25 April 2008. [Carole Laignel]

In the afternoon Anzac Day commemorations will be focused at Bullecourt, commencing with a wreath laying service at the Commonwealth and French Monument, Village Centre, Square du Souvenir Francais. Afterwards an Anzac Day Ceremony will be held at The Australian ‘Digger’ Memorial, Bullecourt.

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Photo: ‘Digger’ Memorial Bullecourt [Munro Collection]

For more details on these services click here.

Commemorations at Gallipoli will commence with a Dawn Service at the Anzac Commemorative Site, North Beach at 5:30 am. This will be followed by the Australian Memorial Service at the Lone Pine Memorial. The Commemorations will then move to the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial Service before concluding at the New Zealand Memorial Service, Chunuk Bair.

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For more details on these services click here.

*****

The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in ANZAC Day | Comments Off on *Anzac Day overseas

*Briefing Room No.2

Posted on 25/02/2009 by FFFAIF

The Wellington Quarry, Battle of Arras Memorial

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Photo: The entrance to The Wellington Quarry, Arras. May 2008. [Chris Munro]

The Battle of Arras  was fought from 9 April to 16 May 1917, in Pas-de-Calais, France. In preparation for the battle 24,000 allied soldiers were mustered in an extensive underground network of tunnels below the town. The soldiers emerged from the tunnels close the German frontline for a surprise attack.
The Arras quarry was first dug in the Middle Ages and the stone extracted was used to build many of the important buildings of the town. The quarry survived under the town which was largely destroyed by the fighting in 1914. The Tunnelling Company of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force were in charge of linking up the quarries to create an underground network where allied soldiers could be quartered, waiting for the offensive to begin.
After the Great War, this network of tunnels lay forgotten until 1990 when they were re-discovered. After extensive work 350 metres of over 20 kilometres of tunnels, was opened to the public in January 2008 as part of The Wellington Quarry: The Battle of Arras Memorial. The entrance to the Memorial is located behind the car park of a large supermarket within walking distance of the main railway station at Arras. (GPS location of the entry the Memorial is 50o16’52.24″N  2o46’59.37″E if you wish to locate on Google Earth).

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After watching a short historical film, visitors enter the tunnels by going down in a glass lift. Accompanied by a guide they are directed via an audio commentary through areas which billeted soldiers while awaiting the offensive to start.

Click on the arrows below the photo to view a slide show of Wellington Quarry.

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Although the AIF were not in the tunnels at Arras a visit to the Wellington Quarry, Battle of Arras Memorial gives an interesting perspective on the underground aspects of war and is a worthwhile addition to Western Front itineraries. The tour takes just over an hour and is a very interesting and worthwhile experience.

For more details visit:

Contributed by FFFAIF member Chris Munro.

***** 

 The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in Briefing Room, The Western Front | Comments Off on *Briefing Room No.2

*Memorial Way No.3 Atherton Qld

Posted on 25/02/2009 by FFFAIF

This week we feature the Atherton War Memorial, west of Cairns in Queensland. Queensland memorials will be a regular feature of Memorial Way thanks to the generosity of the authors of Salute the Brave – A Pictorial Record of Queensland War Memorials, Shirley and Trevor McIvor, of Toowoomba, who have allowed the FFFAIF to use the images from their book.

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Copies of Salute the Brave – A Pictorial Record of Queensland War Memorials are available by contacting projectfffaif@yahoo.com.au .

The cover illustration of the book features:

The Atherton War Memorial

The memorial was dedicated on Anzac Day 1924 and portrays the only Digger on a Queensland memorial in an action pose. He does not carry a rifle; he is wearing a tin hat and gas mask haversack on his chest and carrying a scroll in his left hand.

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The front of the memorial reads:
This Monument is Dedicated to the Glorious Memory of the Men of the Atherton Tableland who fought and paid the supreme sacrifice in The Great War

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Below are portraits of five of the soldiers listed on the Atherton Memorial. Click on the arrow below the portraits, to view photos.

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The reverse panel of the memorial lists the Fallen of World War II.

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The Atherton Memorial can be found in E.P. (Digger) Hole Gardens on the corner of Main & Cook Streets at Atherton Tablelands, 82kms west of Cairns (17o15’45” S. 145o28’39”E)

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The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under–Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in Books, Memorial Way, Memorials | Comments Off on *Memorial Way No.3 Atherton Qld

Fromelles Contract

Posted on 18/02/2009 by FFFAIF

The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel announced on 17 February that Oxford Archaeology  would carry out the excavation at Pheasant Wood Fromelles.

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Photo: Pheasant Wood Fromelles, Winter 2009. [Hubert Hutchett]

The media release from the Department of Defence Science and Personnel stated:
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon Warren Snowdon MP, along with his British counterpart, Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Mr Kevan Jones MP today jointly announced that Oxford Archaeology had been awarded the contract to undertake the excavation of an Australian and British First World War group burial site at Fromelles, France.
Mr Snowdon said Oxford Archaeology was awarded the archaeological excavation contract based on their ability to meet the unique requirements of the project and their superior operational and management structure.
“The Australian and British Governments will share the cost of the Pheasant Wood excavation, which is expected to take up to six months depending on several factors including the weather, soil conditions and the actual number of remains recovered,” Mr Snowdon said.
“The awarding of this contract means that planning can begin in earnest for the excavation to commence in May this year and I look forward to work commencing that will ultimately see our brave soldiers fully honoured and laid to rest.”
Two technical advisers and one representative each from the Australian Defence Force, United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and Commonwealth War Graves Commission were responsible for evaluating the tenders and ultimately awarding the contract.
This process required each representative to independently review the tenders and develop assessments over a seven-day period, before spending two days as a group debating the merits of each application. 
“There has been a particularly close and amicable working relationship between our two countries on this project to excavate potentially 400 sets of human remains from the First World War burial site,” Minister Jones said.
“By the end of the project in 2010 all the bodies will be permanently laid to rest in individual graves at a new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Fromelles. Wherever it is possible to identify the remains, named graves will be provided,” Minister Jones said.
The Australian Army is developing a working list of those First Australian Imperial Forces soldiers it believes may be buried at the site and is encouraging potential relatives to register on Army’s ‘Fromelles Relatives’ database. More information is available online at www.defence.gov.au/fromelles or via the dedicated public inquiries line 1800 019 090.

Background: The group burial at Pheasant Wood was confirmed during a limited excavation in May 2008. It is believed up to 400 Australian and British soldiers still lie at this site where they were buried by German forces following the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916.
The Battle of Fromelles began 19 days after the opening of the Somme campaign, and was the first battle fought by Australians on the Western Front. It is known as Australia’s bloodiest 24 hours with 5,533 Fifth Australian Division casualties including 1,917 killed. 

Planning is underway for a full archaeological excavation of the site and individual reinterment of remains in a new Commonwealth War Cemetery at Fromelles, to be known as the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery. The archaeological excavation is scheduled to commence in May 2009 and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is overseeing the work on behalf of both the Australian and British Governments. 
DNA testing of an initial cross-section of remains has been agreed and, if this process returns positive results, consideration will be given to testing the balance of remains as part of the overall identification process.

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ABC News: Fromelles WW1 site excavation to begin in May. Click here  for more details.

www.Australia.to News from Australia and around the World: Oxford Archaeology wins excavation contract. Click here  for more details.

Media-Newswire: Fromelles WW1 graves excavation contract announced. Click here for more details.

Telegraph.com.au: British soldiers exhumed for individual burial. Click here for more details.

Evening Standard: British soldiers exhumed for individual re-burial First World War grave. Click here for more details.

*****

The Families and Friends of the First AIF thanks the Australian, UK and French governments for affording Australian and British soldiers – presently buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood – dignified individual reburials in a new CWGC cemetery at Fromelles, and applauds Minister Snowdon and his British counterpart, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Kevan Jones MP, for their joint decision to DNA test the remains at exhumation and use every reasonable method to attempt identification of each soldier.

Posted in Top Posts | Comments Off on Fromelles Contract