![\"\"](\"http:\/\/fffaif.files.wordpress.com\/2009\/11\/members-forum-16nov_members.jpg\" "\\"Members'")
<\/a><\/p>\nDamian Madden started off the day by showing a \u2018teaser\u2019 of a documentary he is making on Fromelles.\u00a0 Damian is also developing a “virtual” Fromelles Museum\u00a0focussing on the soldiers’ stories of the Battle of Fromelles.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
This presentation was followed by Stuart Curry dressed as a First World War pilot, complete with a WW1 airman’s leather jacket and gloves, flying goggles and flying helmet. Stuart aims to promote greater recognition of the service and sacrifice of the DIGGERS through attending commemorative events in WW1 uniforms and hopes to encourage other FFFAIF members to don uniforms of soldiers, sailors, airmen and nurses on special ocassions.\u00a0\u00a0 The morning session was concluded with a presentation by Chris Bryett, editor of Over The Top<\/a><\/em>, extracted from the diary of Digger Harry Hartnett.\u00a0 Chris was supported by Nola Thomas, the daughter of Harry, and her husband Alby. Chris also outlined\u00a0how he had used multiple data bases as\u00a0research tools in researching and editing the diary.<\/p>\n After a buffet lunch the group reconvened for a \u2018show & tell\u2019 with Ray Black\u00a0sharing stories of his visits to the Western Front battlefields and showed an original copy of the 3rd<\/sup> Battalion\u2019s Randwick to Hargicourt, <\/em>complete with handwritten comments from a 3rd<\/sup> Battalion sergeant.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0 Jim Munro demonstrated some of the maps scanned by the Western Front Association and Imperial War Museum in the UK to make the IWM map collection available on DVDs. General discussion concluded\u00a0a successful forum at about 2:30pm.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n The Families and Friends of the First AIF<\/em><\/strong> applauds\u00a0the joint Australian\u2013UK decision, announced by The Hon Greg Combet AM MP and the Hon Kevan Jones MP, 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\u00a0German soldiers following the Battle of Fromelles\u00a0on 19\/20 July 1916, in the new Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery presently under construction at Fromelles.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The inaugural FFFAIF Members\u2019 Forum was held at Ashfield RSL club in Sydney on 15 November 2009. The twenty plus members present enjoyed the day which included informal presentations by four fellow members. Damian Madden started off the day by … Continue reading
\nStuart\u2019s research interests now include the Royal Flying Corps and the Australian Flying Corps with a focus on\u00a02nd<\/sup> Lieut. Charles Kingsford Smith, R.F.C. \u00a0in addition to his strong interest in the\u00a0Australian Field Artillery.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n