Descendants of WWI battle's casualties being sought
06 May 2009
Remembering Fromelles
Members of the public who believe they may be related to British soldiers buried at the First World War mass graves at Fromelles in northern France are being urged to check a list of names on Remembering Fromelles, a new website launched by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission to help identify the bodies of the soldiers who died in one of the most tragic battles of the First World War.
Work has begun in northern France to recover the remains of up to 400 Australian and British soldiers who died in the Battle of Fromelles which took place in July 1916. The remains currently lie in a number of newly-discovered mass graves at Pheasant Wood, in the village of Fromelles, where they had been buried by the Germans after the battle.
The recovery will be overseen by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and progress can be followed through the website. The battle took place within a limited timeframe and by careful examination of records of the 'missing' it has been possible to draw up a pool of possible identities for those buried in the mass graves. A list of these names is available on the website.
Veterans Minister Kevan Jones said:
"These men gave their lives for this country and everything possible will be done to identify and then lay them to rest with the full military honours they deserve. I urge families whose relatives may have died in the First World War battle at Fromelles in 1916 to check this list.
"We need the British public to look back in their family trees and come forward if they believe there is a chance their grandfather or great-grandfather died at Fromelles."
Peter Francis, Head of Communication for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, explained:
"The website will play a key role in keeping the public up-to-date with activities at Fromelles. In that spirit we are pleased to be able to publish the names of men who we believe may be among those whose bodies will be recovered."
Members of the public who believe they may be related to British soldiers buried at Fromelles can check the list of names at www.cwgc.org/fromelles or contact Historic Casualty Casework, Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, Imjin Barracks, Gloucester GL3 1HW. Tel: 01452 712612 Extensions 6303 or 7330, or email SPVA-JCCC-fromelles-GroupMailbox@spva.mod.uk
The Battle of Fromelles began on 19 July 1916 and was the first major battle on the Western Front involving Australian troops.
Within a twenty-four hour period the 5th Australian Division had suffered 5,533 casualties, of which 1,780 were killed, and the 61st British Division suffered losses of 1,547 men killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
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 in the days immediately after the battle.
A full archaeological excavation of the site and individual reinterment of remains in the new Commonwealth War Cemetery at Fromelles commenced in May 2009. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is overseeing the work on behalf of both the Australian and British Governments.
The Australian Army has developed a working list of the First Australian Imperial Forces soldiers it believes may be buried at the site and is encouraging relatives to register their details. Further information is available at www.defence.gov.au/fromelles
