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Work
to recover the remains of up to 400 WWI British and
Australian soldiers will begin today at Pheasant Wood,
in the village of Fromelles in France. Minister for
Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon
MP, said the excavation marks the next step in seeing
those who courageously sacrificed their lives on 19
and 20 July 1916 at the battle of Fromelles, buried
with honour and dignity.
“The United Kingdom and Australian Governments
are jointly committed to commemorating the bravery and
service of these World War One British and Australian
soldiers,” Mr Snowdon said. “The Commonwealth
War Graves Commission is overseeing the project on behalf
of the UK and Australian governments and has engaged
Oxford Archaeology to undertake the recovery operation.
“
Expected to be in attendance at the start of the excavation
the Australian Ambassador to France, Mr David Ritchie;
Australia’s Vice Chief of the Defence Force; Lieutenant
General David Hurley; and Vice Chairman Admiral Sir
Ian Garnett KCB from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The recovery operation is planned to be completed in
September 2009. DNA will be taken initially from a cross-section
of remains to establish viability. Wherever it is possible
to identify the remains, named graves will be provided.
“The remains will be reinterred in individual graves
at the new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, to be known
as the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery,”
Mr Snowdon said. “This will be the first such cemetery
to be constructed in 50 years, and it is intended that
the military funeral will be held at the site in July
2010, on the anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles.”
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