THE HON. WARREN SNOWDON MP
Minister for Defence Science and Personnel
Monday, 26 May 2008
059/2008
SUSPECTED GROUP BURIAL SITE EXCAVATION
BEGINS IN FROMELLES
***NOTE – EMBARGOED UNTIL 6.00AM EST MONDAY 26 MAY 2008***
The first sod was turned today on a small northern property in the countryside
near Pheasant Wood, France, where a suspected World War I group burial
site may have gone undiscovered for over 90 years.
Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Mr Warren Snowdon
MP, announced that the limited excavation project will ascertain whether the
remains of fallen Australian and British soldiers from the battle of Fromelles
are buried beneath the soil.
“Reports prove beyond reasonable doubt that approximately 400 Australian
and British soldiers were buried here during the battle on the Western Front in
1916, and now we are trying to ascertain whether the remains are still buried
here or if they were disinterred at some stage during the subsequent years,”
Mr Snowdon said.
“I am confident that the planned process is robust, and the personnel
assigned to this task will work tirelessly to determine once and for all whether
Australian WWI remains lay buried at the Fromelles site.”
The Army has engaged experienced battlefield excavation contractor,
Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD), to carry out
the works and Senior Army Representative, Major General Mike O’Brien, is
overseeing the project in France. A team of specialists are also on hand to
identify artefacts and assess the condition of remains, should any be
discovered during the excavation.
“The most important task for this team is to concentrate on a thorough and
scientific process to evaluate whether remains are located in this field
alongside Pheasant Wood.”
“Conditions have been difficult over the past months, with the high water table
causing delay to the scheduled timetable, so I am pleased that the excavation
was able to begin today.”
The works are being undertaken with the approval of French and British
authorities and under the auspices of the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission. It is expected that the work will take approximately two weeks to
complete, depending on local conditions.
“We have received excellent support from the French and British
Governments as well as the residents of Fromelles, in particular the tenant
and owner of the excavating site.”
“I am looking forward to regular updates from the team in France and will keep
the Australian public informed of any progress at the site as we proceed,” Mr
Snowdon said.
Media contacts:
Kate Sieper (Warren Snowdon):
02 6277 7620 or 0488 484 689
Defence Media Liaison:
02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664
Public inquiries:
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