Website for Fromelles war dead

THE Commonwealth War Graves Commission has launched a website to trace the families of men who died at the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916.

The Remembering Fromelles site will follow the work being undertaken to recover the remains of up to 400 Australian and British soldiers.

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.

A key part of the work being undertaken by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will be to identify the bodies recovered as the intention is to give each soldier a proper burial in a cemetery which will be built close to Fromelles.

Peter Francis, of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said: "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."

A list of both British and Australian soldiers is available to download and the site provides information on the history of the battle as well as promising to keep people in touch with the work to recover the remains.

Related articles:
Work to begin on Fromelles mass graves
DNA tests for Fromelles mass grave remains

Comments

[Susan W]

Thanks for this. Very timely, as ANZAC Day is only a couple of days away (25 April). I will put a link to the site on our blog post for that day.

[Craig McGinty]

Hi Susan, many thanks for that and hope your readers find the articles helpful.
All the best, Craig