Defence News
Sacrifice remembered at Fromelles
19 July 2010
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The French community of Fromelles has gathered to remember Australia's darkest day in war – The Battle of Fromelles, on its 94th anniversary.
The Battle of Fromelles, on a 400-metre patch of French soil, was the first time Australian Imperial Forces fought on the western front. 1900 young Australian men lost their lives; another 3100 were injured or never found.
This year's annual remembrance ceremony was held at the Australian Memorial Park, where wreaths were laid at the famous Cobbers Monument and V.C Corner by military and community dignitaries.
Chief of Army Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, the Mayor of Fromelles Monsieur Hubert Huchette, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Fromelles project manager Mr David Richardson, relatives of fallen soldiers and members of the public attended the event.
This year's service was held two days earlier than the anniversary of the July 19 1916 battle, due to the upcoming official opening of the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, where the final and 250th soldier will be laid to rest with full military honours.
Reinterment of the soldiers recovered from the Pheasant Wood grave commenced on 30 January 2010.
Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie said Australians should all take time to remember Australia's darkest day.
"Australians need to understand Fromelles and where it fits in our history and what it meant to us," he said.
"I find it to be something that we can reflect on as we are experiencing in Afghanistan at the present time with our losses.
"I can consider it a bit of a pilgrimage back to where this all began, the sense of sacrifice of such large numbers of Australian soldiers who set an ethos that we try and live up to today."
In plots at V.C Corner lie the remains of 410 unidentified Australians, and behind these graves a plaque carries the names of 1 299 men from the 5th Division who were killed in action.