Fromelles
Limited Excavation
Over the period 26 May 2008 to 13 June 2008, the Australian Army undertook the limited excavation of the suspected WWI group burial site in Fromelles, France.
This work was carried out by a team of professionals from the Glasgow University Archaeology Research Division (GUARD) under the auspices of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and in conjunction with British and French Governments.
The excavation aimed to prove once and for all whether the remains of up to 400 fallen Australian and British soldiers lay beneath the soil of a small field adjacent to Pheasant Wood.
Earlier non-invasive surveys and archival research suggested the soldiers were buried at the site by German Forces following the Battle of Fromelles which took place over 19-20 July 1916. However a limited excavation was required to establish the existence or otherwise of any remains.
The Army team in France used this website to regularly inform the Australian public on the progress of the excavation through updates, media releases and images. A summary of updates during the excavation is contained below.
25 June - What Next?
The limited excavation at Fromelles concluded on 13 June 2008 and achieved all of its objectives. It confirmed that remains still, in fact, lie at the site and ascertained their general condition and estimated number.
A moving ceremony was held at 11:00am at the site to provide an opportunity for all involved to pause and remember the fallen soldiers who have lain there for the past 92 years. In attendance was the Australian Ambassador to France, His Excellency Mr David Ritchie, the Mayor of Fromelles Monsieur Hubert Huchette, Senior Australian Army, British Army and Commonwealth War Graves Commission representatives and of course the archaeological team that had worked so carefully and thoroughly at the site for the past three weeks. Also on site to pay their respects were the landholder, Madame Marie Paule Demassiet, and tenant farmer, Monsieur Serge Desruelles.
The site has now been refurbished while the Australian and British authorities decide how best to recognise the site and the future treatment of remains. Concurrently, a significant amount of historical research will be undertaken to identify a list of possible Australian candidates for the remains. Once verified, this list will be made public and relatives who have logged their details via this website or through the Fromelles Inquiry Line (1800 019 090) will be formally advised whether or not it is believed their relative could be buried at the Fromelles site.
12 June - Excavation drawing to a close – Update Day 16
Work is continuing on site and the fine weather resulted in a good rate of work. Of significance, remains have now been discovered at the end of a sixth pit. This pit was one of three that appears completely open, though ‘smudged’, in aerial photos taken of the site in 1918. It is now confirmed that a small part of the pit was used to bury remains. Remains are not present in the remaining two pits.
Other work at the site includes soil sampling and laser scanning that will provide a 3D image of the pits. Work has also commenced to carefully backfill the pits ensuring all human remains are left in position. Measures are being taken to ensure that the human remains are not damaged by the backfilling process.
Decisions on the identification and commemoration of remains will be made in conjunction with the British Government and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The excavation will conclude, as planned, on Friday 13 June. On this day, there will be a pause in activity so that all involved in the excavation can pay their respects to those that have lain buried at Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, for nearly 92 years.10 June - Discovery of Rising Sun Badges Confirm Australians at Site – Update Days 14
Two deteriorated but clearly distinguishable rising sun collar badges have been discovered in one of the burial pits during the excavation at Fromelles. As the name suggests these badges were worn on the collar of Australian uniforms and is a clear indication that Australian soldiers are buried at the site. The team were very much buoyed by confirmation that, as believed, they are working at a site that has national significance for Australia and in particular families of the missing soldiers from Fromelles.
Luckily, in recent days conditions have been dry and work at the site has proceeded at a faster rate. All indications are that the excavation will be complete on the 13 Jun as planned.
Work continues to establish the number and condition of remains and whether or not British soldiers also lie at this site.06 June - Discovery of Remains and Artefacts Continue – Update Days 9 and 10
Days 9 and 10 of the excavation work at Fromelles have seen continued progress at the site, albeit at a slowing rate. This is due to the delicate work required as remains continue to be uncovered and work proceeds around these discoveries. All remains are left undisturbed and none will be exhumed during this excavation
The objects being uncovered are more of the same from previous days. We now have an almost complete set of the front part of the webbing equipment issued to British and Empire soldiers. This includes eight ammunition pouches complete with three clips of 303 ammunition in each. In some, the rounds are heavily corroded, in others, preservation is better. Leather straps, that appear to be braces, have been uncovered on one set of remains. More fabric including more German ground sheets, more British trousers material, buckles, buttons, strap ends and part of a gas mask have been revealed. Unbelievably a gas mask container has been discovered which still held an intact toothbrush! None of these artefacts indicate the remains are of a specific nationality.
Work continues to establish the number and condition of remains as well as determine their nationality.04 June - Painstaking work continues on site in Fromelles – Update Day 8
Day 8 at the site was hampered by a ferocious storm towards the end of day 7. Most of the excavation pits had some water in them, requiring removal using submersible pumps and local generators. As a result of the preparations by the archaeological team, there was no damage at all to any of the uncovered remains.
Progress at the site continues but is slowing as more remains are uncovered. Seven of the eights bits have now been opened with remains apparent in five pits. Three pits were used to accommodate battlefield refuse; hence the lack of remains in these pits.
Work at this stage of the excavation is painstakingly detailed. Using small trowels, palette knives (known to the archaeologists as leaf trowels) and plastic 'tooth picks', each bone, or other find is slowly uncovered, cleaned with a small sponge, identified, catalogued and then protected.
Artefacts discovered to date include a piece of cloth, remnants of a British pattern brass strap end and stud (believed to be from load carrying equipment), numerous buttons, believed to be from German ground sheets in which remains may have been wrapped, a bayonet scabbard, of type used by Australian and British soldiers, live 303 ammunition and a gas mask. None of the artefacts recovered indicate that a specific nationality of the remains at this stage as equipment recovered was used by several nations.
Work continues to establish the number and condition of remains as well as determine their nationality.02 June - All 5 Burial Pits Yield Remains: Days 5 and 6
Days 5 and 6 of the excavation of the burial site in Fromelles have concluded with the discovery of human remains in five of the expected eight pits.
“It is anticipated that further non-invasive excavation of the five burial pits will reveal additional significant numbers of remains that would indicate that this site was used to bury a large number of soldiers,” Army representative MAJGEN O’Brien said.
“The nationality of these soldiers, however, is not confirmed at this stage.”
Despite many additional discoveries including numerous buttons, believed to be from German ground sheets in which remains may have been wrapped, a bayonet scabbard of type used by Australian and British soldiers, and live 303 ammunition, it cannot be confirmed that the remains are those of Australian soldiers.
Day 6 (Sunday in France) is a rest day for the archaeological team. Day 7 will see work commence on establishing the outline of the remaining three pits. It is believed that these three pits do not contain human remains as aerial photographs circa 1918 clearly show these pits as still open. Results of survey work conducted at the site last year indicate that these pits were used to hold battlefield refuse.
It is hoped that a complete excavation of one of the ‘refuse’ pits will provide a clear indication of the depth of all pits; information that will be useful as the team works in coming days to cut evaluation trenches that will allow for a side view of the burial pits.
30 May - Update of Excavation: Day 4
Day 4 of the excavation of the burial site in Fromelles has seen work progress quickly with a further discovery of remains in Pit 5 (where the initial discovery of remains was made on Day 2), and the first discovery of remains in Pit 1. The team in Fromelles is now confident of finding remains in all five suspected burial pits although eight pits in total will eventually be excavated. It is believed that three pits were dug but not required for burial of remains.
The team also discovered artifacts – amazingly what appears to be a piece of cloth and also remnants of a British pattern brass strap end and stud which may indicate Australian or British identity. Fist sized lumps of lime, commonly used in burials during WWI, were also encountered and recovered.
Day 5 will see the team commence work on Pit 2 as well as hand-cut evaluation trenches of each pit to establish their depth. The clay conditions make the soil very heavy and it is possible for it to shear under its weight. Archaeologists are working slowly and methodically to reduce the risk of clay shearing
The team are keeping one eye on the weather but so far it has not presented a problem, and it is still expected that the excavation will be complete by 13 May.
29 May - WORK CONTINUES ON SITE: DAY THREE
On the third day of their three-week project in Fromelles, France, the Australian Army and Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) team have continued careful excavation of burial pits following the discovery of human remains at the site towards the end of day two.
Activity on day three largely consisted of heavier excavation, removing upper layers of soil to facilitate access to a target search area within the burial pits. This prepares the way for more delicate excavation work planned, weather permitting, for day four.
The excavation is expected to continue on site for a further two and a half weeks.
At the site, Major General Mike O’Brien said, “It is hoped that, as the excavation proceeds, the condition and number of remains will become evident and I am aware that this information is keenly awaited by relatives of soldiers killed in the battle of Fromelles, who have no known grave.”
27 May - OUTLINE OF BURIAL PITS IN FROMELLES: DISCOVERED DAY ONE
On the first day of a three week project, the Australian Army and Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) team in Fromelles, France have succeeded in establishing the original outline of two burial pits which were used to inter Commonwealth soldiers who fell in battle during July 1916.
The core team, which consists of British, Australian, American and French archaeologists, unearthed the findings little more than five hours into the excavation. Major General Mike O’Brien, overseeing the Australian aspects of the excavation in France, said the discovery was in line with what the Army and GUARD expected to find.
“The Army has undertaken a thorough and painstaking process to get to this point, and we were confident that we would discover the outline of each burial pit in relatively good time,” Major General O’Brien said.
“What continues to be uncertain is whether the remains of soldiers who were buried here are still present, or whether they have been disinterred since they were laid to rest by German Forces almost 92 years ago.”
The outline of the pits was evident after a small mechanical excavator was used to gently scrape the topsoil and archaeologists used hand instruments to clean into the subsoil below. A bluish-tinged clay clearly marked the outline of what is expected to be pits number 5 and 6 of a potential 8 in the 300-metre long field.
The GUARD team has already begun work on establishing the outline of two more pits, and will further excavate along the width of the exposed pit outlines when work resumes in France on Tuesday. Trowels and other specialist equipment will be carefully wielded to ensure that no grain of dirt or lump of clay is left unturned in the search for our Digger’s remains.
“We have a long way to go and it would be premature to speculate on the possible outcomes, but it is reassuring that the historical and non-invasive research we commissioned last year has proven to be accurate so far,” Major General O’Brien said.
Descendents of fallen Australian WWI soldiers gathered at the site today along with historians, French and Australian Government officials, Commonwealth War Graves representatives and media. It is expected they will continue to monitor the progress of the excavation closely over the coming weeks.