Fromelle 2010

The year, 2010, will be unique in the history of World War One but in particular for the small French village of Fromelles. Here, commencing January 30^th, the reinterment of some 250 Australian and British soldiers will take place in a newly created CWGC cemetery, the first for 50 years. The inauguration of the new cemetry, called Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Cemetery, will take place on July 19^th 2010.

The battle of Fromelles took place on July 19^th 1916. The newly formed 5^th Australian Division and the newly arrived British 61^st Division were to attack the German trenches that protected Aubers Ridge - for the Australians it was to be their first time fighting in Europe. It was called a Diversionary Attack and therefore is not listed on the Villers Bretonneux Australian Memorial. The object of the diversion was to impede German reinforcements in Lille from reinforcing the Somme! Few such diversions have ever achieved their aims and I suggest that when you read of such a term to describe a battle be like Goering and "Reach for your revolver". Between 19 and 21^st July the Australians suffered 5533 casualties and the British 1547.

It was in 2005 through the research of two historian Peter Barton and retired schoolmaster Lambis Englezos that the search for a mass burial of British and Australian soldiers started. By careful research, and with the cooperation of German archivists, documentation was eventually unearthed in the Red Cross records in Geneva. It was a German document that showed that after the Fromelles battle the burial of Allied soldiers took place adjacent to Pheasant Wood. Preliminary excavations took place in 2007 to establish that burial pits existed by the wood. It proved positive and eight pits were discovered. No bodies were disturbed since no decision had been taken concerning the future of the graves. Eventually, the decision was taken that the bodies were to be exhumed and re-interred in a new cemetery 400 yards from their original position.

Battlefield Tour Information

This is a half-day guided tour, morning or afternoon by arrangement, including:

• VC Corner Cemetery
• "Cobbers" monument
• Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) cemetery after July 19^th
• German trenches
• Opposing front lines, especially Sugar Loaf.
• Site of original burials
• By arrangement, Fromelles Australian Museum

Personal guided tours of the battlefields can be accommodated.