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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13093
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I hadn't seen todays news .... but I am so glad !! how wonderful Ruskie !
They thought the weather might stop them .... but after all these years these soldiers were ready to be found !! they didn't think there was any British there ... probably all Australian !
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,306763.0.html
Annie 
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Ruskie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4705
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I thought you might like this Annie  - sorry, I didn't see your post yesterday.
It IS very exciting! It'll be interesting to watch the story unfold. Do you think they will attempt to ID all the bodies, or just make a guesstimate of numbers and nationality? I imagine there will be some kind of memorial erected on the spot. Will the soldier's remains be re-buried? I suppose some soldiers names may already be known. Do you think DNA will be used to ID any remains?
It says in the other article that they cannot remove remains (why?) - how will they estimate numbers otherwise? Is it all remains or just Australian ones they can't remove? Will they estimate numbers by looking at those not accounted for rather than by digging them all up? If so, then surely they'd know if there were Brits buried there too?
I'll be very interested to hear what Michel has to say about what he saw.
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Ruskie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4705
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Ahh, bless him  .
The register of descendants is a very good idea. And yes, they have listed the soldier's names. 
Their new home is: http://www.fromelles.net/
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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13093
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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The one time I didn't use the RootsChat shrink links Trystan .... and you caught me !! 
I was just starting to do them too !! .... I was working on the defence one in the middle ... it keeps changing too .... I can't get it to stay stable - I think it's just timing out !!
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Ruskie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4705
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Yes, Annie, but those lads listed as from England would have previously been immigrants to Australia I suspect? I wonder if there is a list in the UK of the Brits who perished? You would think so wouldn't you?
I think that list of names may be an official list of known fatalities held by the authorities since WW1. I suppose they will look for living rellies, see what DNA they can find from the remains and try to match 'em up.
Will have a look at the other links you posted.
Iimagine with something like this, that there will be more discoveries daily . I think they are finding other items as well now. I will watch the news on TV tonight and let you know the latest.
Seems as though this dig has been someone's obsession for a while now .
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spof
RootsChat Senior
Posts: 418
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.natio
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Ruskie / Annie
I stumbled across this story late last night (UK time). when instead of my normal Firefox browser I had to use IE where my my brother who had been staying with me had set the IE homepage to The Australian website.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23771354-12377,00.html
The comments about eyelets from ground sheets or capes are very intriguing as it suggests they may not have been buried in haste.
Glen
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Bezant (London/Suffolk), West (London/Essex), Walker (Yorkshire), Phillips (West Country - believed Bristol area), Tibbetts (Warwickshire), Armstrong (Co Fermanagh), Harvison (Co Wexford), Neeb (Germany), Becker (Germany), Jakobsson (Finland). Kanneworff (Germany and Denmark)
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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13093
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Hi Glen !
German archives show that an order to retrieve and bury the bodies was issued on July 21 1916, just two days after Australia lost 1791 men and another 5500 were wounded in the space of just 24 hours. The notes reveal that zeltbahn ( or tarps ) were to be used to transport the bodies to the burial pits but that they ( zeltbahn ) were not to be left behind ..... so it was well thought out !
Fascinating information though isn't it ?
http://www.zeltbahn.net/types.htm
Annie
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Ruskie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4705
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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From this morning's news:
Digging has been suspended. (I think while they examine what they've found so far).
They are stressing the need to do this correctly.
They said that remains in other areas may be better preserved - I suppose from this we can assume that those found so far are in poor condition.
Might any forms of ID have been removed by the Germans? If not, then surely there will eventually be many finds.
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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13093
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I know the diggers in Belgium are very careful ...... every thing is photographed extensively and catalogued plus the Police are present when they find something and because of the great amount of shells around the dig - the MOD have to be there to clear the ammo to save souvenier hunters taking them !
In Belgium also - anything that is found is preserved ... coins razors ... all kinds of personal effects !
It's a long job to do it properly ... and I'm sorry to say they don't have much time in Fromelles !
Annie
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Ruskie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 4705
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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That makes sense Annie. I really hope they get some good finds ....
How much time do they have for this dig? If mentioned, I must have missed it in one of the articles 
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liverpool annie
RootsChat Marquessate
Posts: 13093
Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Well this is what they said .......
WWI Australian mass grave site excavation to begin - France One of the biggest burial sites of Australian and British soldiers from World War One in France will be excavated today by representatives of the Australian Army and the Glasgow University's Archaeological Research team. Location: Fromelles, France Address: Pheasant Wood Date : Monday, 26 May 2008 to Friday, 6 June 2008Website: www.defence.gov.auThe site is located in Pheasant Wood in the French province of Fromelles, which was the scene of Australia's first major attack of the war in the Western Front with one of the greatest losses of Australian lives in a 24-hour period. Many of the bodies were left in no-man's land and later buried by German forces. This planned excavation will be undertaken by the Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) and overseen by Senior Australian Army Representative, Major General Mike O’Brien. Under instruction from the Australian Army in July last year, GUARD conducted a non-invasive evaluation which determined beyond reasonable doubt that the site was used to bury Australian and British war dead, and suggested it is likely that remains are still in situ
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