Burial Call For Pit Soldiers

Illawarra Mercury

Friday June 20, 2008

By MICHELLE HOCTOR

AN Illawarra war historian is adamant that more than 400 soldiers buried in pits in northern France should be exhumed and given separate burials.

Patrick Lindsay, who has just returned from visiting a three-week archaeological dig in France where the mass graves have been uncovered, said it was apparent the Australian and British soldiers were not "resting in peace".

A total of 1917 Australians died in World War I's Battle of Fromelles on July 19, 1916.

At least 19 of the dead were from the Illawarra, with 14 still unaccounted for.

Ninety-two years later, relatives are hoping these men are among the 170 Australians and 300 British thought to be buried in pits dug by the Germans after the battle.

Mr Lindsay, whose book Fromelles traces the battle and efforts by family members to prove their relatives were buried at Pheasant Wood, Fromelles, described the dig as "emotional".

"To see the graves was emotional," Coledale-based Mr Lindsay said. "They were pretty respectful and careful about who they allowed to see the remains - very reverent with their treatment of it all."

He said the prevailing mood was of sadness that so many men had been tossed together into the pits.

It confirmed in his mind the need to provide them with separate graves.

"Everyone who saw them told me they were not resting in peace," he said. "They're jumbled in there.

"They deserve individual burials. If these remains were found after the war they would have been buried individually."

Mr Lindsay said a report was being prepared for defence ministers of the Australian, British and French governments who would decide on the next step.

Mr Lindsay will speak on his Fromelles journey tonight at a function organised by the Friends of Wollongong Library.

The talk will be held on Level 9 of the Wollongong City Council administration building from 5.30pm.

Tickets and bookings are essential and can be made by contacting 4227 7414.