Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel. Would the minister further update the House on excavation activities at the site of the Battle of Fromelles in France?

Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Melbourne Ports for his question. Since last Thursday, the excavation at Fromelles has continued in five pits. Also since that time I have spoken to Major General O’Brien, the project manager, who briefed me on the progress of the excavations and the discussions with local authorities. He also confirmed with me the difficulties involved with the excavation as well as the higher level of media interest.

I have subsequently been advised that remains of up to three individuals have been found in pit 1 and of five in pit 5. I hasten to add, though, that these remains are bones; there is no body tissue. As well as bones in the pits, many artefacts have been found, including buttons, which we understand may have been from German groundsheets in which bodies may have been wrapped; a bayonet scabbard of an Allied type; and some live rounds of .303 ammunition—none of which is distinctly Australian. Work is continuing carefully, particularly given some of the risks that more ordnance might be uncovered.

As well as continuing to remove the clay from the top of the pits, a trench will be dug beside the pits, conditions permitting, to allow a cross-sectional view which will help assess the condition of any remains and the possible number of individuals buried at the site. I say ‘conditions permitting’ because this ground is waterlogged and there are serious safety issues for trenching which have to be dealt with. With respect to the future, I wish to thank all of those relatives, some 80 thus far, who have registered their family name on the Defence website. I can also advise that my colleague the Minister for Defence spoke to his British counterpart in Singapore over the weekend about this issue. Clearly, that is important, given the fact that we believe a majority of the bodies that are at this site may well be British. With respect to options for the future, the Fromelles Evaluation Group, comprising Australian and British officials, will continue to consider the options for detailed advice in due course.

Also, on the matter of identity, I can advise that we do have a German list of names of those buried by the German army after the battle, we believe, at this site. While this list is considered authentic, some reconciliation is needed, though we may never know, obviously, the exact identities of the Australians buried, let alone those of the British. I have said that it is too early to consider the issue of the possible identification and fate of each individual until technical advice is available and detailed consideration is given by the Australian, British and French governments. I repeat, however, that there are also 410 unknown Australians buried in a mass grave at VC Corner, just down the road, as well as some 7,243 unmarked graves in France, Belgium and Gallipoli. Like these, it is possible the identity of those at the Fromelles site may remain known only to God.