Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery
Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery | |
---|---|
Battle of Fromelles | |
Established | 30 January 2010 |
Unveiled | 19 July 2010 |
Location | 50°36′28″N 02°51′5″E / 50.60778°N 2.85139°E near |
Designed by | Barry Edwards |
Total burials | 250 |
Burials by nation | |
, 3
| |
Burials by war | |
First World War | |
Official name | Funerary and memory sites of the First World War (Western Front) |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | i, ii, vi |
Designated | 2023 (45th session) |
Reference no. | 1567-ND01 |
Statistics source: CWGC |
Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery is a
The bodies were discovered following historical research that included analysis of
In parallel with the recovery and identification projects, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission was asked by the
Following this period of reburials, topsoil was added to the cemetery, and the
Background
The
Records kept by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission show that 1,780 Australian soldiers and 503 British soldiers died in the battle,[5] but many of these bodies were not recovered. These missing dead are commemorated not by individual graves and names on headstones, but by names carved on memorials dedicated for that purpose. The Australian missing dead from the battle are inscribed on the memorial at the V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, and over 400 unidentified bodies from the battle are also buried there.[6] Many of the dead were recovered by German forces after the battle and buried behind German lines. Some of these burial sites were located in the years immediately following the First World War, and the bodies were reburied in cemeteries in the area, including the V.C. Corner Cemetery.[7]
Discovery of mass graves
The burial pits at Pheasant Wood remained undisturbed for over 90 years. Their existence was discovered following research by retired Australian teacher Lambis Englezos. Following a visit to Fromelles in 2002, Englezos calculated a discrepancy in the numbers of unidentified Fromelles burials when compared to the lists of the missing. Following up on this, he investigated the possibility that the missing bodies had been buried in unmarked mass graves by the Germans, and never recovered since. In May 2006, 60 Minutes reporter Ray Martin and producer Stephen Rice began an investigation of Englezos's theories and visited Fromelles to examine his evidence. In July 2006 they broadcast a report supporting his findings and demanding action by the Federal Government.[9] Several years of historical research, including examination of
An
Planning
Following the discovery of the mass graves at Pheasant Wood in May 2008, the British and Australian governments set up a jointly funded body, the Fromelles Management Board (FMB), to achieve three main aims: to recover, identify, and re-inter the bodies. The FMB would co-ordinate between multiple French, British and Australian organisations, and provide overall supervision for the project. Although the British and Australian governments, through the FMB, retained overall responsibility, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) was asked to act as their agent and provide day-to-day project management, with the Fromelles Project Manager, provided by the CWGC, also being a member of the Board.[12]
In addition to providing management for the project, the CWGC was asked to construct a new cemetery for the reburial of the bodies that would be recovered. Although asked to do this by the British and Australian governments, the design, construction and maintenance of such cemeteries is part of the central remit of the CWGC, and as such the estimated 900,000 euros[14] construction cost was covered by funding from CWGC member countries. The funding for the excavations, DNA analysis, and reburial ceremonies, was shared equally by the British and Australian governments.[15]
The plans and designs for the new cemetery were drawn up by the commission's architect, Barry Edwards. One of the immediate problems faced was deciding on a suitable location. The original location of the mass graves was considered as a site for the cemetery (and was offered as such by the landowner), but the ground was found to be too prone to flooding. The site that was chosen was nearby, about 120 metres to the southwest of the original battlefield mass graves, but on a higher piece of land just outside the village of Fromelles. The overall cemetery shape is hexagonal, and the design incorporated radial rows of headstones leading towards a raised Cross of Sacrifice on the southern side of the cemetery. This higher location for the cemetery allowed the deliberate placement of the Cross of Sacrifice at a place where it would be visible on the skyline when viewed from the nearby V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial. This memorial is one of several locations in and around Fromelles where those who fell in the battle are commemorated. The Fromelles battlefield of 1916 would also be visible from the elevated Cross of Sacrifice terrace. Another consideration in the design was the cemetery orientation, with the headstones orientated to the south to avoid shadows and to increase the daytime visibility of the headstone inscriptions. The exact layout of the burial plots was left flexible as the number of burials needed was not known at that point. A small car park was included in the design. Unlike earlier CWGC cemeteries, this modern cemetery was designed to include ramps to allow accessibility for wheelchair users.[16]
The CWGC plans for the new cemetery were made public in April 2009 and announced by the commission's Director-General, Richard Kellaway, who stated a desire that the cemetery would be worthy of the sacrifices made by those who would be buried there, and that it would become "a place of dignified pilgrimage and remembrance for generations to come."[17]
In September 2009, a report was published by the Fromelles Management Board ('Fromelles – the story so far'). Written by the Board co-Chairs from the
Construction
The cemetery construction contract was awarded to Beton-Bouw Bentein BVBA. This company, which was founded in 1921, helped to rebuild Flanders after the war, and had previous experience working with the commission.[14] Before construction could begin, the area had to be checked by the French authorities for ordnance and other materiel left from the war. This was done in April 2009, and though no unexploded munitions were found, other wartime debris was cleared from the area, including barbed wire and shell cases.[18] Construction proper began in May 2009, with the site being levelled in preparation for the laying of the foundations, while temporary hoardings were put up to enclose the site.[19]
Although access to the main construction and excavation sites was restricted by this point, there was still great interest shown, with visits both by the media, and by schoolchildren and relatives of those who had died at Fromelles. Information was displayed at the site on display boards, and
The geology of the site, a former farmer's field on a slight slope, with a heavy clay soil that is subject to seasonal movements when wet, meant that substantial foundations and drainage had to be constructed. The main support for the above ground structures consists of 210 concrete piles extending vertically downwards into the soil, each up to 7 metres deep. These pilings were engineered in June 2009 by a specialist company, Wig-Palen, from Belgium, using a 62-ton machine to drill and compact the required holes. Concrete was then poured into the hollow drill to fill the void as the drill was extracted, and steel reinforcement cages were then placed into the still-wet concrete. This screw-piling technique ensured that the cemetery foundations were both end-bearing and friction-bearing in nature, increasing the stability of the pilings and the structures they support.[21][22]
By July 2009, work was being done on carving the
In August 2009, work began on the construction of the cemetery boundary walls. Horizontal reinforced-concrete beams, laid down below ground, provided a foundation for the stepped boundary walls, built using brick. Like all the foundations laid here, the concrete beams were encased in a polystyrene casing to allow for expansion and contraction of the soil.[25] Heavy rain during August delayed the construction work, but in September and October, a period of fine dry weather allowed progress to be made on the most complex part of the project, the Cross of Sacrifice and its terrace and foundations.[26]
The size of the Cross of Sacrifice, a standard Commission structure used for cemeteries with over 40 graves, varies according to the number of burials in a cemetery. For this cemetery, a Type-A Cross, around 4 metres wide at the base and 6 metres high, would be used. Carved from Massangies,[27] a French limestone, the shaft of the cross alone would weigh four tonnes,[28] while the entire raised stone terrace would weigh many more tonnes. To support the weight of the Cross and the raised terrace on which it would stand, special foundations of twenty-six vertical 7-metre deep concrete piles were prepared, each capable of supporting ten tonnes, four of which would support the Cross itself. A connecting network was also built between the piles to ensure the load was spread evenly. The raised terrace includes ramps to allow access by wheelchair, and bastions for flower displays.[29][30]
The system of
Carving of the Cross of Sacrifice started in October 2009, and the same month the stonework for the terrace and the base of the cross was laid,
Burials
Following their recovery, the remains of the 250 British and Australian soldiers were stored in temporary
The inaugural reburial and ceremony took place at 11 am local time on 30 January 2010, with around 400 people watching from the viewing areas outside the cemetery walls. The cemetery grounds were covered with a light dusting of snow. Orders of service were available in English and French, and the ceremony was attended by representatives from
When we give these soldiers a dignified grave we accomplish here one of the oldest gestures of mankind. It is a gesture of devotion. It is the gesture accomplished by every son for his father and by every nation for their heroes. Let them rest in peace in this land for which they shed their blood and which owes them everything, including freedom!
— General Bruno Cuche, 30 January 2010[33]
The gun salute was fired by soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and the Australian Army. A guard of honour was formed by forty French veterans, each carrying a flag representing a town or village in the Lille area, with the flag for Fromelles itself dating from 1914.[34] The pallbearers were from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and standard bearers from the Royal British Legion were also present.[32]
Following the ceremony, a reception was hosted by the Mayor, Hubert Huchette, and the people of Fromelles.[35]
The remainder of the reburials, with the exception of one reserved for the dedication ceremony in July, took place in February 2010. The reburials, starting on 1 February, took place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, starting at 9 am, with up to thirty soldiers being re-interred each day, all with full military honours. There is a viewing area from which the military funerals can be observed, and an area to leave tributes. In addition, there were public displays at Fromelles Town Hall (Mairie) and at the recovery location, and a Book of Remembrance is available to sign.[35]
Each day of reburials opened with a
Care has been taken over the allocation of the burial plots, with the position of each body in the mass graves recorded to ensure that the soldiers who lay side by side at Pheasant Wood for ninety-three years will be buried in adjacent plots in their final resting place.[35]
Identifications
Identifications of the 250 men reinterred in the cemetery were first announced by the Australians and British on 17 March 2010. Of these, 75 Australians were identified by name, 128 men were found to be Australian, three were British, and 44 remain unidentified. An identity board was held in May 2010 and further boards annually until 2014.[36] On 7 May 2010 Australian news sources reported that a further 19 Australian soldiers had been identified, with The Age stating that no further British casualties had been identified.[37][38] Two identifications were announced on 7 July 2010, one being Lieutenant-Colonel Ignatius Bertram Norris, who commanded 53rd Battalion in the attack on 19 July 1916. Ninety-six Australians have been named and of the remaining 154 men, 109 are known to be Australian, three are British and 42 remain unidentified.[39]
Dedication
The opening and dedication of Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery took place on Monday 19 July 2010, to mark the 94th anniversary of the
A restored First World War general service wagon, drawn by horses from the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery transported the coffin from the original mass grave site at Pheasant Wood, through the streets of Fromelles, to the new cemetery. It was escorted by British and Australian soldiers.[45] The coffin was then carried into the cemetery by a bearer party of soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and Australia's Federation Guard. The dedication service then took place, which included relatives of those killed at Fromelles reading extracts from letters and diaries from the First World War. The coffin was then lowered into the grave, and a joint British-Australian firing party fired three volleys. This was followed by a minute's silence, and then laying of wreaths by Prince Charles, Quentin Bryce and the government ministers.[44]
References and notes
- ^ "WWI war dead reburied in special service", BBC News, 30 January 2010
- ^ Jackson, Peter (29 January 2010), "Putting names to the lost soldiers of Fromelles", BBC News
- ^ Battle history Archived 18 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ McMullin, Ross (2006), "Disaster at Fromelles", Wartime (36), archived from the original on 9 June 2007, retrieved 31 January 2010
- ^ Background Archived 18 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Another brick in the wall, Nigel Steel, Wartime 44 (2008) 10–15
- ^ P06285.001, Australian War Memorial, archived from the original on 16 March 2011, retrieved 6 February 2010
- ^ "Don't Forget Me, Cobber". 60 Minutes Australia, Nine Network Australia. 16 July 2006. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ^ 'Getting us here – building the case', Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ 'The GUARD investigations – proving the case', Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ a b c d 'Fromelles – the story so far', Air Commodore Steve Martin, AM (Australian Defence Staff – London) and Tracey Vennai (UK Ministry of Defence), Co-Chairs of the Fromelles Management Board, 14 September 2009
- ^ a b 'Questions and answers', Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ a b 'Work starts on new war cemetery', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Maidenhead, UK, 28 May 2009
- ^ 'Ministers announce end of excavation at Fromelles', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Maidenhead, UK, 9 September 2009
- ^ a b c 'A cemetery of today with its roots in tradition', Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ 'Plans for first war cemetery to be built in fifty years made public', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Maidenhead, UK, 22 April 2009
- ^ War time debris – Fromelles, 24 April 2009, David Richardson (CWGC, Fromelles Project Manager), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Ground Works begin at the new cemetery, 21 May 2009, David Richardson (CWGC, Fromelles Project Manager), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Children of three nations paint their respect Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 11/06/2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Cemetery construction – piling almost complete Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 15 June 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ 'Piling the site', June 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Looking ahead: preparing the headstones Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 27 July 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Looking ahead: progress in the nursery Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 28 July 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ 'Laying foundations for the boundary wall', August 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Cemetery construction – work pushes ahead in good weather Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 20 October 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ 'Stonework for the Cross terrace', October 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ a b 'Shaping the Cross of Sacrifice', October 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ Cemetery construction – foundations laid for the terrace Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 23 September 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ 'Laying foundations for the cross terrace', September 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ 'Excavating the burial area', October 2009, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ a b First soldier from forgotten First World War battle laid to rest in cemetery in France, Olga Craig and Jasper Copping, The Daily Telegraph, 30 January 2010
- ^ a b French vow to keep memory of war dead alive, Peter Wilson, The Australian, 1 February 2010
- ^ Burial at last for 250 unknown soldiers, Andrew Johnson, The Independent, 31 January 2010
- ^ a b c d 'Order of Service for the re-burial of soldiers killed in the Battle of Fromelles', January 2010, Remembering Fromelles (CWGC), accessed 03/02/2010
- ^ "First Fromelles soldiers identified". Department of Defence. 17 March 2010. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
- ^ "Remains of Fromelles soldiers identified". ABC News. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ Smith, Bridie (7 May 2010). "More Fromelles remains identified". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ "Further Fromelles soldiers identified". Department of Defence. 10 May 2010. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
- ^ "Public arrangements for Fromelles commemorative ceremony". Remembering Fromelles. CWGC. 10 September 2009. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ "Prince Charles attends last Fromelles soldier reburial". BBC. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
- ^ "Final Fromelles soldier laid to rest". Department of Defence. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ "Fromelles 250th Re-interment and Cemetery Opening". Department of Defence. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ a b "Last soldier from Fromelles laid to rest in new cemetery". Ministry of Defence. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Meade, Geoff (19 July 2010). "First World War victim laid to rest in new cemetery". The Independent. London. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
External links
- Official Commonwealth War Graves Commission Fromelles website (CWGC)
- Oxford Archaeology website with details on the excavations
- Australian Army site on the Fromelles project**"Layout of the cemetery, from the Australian Army website" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2010. (63.1 KB)
- "Soldiers pay their respects at Fromelles cemetery dedication – New cemetery is resting place for British and Australian soldiers killed in disastrous first world war battle in northern France", gallery of photos from the opening on guardian.co.uk
- "Accueil – Les photos de La Voix du Nord > Actualités > Cérémonie militaire à Fromelles (19/07/10)" Archived 21 July 2010 at the La Voix du Nord(French).
- Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery at Find a Grave