Chris Trevor (Flynn, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel. Would the minister update the House on excavation work in France to determine the presence of remains of fallen Australian and British soldiers from the Battle of Fromelles?

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

I thank the member for Flynn for his question. I am able to confirm that I had a call early this morning to confirm that some skeletal remains had been found as a result of an excavation that we are undertaking at Fromelles. This confirms that there are bodies buried at Pheasant Wood, with the strong possibility that they are allied dead buried by the German army but not recovered after the war.

It is worth while just recalling for a moment the nature of this battle. In a 24-hour period, 5,533 Australians were either killed, wounded or captured. Two thousand of these Australians were killed. We believe—or at least we hope—that what we have here are potentially the remains of 170 Australian soldiers, or thereabouts, most of whom crossed no-man’s-land on that fateful day or evening to reach the enemy lines, only to be killed either in their trenches or beyond the lines. After the battle was over, the German army properly buried these troops—we think at this site at Pheasant Wood.

We need to understand the horror of this event. It is the worst experience of loss of life and the most tragic day in Australia’s military history. You need to understand this. It is a bit hard to describe the land, but across no-man’s-land, flanked by machine guns, Australian soldiers were ordered across those lines. One soldier said:

The air was thick with bullets, swishing in a flat criss-crossed lattice of death … Hundreds were mown down in the flicker of an eyelid, like great rows of teeth knocked from a comb.

The tragedy was a terrible waste of life. It was, frankly, a pointless, senseless, incompetently managed attack. The Germans were fully aware and ready with their lethal response. But the extent of the tragedy needs to be further understood. On that day, on that evening and over that 24-hour period, 12 sets of brothers died; two sets of fathers and sons died; the very bravest of Australian soldiers, many of whom had fought at Gallipoli, died. It is important that, if we are able to confirm that these are the remains of Australian soldiers, we commemorate them appropriately.

As you would expect, Mr Speaker, as a result of the find early this morning—yesterday our time—in France, work on the excavation site was suspended to allow it to be referred to the French police. We expect that the excavation will resume later today in France. The most important task for this team is to determine the condition and quantity of the remains. I need to stress that there is nothing at this time that can determine the nationality of the remains recovered thus far. We will pursue every available method to identify these remains, including the use of DNA if there is a reasonable chance of a match. However, I need to stress that it is too early to determine whether DNA analysis can be used in such a way. Should the remains be assessed as unidentifiable, the Australian government’s position is that the soldiers remain in situ and that the land in which they lie be acquired by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as an official war cemetery. A small ceremony is planned at Fromelles once this initial excavation work is complete. I am looking forward to working with the British and French governments to ensure that the sacrifice of these brave Australian soldiers is appropriately commemorated.

I need to advise the House that today a meeting will take place of the Fromelles Evaluation Group. It will meet to advise on the next steps. That group comprises the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Major General Mike O’Brien from the Australian Army, and representatives of the British and French governments. Like the discovery of HMAS Sydney this news will be greatly satisfying for many Australian families who have never known the fate of their uncles, great uncles or grandfathers. We will do everything we can to keep them informed.

Finally, can I recognise here the singular efforts of Mr Lambis Englezos and his supporters, who have researched and urged so persuasively that this research be undertaken. I am sure that, without his commitment and dedication, this mystery would never have been solved.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members—Hear, hear!

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.