COMMONWEALTH WAR
GRAVES COMMISSION News Release issued by COI News Distribution
Service on 9 June 2009
Construction of
the first new cemetery to be built by the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission in 50 years has begun in northern France. Fromelles
(Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery will provide a final individual
resting place for up to 400 British and Australian soldiers who
died at the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916. Their recently
discovered remains are now being recovered by a team of
archaeological specialists from several mass graves nearby.
British, Australian and French schoolchildren were asked to
produce artwork to decorate the hoardings which will surround the
cemetery construction site. Using the theme of
"Remembrance", they provided a superb array of pictures.
Yesterday (Monday 8 June 2009) some of the children visited the
site to see their work go up.
Among them were several 12-year-old children from Stonyhurst
School in Lancashire, England. Genevieve Turner said: "All
the soldiers had families like us and they were not much older
than we are. When I saw my drawing I was happy because those
soldiers who died in the war will never be forgotten."
Favour Maduka, who also attends Stonyhurst said: "Today was
one of the proudest days of my life. Seeing our artwork displayed
and being given the privilege to enter the excavation site has
made me feel proud of the school, of my friends and of myself."
Fellow pupil Jessica Moyle added: "The artwork was
magnificent especially when it had been put up on the boards. All
the men who died at Fromelles will finally be put to rest."
The children's teacher, Paul Garlington, said: "We were
proud and deeply honoured to be asked to do this. It was both
moving and humbling to be here today. Perhaps now these men can
rest in peace."
In addition to the primary aim of providing a fitting and final
resting place for each soldier, it is hoped that DNA techniques
may be able to identify some of those buried at Fromelles.
Families who believe their relatives may have lost their lives at
Fromelles are urged to check the lists of casualties at http://www.fromelles.org
Work on the new cemetery will be completed by December 2009. It
will be built to the same high standards as the Commission's
existing First World War memorials and cemeteries in France, using
similar materials and horticulture, but taking account of modern
construction methods and accessibility requirements. An
interactive map and virtual image of how the new cemetery will
look upon completion can be found at http://www.fromelles.org
For further information and more images, please contact Ranald
Leask, Public Relations & Media Manager on 01628 507204 or ranald.leask@cwgc.org
Ends.
Notes for Editors
1. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth
War Graves Commission is responsible for marking and maintaining
the graves of those members of the Commonwealth forces who died
during the two world wars, for building and maintaining memorials
to the dead whose graves are unknown and for providing records and
registers of these 1.7 million burials and commemorations found in
most countries throughout the world. For more information visit http://www.cwgc.org
2. The children who visited Fromelles attend Stonyhurst St
Mary's Hall School in Lancashire, UK. They are in year seven.
3. The Battle of Fromelles began on 19 July 1916 and was the
first major battle on the Western Front involving Australian
troops. Within a 24 hour period, the 5th Australian Division
suffered 5,533 casualties, of which 1,780 were killed and the 61st
British Division suffered 1,547 casualties, including 503 killed.
It is believed up to 400 British and Australian soldiers lie in
the burial pits dug by the Germans.