Media Release
Monday 12 July 2010
'Hunter’s Fromelles fallen to be remembered'
Communities throughout the Hunter Valley are being asked to remember next Monday the seventy seven Hunter men who died in the 1916 Battle of Fromelles during the First World War by placing a single flower or sprig of wattle on their town or suburb’s war memorial.
The gesture is to coincide with the official opening in France of the newly built Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery on Monday July 19 - the 94th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles when the men lost their lives.
The Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery is the first full cemetery the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has constructed in more than 50 years.
Newcastle-based military historian David Dial said the battle of Fromelles on 19-20 July 1916 was the bloodiest 24 hours in Australian history with 5,533 Australian soldiers killed, wounded or missing.
“About a thousand Hunter Valley men fought at Fromelles and seventy seven of them were killed in action. Many others later died of wounds or were taken prisoner,” he said.
“More than 1300 Australians soldiers died at Fromelles and have no known grave, many of their names being listed on the Australian VC Corner Memorial, north-west of Fromelles."
“The remains of thirteen Hunter Valley men are among the 250 soldiers who have been reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery.”
“The thirteen Hunter Valley men are Pte James Balsdon, Weston; Pte Harold John Bourke, West Maitland; Pte Douglas Caswell, Stockton; Pte Henry Alfred Cressy, Boolaroo; Pte George Croft, West Wallsend; Pte Charles Henry Hawcroft, Merewether; Pte William Bruce Higgins, Gloucester; Cpl Hassall Marsden Kendall, Singleton; Pte George Henry Lucre, Cooks Hill; Pte Peter Shannon, Merriwa; Sgt William Wass MM, Pelaw Main; Pte John Cyril Wynn, Largs and Pte Claude Yeo, West Maitland.”
“Seven of the thirteen Hunter men have been identified by DNA. These men are Pte Harold John Bourke, Pte Henry Alfred Cressy, Pte George Croft, Pte Charles Henry Hawcroft, Pte William Bruce Higgins, Cpl Hassall Marsden Kendall and Pte George Henry Lucre.”
“The remains of Pte James Balsdon, Pte Douglas Caswell, Pte Peter Shannon, Sgt William Wass, Pte John Cyril Wynn, and Pte Claude Yeo are yet to be positively identified.”
“The dedication of the Fromelles Cemetery and the reburial of these men is a great occasion for the families of these men and also for Australia.”
“Sadly, there will be some family members who have passed away in the past ninety four years who have not known where their loved one’s final resting place is.”
“I am aware of commemorative services being held on Monday at Sydney’s Martin Place Cenotaph and the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, but I do not know of any services being organised here in the Hunter to mark this important event.”
Mr Dial is asking schools, ex-service organisations, historical societies, army cadets and the families and descendents of those who fought and died ninety four years ago to visit their town’s World War One memorial and place a floral tribute in memory of them.
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Topic: Media Release - Hunter's Fromelles Fallen to be remembered (Read 281 times)