The Lost Soldiers of the Battle of Fromelles, July 19-20thth 1916

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The Lost Soldiers of the Battle of Fromelles,
July 19-20thth 1916

• Professor Margaret Cox PhD
• President Inforce Foundation

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The Fromelles Project 2008-14My Role

• Senior Scientific Advisor to the Australian and
  British Governments. Contracted by the
  Commonwealth War Graves Commission to advise on
  all matters relating to archaeology, anthropology
  and identification. To recommend other
  specialists as necessary.
• Acknowledgements
• Ministry of Defence, UK
  Defence Defence Department,
  Australia Commonwealth
  War Graves
  Commission, UK
• Oxford Archaeology

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The Battle of Fromelles 19th to 20th July 1916
Fromelles is c16km south of Lille. The Battle
involved the 5th Australians 61st British,
against the 16th, 17th 21st Bavarian infantry
along a 3.7km front focussing on Sugar Loaf. It
aimed to draw German troops away from the Somme
offensive, but by July 1916 this was no longer
necessary.
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Lions Led by Donkeys

• While this view has been largely changed for the
  latter part of WWI, for Fromelles it is apt.
• Despite clear signs that the battle would be a
  massacre Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig
  sanctioned Lieutenant Sir Richard Hakings plan
  and it went ahead.
• The Germans had been bunkered in on the higher
  ground of Aubers Ridge for months and could see
  everything the Allied Forces did in preparation.
  
• Our troops were mowed down (in part by
  friendly fire) and nothing
  was gained.
• Approximately 8,000 men were killed and
  1,400 are still
  unaccounted for.
• A battle near this spot a year before had
  the same
  outcome.

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The worst losses ever for the Australian Army

• The 5th Australian Division lost 5,533 men,
  whilst the 61st British Division suffered 1,547
  fatalities. German casualties were approximately
  1,000.

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Background to the Project

• Research by Mr Lambis Englesos built a convincing
  case suggesting that the missing soldiers from
  Fromelles were buried near Pheasant Wood.
• References in Red Cross records to 1600
  Commonwealth soldiers being buried by Germans.
• Col von Braun, commander of Bavarian Infantry
  Regiment 21, ordered his men to prepare mass
  graves for 400 British soldiers.
• Aerial imagery of disturbed ground near the wood
  and references to a
  railway track running in the direction of the
  wood from the
  battle site.

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(No Transcript)
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Commonwealth soldiers bodies lying near or over
the German lines were buried by the Germans and
transported to graves by railway
Note that most of the dead soldiers have no boots
on their feet
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Pheasant Wood, Fromelles
VC Corner Cemetery and memorial ?
Grave site
New CWGC cemetery site
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Official response

• In response to this research, plus public
  interest, the Australian Government commissioned
  a geophysical survey in 2007, and in 2008 an
  archaeological evaluation into a series of
  suspected mass graves at Pheasant Wood,
  Fromelles. This was undertaken by GUARD.

• A series of test pits and trenches were dug
  across the grave. Results suggested that 200 to
  300 soldiers were present in five of the eight
  graves close to Pheasant Wood.
• The Fromelles Management Board was subsequently
  formed, comprising representatives of the
  Australian and UK governments.

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Aims of the Fromelles Project

• To safely, scientifically and respectfully
  excavate the eight features alongside Pheasant
  Wood
• To scientifically record and recover all of the
  human remains from the graves
• To record and recover all associated artefacts
  whether military or personal in nature
• To fully analyse the soldiers mortal remains to
  attempt to determine their identity and the army
  for which they fought
• To fully analyse all artefacts recovered with the
  soldiers to help to determine their identity and
  army
• To rebury the soldiers in marked graves in a new
  purpose built cemetery in Fromelles Village in
  2010

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Methods deployed

• Archaeological excavation, recording and recovery
  using forensic principles. Site to be managed as
  a crime scene re issues of chain of custody and
  contamination
• Full anthropological analysis including
  radiography
• DNA analysis of bone and teeth from each
  individual
• Tracing families of missing soldiers through the
  UK JCCC and the Australian Army
• Where possible, taking DNA samples from
  appropriate relatives of the families of the
  c.1600 missing soldiers
• Asking families for photographs and other
  information that may help us establish an
  identity
• Collating all archaeological, anthropological,
  historical, family and genetic information to
  attempt to identify the soldiers.

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Commissioning and timescales

• The archaeological and anthropological work
  (subject to competitive tender) was undertaken by
  Oxford Archaeology from May to October 2009
• A concurrent programme of DNA analysis was
  carried out by LGC Forensics (UK), this was
  initially complete by March 2010
• Cemetery construction was from June to December
  2009, horticultural work in Spring 2010, and
  burial of the soldiers (except one) took place in
  February 2010
• The first identification process took place from
  January to May 2010
• The formal opening, final burial and blessing of
  the cemetery was on July 19th 2010
• Work will continue until 2014 with annual ID
  commissions
• Total cost 5m - shared between the two
  governments.

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The Archaeology

• Clay substrate - waterlogged environment area
  prone to very heavy rainfall all year around so
  specialist engineering and drainage solutions
  sought.
• Standards and Protocols Based on those developed
  by the Inforce Foundation which are
  internationally accepted as being the highest
  possible standards.
• Published in 2008
• The Scientific Investigation
• of Mass Graves. CUP.
• By Cox, M., Flavel, A.,
• Hanson. I., Laver, J. and
• Wessling, R.

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Excavation was within a very large tent graves
machined to 20cm above deposits, then hand dug.
Evaluation trenches excavated first. Graves
pedestalled within excavated areas, perimeter
trenches and sumps used to help remove water.
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The graves were excavated by a team of highly
experienced forensic archaeologists,
anthropologists, surveyors, photographers, scene
of crime officers and logistics and health and
safety managers (including EOD/UXO).
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Results of the 17 week excavation

• Six of the graves contained human remains with
  associated finds assemblages
• Five graves had between 44 and 52 soldiers in
  each and the sixth had three. The soldiers had
  been carefully placed lying head to feet across
  the 10 X 2 yard graves in two layers separated by
  soil and lime
• Two graves appeared never to have been used as
  such
• The remains of 250 soldiers were recovered
  another c.1400 remain missing
• 6,200 artefacts were recovered all subject to
  analysis, recording and short term conservation.

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Initial examination and recording of both human
remains and artefacts was in the field
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Military artefacts Belt buckle shape important
Right corroded Rising Sun badge
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Collecting DNA samples

• Pilot study established survival and condition of
  the DNA and the best bones or teeth to use
• DNA samples of teeth and bone from each
  individual were taken in the grave using forensic
  protocols and immediately transferred to a fridge
  or freezer in the main mortuary complex using
  strict chain of custody protocols.

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Site layout DNA sampling.. Human remains
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Work within the DNA protection zone

Scene of Crime Officer and Grave Supervisor
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The Anthropology - State of the art temporary
mortuary complex constructed and equipped for
this project
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Cleaning and sorting human remains
Note - no gloves or masks had to be worn in the
temporary mortuary for DNA purposes as samples
were removed for this on site.
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Radiography digital x-rays used for human
remains and artefacts following strict scene of
crime protocols
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The anthropology laboratory
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Skeletons examined, photographed,analysed and
recorded
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Dentures and dental work
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• Coin purse (left), pen nib, penknife and train
  ticket

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Personal items can assist with identification
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ID tags and other medallions
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• The Identification Process (ID)
• Collect and analyse each relevant data type
• Collate and analyse all data sets for each
  soldiers (archaeology, anthropology, DNA,
  historical data)
• Examine this with ante mortem data from missing
  soldiers and the DNA from family donors
• Recommend an ID level to the JIB
  (i) ID to name, (ii) ID to
  army, (iii) known unto God

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DNA Crucial for positive identifications

• In material of this age, mitochondrial DNA or
  Y-STR analyses only
• Pilot study undertaken to assess if the DNA
  survived in suitable quantities and quality -
  e.g. all base pairs for Y-STR
• Prevention of contamination is crucial during
  recovery, storage and analysis elimination
  database established
• Appropriate storage of samples is crucial as is
  chain of custody through the process
• DNA samples from living male and/or female
  relations of the missing soldiers are crucial
• Soldiers family must still survive
• Appropriate relatives must exist - ie have to be
  either direct male descendants from the soldier
  or his brothers or uncles, or direct female
  descendants from his sisters or maternal aunts
• Have to be traced and the relationship verified
  via genealogical research
• Must be prepared to donate DNA
• Soldier must not be adopted or illegitimate as
  this is not recorded from this period such
  soldiers cannot be identified to their families
  only their genetic families which raises ethical
  issues
• Single or combined probability values must be
  high enough to be convincing, and fit in with
  other data types, as IDs must be significantly
  more likely than not.

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Mitochondrial Maternal Line
Y Chromosomal Paternal Line
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Our work has (so far) led to 119 men like these
having their identity restored
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• Work will continue until 2014
• We have to-date identified 119 of the 250 men
  recovered from Pheasant Wood.
• 219 have been identified as having fought for the
  Australian Army (119 by name), two for the
  British army and 29 remain Known unto God.

• We are still attempting to name the remainder but
  cannot do this unless relevant families of
  missing
  soldiers exist, come forward and donate DNA.

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End here unless time permits
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Cemetery construction June 2009
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January 2010 burial of 249 soldiers
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Formal opening of the new cemetery July 19th
2010
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Lest we forget..