Faces of our dead: Australians killed at the First World War Battle of Fromelles in 1916 identified with DNA

THEY vanished in a bloody battle almost 100 years ago. Now these “disappeared” soldiers of World War One have been brought back from the grave.

2nd Lieutenant Reginald Theodore Griffen. Service number: 2443 Place of birth: Riverton, SA 2nd Lieutenant Griffen was serving with the 32nd Battalion, Australian Imperial Force in France when he was killed during the Battle of Fromelles in 1916. Image number P09291.183, courtesy of the Australian War Memorial. *** Local Caption *** On 26 May 2014, the Assistant Minister for Defence, The Hon Stuart Robert MP, announced the identification of a further 20 Australian soldiers who fought and died at the Battle of Fromelles in 1916. The Battle of Fromelles is widely recognised as one of the worst days in Australia’s military history and was the first major battle fought by the Australian Imperial Force in France. The 5th Australian Division suffered over 5500 casualties, both wounded and killed, with many of those killed remaining unaccounted for almost a century after the battle. The soldiers were among 250 Australian and British World War One servicemen, recovered from burial pits near the French village of Fromelles by a joint Australian Army and United Kingdom Ministry of Defence project team. The recovered remains were reburied in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery in 2010. The current joint Australian and British project will conclude after a headstone dedication ceremony on 19 July 2014 during t

ANOTHER 20 Australian soldiers killed at the Battle of Fromelles in 1916 during Australia’s worst military defeat of World War I have been identified using DNA technology.

The 5th Australian Division suffered more than 5,500 casualties (dead and wounded) in just 24 hours of brutal fighting near the French village of Fromelles on July 19, 1916.

The latest remains to be identified were among 250 Australian and British dead uncovered in a mass grave at Pheasant Wood near Fromelles in 2009.

Pictures of some of the men identified below

2nd Lieutenant Reginald Theodore Griffen born in Riverton, SA.

JULY OPENING: New museum honours Australian battle for Fromelles

So far 144 Australian bodies have been positively identified.

New headstones will be dedicated on the 20 graves at the 98th anniversary ceremony of the Battle of Fromelles on July 19 this year.

More than 3000 people have registered DNA details for the joint Australia-UK Fromelles Project, which will conclude after the July dedication.

Private Adolf Thompson Knable, born in Melbourne.

However, the Army’s Unrecovered War Casualties team will continue to process any new information received.

Assistant Defence Minister Stuart Robert said the Battle of Fromelles was widely recognised as the darkest day in Australia’s military history.

“In the lead-up to the Anzac Centenary, it is only fitting that we recognise and remember these soldiers who left for war almost 100 years ago, never to return home to their loved ones,’’ Mr Robert said.

Private Edgar William Parham born in Gawler, SA.

“We remain determined to identify as many of the remaining 67 unidentified Australians as possible.

“I encourage anyone who is related to an unrecovered soldier from the Battle of Fromelles to contact the Australian Army’s Unrecovered War Casualties team to register their details,’’ he said.

The latest 20 diggers to be identified are:

Private John Edwin Crocker, 32nd Battalion AIF, Adelaide; Private Ernest Robert Oliver, 29th Battalion, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria; Private Percy Weakley, 31st Battalion, Adelaide; Private Gordon Thomas Smith, 29th Battalion, Buxton, Victoria; Private Archie McDonald, 31st Battalion, Wyrallah, NSW; Private Adolf Thompson Knable, 32nd Battalion, Melbourne; Private Edgar William Parham, 32nd Battalion, Gawler, SA; Private Vintam Battan Baker, 55th Battalion, Sydney; Private Willie Hilton Doust, 54th Battalion, Lower Southgate, NSW; Private William Thomas Connolly, 54th Battalion, Durraga, NSW; Private Herbert Newey St Smith, 55th Battalion, Tumbarumba, NSW; Private Albert Williamson, 54th Battalion, Canowindra, NSW; Private Sidney John Gray, 54th Battalion, Goulburn, NSW; Lance Corporal Frederic James Glenn, 30th Battalion, Redfern, NSW; Corporal Joseph Edward Lee, 60th Battalion, Pimpinio, Victoria; Sergeant Jack Marchmont Campbell, 54th Battalion, Glasgow, Scotland; Sergeant David Samuel Anderson, 54th Battalion, Bergalia, NSW; Company Sergeant Major Harold George Woodman, 31st Battalion, South Yarra, Victoria; Company Sergeant Major William Henry Christian Rose, 55th Battalion, Rockdale, NSW; 2nd Lieutenant Reginald Theodore Griffen, 32nd Battalion, Riverton, SA.

MORE PICTURES BELOW

Private Percy Weakley born in Adelaide, SA.

Private Albert Williamson born in Canowindra, NSW.

Private Vinton Battam Baker born in Sydney, NSW.

Private John Edwin Crocker born in Adelaide, SA.

Sergeant David Samuel Anderson born in Bergalia, NSW.

Private Archie McDonald, centre, born in Wyrallah, NSW.

Sergeant Jack Marchmont Campbell born in Glasgow, Scotland. Lived in

Originally published as Faces of our dead: Australians killed at the First World War Battle of Fromelles in 1916 identified with DNA