Headstones unveiled for WWI soldiers in a ceremony in the Fromelles

NINE Australian soldiers have finally been honoured with dignity in death, more than 100 years after they were killed in France.

NINE Australian soldiers have finally been honoured with dignity in death, more than 100 years after they were killed in northern France.

Headstones have been unveiled for the soldiers in a ceremony in Fromelles.

Captain Ken Mortimer, Corporal Alfred Thompson, Private Henry Bell, Private William Boyce, Private Henry Gardner, Private Alexander McCulloch, Private Stanley Richard O’Donnell, Private James Smith and Private Claude Yeo were given the honour of a gravestone this week.

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They were among the World War I soldiers from Australia and Britain found in a mass unmarked grave at Pheasant Wood, just outside the village, in 2009. They were formally identified after an long DNA search.

So far 159 soldiers found in the mass grave have been identified, but 91 remain unknown.

Private Henry Bell, killed in action in France during WWI.

Captain Kenneth Malcolm Mortimer. Picture: Australian War Memorial

A relative of Capt Mortimer, Judith Douthie, 62, said it was a relief when he was identified.

“It was amazing, it was just so good to have finally found him,” she said.

“Even though it was 100 years ago, this feels extremely close. I think because I have all of his letters he sent to his mother. He had written to her every two or three days and she kept them all in a shoebox.

“I have his photograph sitting on the sideboard and I would talk to him and say, ‘I need to find you’.”

Mrs Douthie spent years helping researchers find DNA to prove that Capt Mortimer was among those killed there.

She managed in 2015 to trace one of his descendants who was born in South Africa but then moved to Australia.

Isabella Klein, a descendant of Capt Ken Mortimer, at his newly unveiled gravestone in France.

But then it took another three years for the link to finally be confirmed, with the official confirmation arriving in February.

Capt Mortimer, who was from Leneva south of Albury, was killed in July 1916.

The 20-year-old was leading a charge on German trenches in Fleurbaix when his men were attacked from the side and behind.

According to a witness account, Capt Mortimer put his own safety second to that of his men. He had been wounded and was last seen near the German line.

“The ground that he would have had to cross to reach our trenches was under very heavy fire, but some who were wounded with him got back,” the statement said.

“One of these was Sgt Whitlock, who on his way back saw Capt Mortimer. Informant cannot say how severe Capt Mortimer’s wound was, as his great idea was to get his men back safely and he would not let any one stay to help him.”

The final letter sent home by 20 year old Captain Ken Mortimer before he was killed in France in July 1916.

Capt Mortimer also had a brother, David, serving on the front line.

David, who survived the war, had spoken to his brother the day he was killed and planned to meet up with him after the battle.

But he never arrived.

He was presumed dead but his body was not found, until the 2009 discovery.

There were 17 members of Capt Mortimer’s family at the unveiling of his headstone, including 11-year-old Isabella Klein, one of his great-great nieces.

In one of his last letters home, Capt Mortimer wrote to his mother, talking about life near the front line.

“You would smile if you saw us all here in our steel helmets. They look just like those Chinese hats but they are wonderful protection for the head,” he wrote.

“We are eating eggs for all we are worth, three for each meal generally.

“Please give my love to Dad and the boys. God bless you all, with love and kisses from Ken.”

And in another honour, Capt Mortimer and Private James Smith will be remembered at luxury beach homes in Queensland that are being raffled to raise money for soldiers’ services through the RSL.

RSL Art Union general manager Tracey Bishop, who is running the competition, said: “Naming the villas after these two fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our country is a real honour.

“It’s also a great opportunity for RSL to bring the past into the present, by commemorating the courage that these men displayed on the battlefield more than 100 years ago into an Australian community in 2018.”

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