The lost Diggers of Bullecourt

At last, an Australian victory at Bullecourt. It’s a victory for the memory of our war dead that a proposal to build a wind farm in the hallowed fields of Bullecourt has been abandoned. Of the 3600 Diggers who died there in April-May 1917, more than 2000 have no known grave. Their resting place demands respect. Today we report that Engie Group, the company behind the wind farm project, accepts “this ground should remain undisturbed, to be a place of reflection and commemoration for generations to come”.

Veterans’ Affairs Minister Dan Tehan and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had made representations to the French reflecting the concern of descendants of the Bullecourt war dead, including former Queensland premier Campbell Newman. The French have listened; the local mayor of Riencourt-les-Cagnicourt, Gerard Crutel, had already made clear his disquiet about the proposal. The result is the right one, reflecting a long tradition of French respect and gratitude for the sacrifice made by our Diggers.

The remembrance of Bullecourt has a special sensitivity because of the folly and slaughter involved. In the first engagement, Australian infantry advanced across open ground into barbed wire, German machinegun fire and artillery shells. The tanks promised to help them proved ineffective and there was no artillery cover because it was meant to be a surprise attack. In sum, it was a debacle that reflected poorly on British commanders. There were more than 3000 casualties among the Australians, with another 10,000 in the second, more drawn-out battle.

The farming fields of the district may yet give up some remains from the 2000-plus who died without proper burial. For their sake, for the sake of all soldiers who died there in 1917, the fields of Bullecourt should be left intact as a de facto war grave.