On the 19th of July 2018 a ceremony was held for the 102 remembrance of the Battle of Fromelles in Pheasant Wood Cemetery.

Nine Australian soldiers identified from the Battle of Fromelles

Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester today announced nine World War I Australian Soldiers who fought in the Battle of Fromelles in France have formally been identified at the 2018 Fromelles Identification Board.  These soldiers were originally recovered from unmarked mass graves adjacent to Pheasant Wood in France along with a further 250 Australian soldiers who fought and died in the 1916 Battle of Fromelles.  They are now buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Fromelles.

“This is a notable achievement for Australia, our Army and all those involved in the research, finding and identification process,” Mr Chester said.  “Importantly the identification of these soldiers provides closure for some families with missing members lost during the battles of World War I.  “One hundred years later, Australia has not forgotten the service and sacrifice of these soldiers.” A range of evidence collated by anthropologists, archaeologists and DNA specialists, along with artefacts and historical records was presented to the Fromelles Identification Board.  The board concluded there was sufficient evidence to identify the remains found as the soldiers listed below:

I. A. 1. Private Henry BELL 29th Battalion AIF 191

I. D. 2. Corporal Alfred THOMPSON 55th Battalion AIF 2825

I. F. 6. Private Alexander McCULLOCH 32nd Battalion AIF 1011

II. C.1. Private Claude YEO 30th Battalion AIF 795

II. D.13. Private Stanley Richard O’DONNELL 29th Battalion AIF 314

II. E.10. Private William Edwin BOYCE 32nd Battalion AIF 1218

II. F. 5. Private Henry GARDNER 30th Battalion AIF 889

III. E.4.    Private James Robert SMITH 31st Battalion AIF 3983

III. E.5     Captain Kenneth Malcolm MORTIMER 29th Battalion AIF

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will erect new headstones with the details of the nine identified soldiers on 19 July 2018, during the annual commemoration ceremony at Fromelles.  Minister Chester said this outcome would not have been achieved without the partnership between the Australian and United Kingdom Governments, as well as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  “The identification of soldiers killed in battle has been made possible by the Australian Army’s Unrecovered War Casualties Fromelles Project team,” Mr Chester said.  “To date the Fromelles Project has resulted in 159 Australian soldiers being identified, while 91 remain unidentified.”

Private Henry Bell 
Henry Bell was born in Bendigo, Victoria. He was married and employed as an insurance agent when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 8 July 1915. He was posted to 29 Battalion, A Company.
On 10 November 1915, Private Bell, aged 39 at the time, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius.
Private Bell served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 19 July 1916.
Private Bell was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Private Bell was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Private Bell can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3008625

Corporal Alfred Thompson
Alfred Thompson was born in Geelong, Victoria. He was single and a farmer when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 5 August 1915. He was posted to 17 Battalion, 6th Reinforcements.
On 2 November 1915, Private Thompson, aged 22 at the time, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A14 Euripides.
Corporal Thompson served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 20 July 1916.
Corporal Thompson was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Corporal Thompson was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Corporal Thompson can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1831497

Private Alexander McCulloch
Alexander McCulloch was born in Nairn, Scotland. He was single and employed as a labourer when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 24 June 1915. He was posted to 32 Battalion, C Company.
On 18 November 1915, Private McCulloch, aged 34 at the time, embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong.
Private McCulloch served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 19 July 1916.
Private McCulloch was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Private McCulloch was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Private McCulloch can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1941589

Private Claude Yeo
Claude Yeo was born in Randwick, New South Wales. He was single and employed as an auctioneer when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 1 July 1915. He was posted to 30 Battalion, C Company.
On 9 November 1915, Private Yeo, aged 39 at the time, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana.
Private Yeo served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 20 July 1916.
Private Yeo was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Private Yeo was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Private Yeo can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3454747

Private Stanley Richard O’Donnell
Stanley O’Donnell was born in Malvern, Victoria. He was single and employed as a warehouseman when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 14 July 1915. He was posted to 29 Battalion, A Company.
On 10 November 1915, Private O’Donnell, aged 23 at the time, embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A11 Ascianus.
Private O’Donnell served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 19 July 1916.
Private O’Donnell was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Private O’Donnell was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Private O’Donnell can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7996281

Private William Edwin Boyce
William Boyce was born in Gulgong, New South Wales. He was single and employed as an engine driver when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 19 July 1915. He was posted to 32 Battalion, D Company.
On 18 November 1915, Private Boyce, aged 28 at the time, embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong.
Private Boyce served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 20 July 1916.
Private Boyce was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Private Boyce was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Private Boyce can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3105162

Private Henry Gardner
Henry Gardner was born in Whitewell, Yorkshire, England. He was single and employed as an asylum attendant when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 14 July 1915. He was posted to 30 Battalion, D Company.
On 9 November 1915, Private Gardner, aged 28 at the time, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana.
Private Gardner served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 20 July 1916.
Private Gardner was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Private Gardner was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Private Gardner can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=4028082

Private James Robert Smith
James Smith was born in Allora, Queensland. He was single and employed as a labourer when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 12 January 1915. He was posted to 32 Battalion, 9th Reinforcements.
On 31 January 1916, Private Smith, aged 23 at the time, embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla.
Private Smith served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 20 July 1916.
Private Smith was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Private Smith was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Private Smith can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1783199

Captain Kenneth Malcolm Mortimer
Kenneth Mortimer was born in Levena West, Victoria. He was single and a Staff Cadet at the Royal Military College when he enlisted in the Australian Army on 1 July 1915. He was posted to 29 Battalion, Headquarters Staff.
On 9 November 1915, Lieutenant Mortimer, aged 20 at the time, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana.
Captain Mortimer served in Egypt and the Western Front before he was killed in action at Fleurbaix, France, on 20 July 1916.
Captain Mortimer was one of 250 Australian and British World War One soldiers recovered from a mass burial site at Pheasant Wood in France in 2009 and reburied in the Fromelles Military Cemetery in 2010.
Captain Mortimer was identified in 2018.
Further information regarding Captain Mortimer can be obtained from his Service Record at the National Archives of Australia on the link below:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7988857