Fromelles, France - 103rd Remembrance of the Battle of Fromelles July 2019
On the 19th of July 2019 a ceremony was held for the 103rd remembrance of the Battle of Fromelles in Pheasant Wood Cemetery.
www.sbs.com.au/news/from-heartbreak-to-closure-at-fromelles
Seven Australian soldiers identified from the Battle of Fromelles
Seven First World War Australian Army soldiers no longer lie in unknown graves.
Over 100 years after their loss in the Battle of Fromelles, these men now have their names on their headstones, after they were unveiled at the Commemoration and Headstone Rededication Ceremony, with the support of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Having been recovered from an unmarked mass grave in 2009, with 250 of their mates, the following 7 soldiers were formally identified earlier this month:
I. D. 4. Private 4188 EDWARD JAMES HOPE 54th Bn
I. D. 10. Private 641 LESLIE CLARK DUNN 31st Bn
II. A. 2. Lance Corporal 77 JOHN ALEXANDER CRAWFORD 32nd Bn
II. F. 9. Lance Corporal 715 RALPH JOHNSON 31st Bn
III. D. 1. Private 1291 GEORGE HONEY 32nd Bn
IV. B. 8. Private 3433 PETER PAUL SHANNON 53rd Bn
IV. D. 9. Private 352 ARTHUR GEORGE BATT 32ns Bn
352 Private Arthur George BATT
32nd Bn. A.I.F. age 32 of Hilton, South Australia
Service Number 352
Died 20/07/1916
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Son of Charles and Elizabeth Batt, of Railway Terrace, Hilton, South Australia. Native of Adelaide.
Previously mentioned at VC Corner Memorial
4188 Private Edward James HOPE
54th Bn. A.I.F. age 28 of Penrith, New South Wales
Service Number 4188
Died 20/07/1916 - Aged 28
54th Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Son of Amy Hope and the late William Hope. Native of Kingswood, New South Wales.
Previously mentioned at VC Corner Memorial
641 Private Leslie Clark DUNN
31st Bn. A.I.F. age 28 of West Melbourne, Victoria
Service Number 641
Died Between 19/07/1916 and 21/07/1916
31st Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Previously mentioned at VC Corner Memorial
1291 Private George HONEY
32nd Bn. A.I.F. age 31 of West Guilford, Western Australia
Service Number 1291
Died 19/07/1916
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Previously mentioned at VC Corner Memorial
715 Lance Corporal Ralph JOHNSON
31st Bn. A.I.F. age 19 of Middle Brighton, Victoria
A clerk from Middle Brighton, Victoria prior to enlistment, Pte Johnson embarked with C Company from Melbourne on HMAT Wandilla on 9 November 1915. Later promoted to Lance Corporal he was killed in action at Fromelles, aged 19, and was buried in the Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery France.
Service Number 715
Died Between 19/07/1916 and 21/07/1916 - Aged 19
31st Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Son of Hubert and Alice Maude Mary Johnson, of "Glan-Y-mor," Sandown St., Middle Brighton, Victoria, Australia. Born at Healesville, Victoria.
INSCRIPTION: DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI
Buried at PONT-DU-HEM MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
Cemetery/memorial reference: Beaucamps Com. Cem. German Extension Mem. 23.
77 Lance Corporal John Alexander CRAWFORD
32nd Bn. A.I.F. age 32 of Hindmarsh, South Australia
A labourer from Hindmarsh, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked from Adelaide on 18 November 1915 aboard HMAT Geelong (A2) for Suez and was appointed Lance Corporal (L Cpl). The battalion relocated to the Western Front, France, during mid-June 1916. L Cpl Crawford was reported as missing in action after the Battle of Fromelles and was subsequently determined to have been killed in action on that date. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the VC Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France. He was aged 32 years.
Service Number 77
Died 20/07/1916 - Aged 30
32nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Son of John and Christina Rae Crawford. Native of Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Previously mentioned at VC Corner Memorial
3433 Private Peter Paul SHANNON
53rd Bn. A.I.F. age 35 of Merriwa, New South Wales
Service Number 3433
Died 19/07/1916
53rd Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Previously mentioned at VC Corner Memorial