Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Battle of Fromelles?
The Battle of Fromelles was fought on 19–20 July 1916 on the Western Front during World War I. It was Australia’s first major battle in France and involved soldiers of the Australian 5th Division and the British 61st Division attacking German positions near the village of Fromelles.
Planned as a diversion from the larger Somme offensive, the attack was poorly conceived and executed. The Australians suffered 5,533 casualties in less than 24 hours, including 1,917 killed, making it the worst day in Australian military history.
Although the battle achieved none of its objectives, its legacy endures through the ongoing efforts to recover and identify the missing and honour their sacrifice.
Why did the Battle of Fromelles fail?
The Battle of Fromelles failed due to flawed planning, poor intelligence, and outdated tactics. Australian and British troops were ordered to launch a daylight frontal assault across flat open ground towards heavily fortified German defences. The Germans, positioned on slightly higher ground with machine guns and artillery, inflicted devastating casualties. The attack achieved no strategic gains and did not succeed in diverting German forces from the Somme.
What was the aim of the Battle of Fromelles?
The battle was intended as a diversion to draw German troops away from the main Allied offensive on the Somme. However, the attack was poorly timed and executed, and it failed to serve its intended purpose. German forces were not diverted, and the operation became a tragic loss for the Australians involved.
Was the Battle of Fromelles successful?
No. The battle was a military disaster for the Australian troops. No territory was gained, the diversionary objective was not achieved, and Australia suffered 5,533 casualties, including 1,917 killed, in less than 24 hours.
How many Australians fought at Fromelles?
Over 7,000 Australian soldiers from the 5th Division took part in the Battle of Fromelles, including men from the 8th, 14th, and 15th Brigades. The majority were Units serving with the 31st, 32nd, 53rd, 54th, 55th, 56th, 57th, 58th, 59th, and 60th Battalions.
How many Australian soldiers died at Fromelles?
A total of 1,917 Australian soldiers were killed, and over 3,600 were wounded or captured during the Battle of Fromelles on 19–20 July 1916. It remains the single worst 24-hour period in Australian military history.
What was the bloodiest day in Australian military history?
The Battle of Fromelles on 19–20 July 1916 is recognised as the bloodiest day in Australian military history, with over 5,500 casualties in less than 24 hours.
How was the Battle of Fromelles fought?
The battle involved a frontal assault across No-Man’s-Land following an artillery bombardment. Australian and British troops attacked in waves, aiming to seize German trench systems. The Germans, however, were well-prepared, and many soldiers were cut down before reaching enemy lines. Some units briefly captured German trenches, but were quickly overwhelmed or forced to withdraw. Many men were taken Prisoner of War.
What tactics were used in the Battle of Fromelles?
The main tactics used were:
- Frontal infantry assault over open ground
- Preliminary artillery bombardment intended to destroy enemy trenches
- Waves of advancing troops, relying on surprise and momentum
These tactics proved disastrous against the entrenched and well-defended German positions, which included interlocking fields of machine gun fire.
Why were the tactics at Fromelles ineffective?
The tactics used were based on outdated 19th-century warfare doctrines, which were ill-suited to the realities of trench warfare and modern weaponry. Artillery failed to destroy German defences, and the open-field assault led to mass casualties under concentrated machine gun and artillery fire.
Why is Fromelles significant in Australian history?
Fromelles was Australia’s first major action on the Western Front and its most costly in a single day. The battle has come to symbolise the tragic loss of young Australian lives and the devastating human cost of war. It also marked the beginning of Australia’s long and painful involvement in the Western Front campaigns.
How many soldiers are still missing from Fromelles?
Over 1,200 Australian soldiers who died at Fromelles still have no known grave. While 250 soldiers were reburied in 2010 at Pheasant Wood after a mass grave was discovered, many remain unidentified and are commemorated at the V.C. Corner Cemetery and Memorial.
What is the Pheasant Wood cemetery?
The Pheasant Wood Military Cemetery in Fromelles, France, is the resting place of 250 Australian soldiers whose remains were discovered in 2008 in a mass grave near the village. These soldiers were killed during the Battle of Fromelles. The cemetery was dedicated in 2010 and is the first new Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in decades.
How is DNA used to identify missing soldiers?
DNA is matched from the recovered remains with living relatives of missing soldiers. Both mitochondrial (maternal line) and Y-DNA (paternal line) are used. The Fromelles Association supports this process by helping families understand how they may be related to unidentified soldiers and encouraging potential DNA donors to come forward.
Who are the Fromelles Association?
The Fromelles Association of Australia is a volunteer-run organisation committed to identifying the missing soldiers of the Battle of Fromelles. Working with the Australian Army, volunteers, geneologists, families, researchers, kindred organisations and international partners, the Association assists with finding families, researching soldiers, telling their stories and public education. Our goal is to honour the fallen and reunite unknown soldiers with their names and families and remember those lost so far from home.