The Search for the Missing

The names of all the 1229 unidentified Australians whose remains could not be identified at the end of World War 1 are recorded on the memorial wall at the back of VC Corner Cemetery.

From 2002, Australian Lambis Englezos started searching for the graves of the missing soldiers of Fromelles. The site of the mass graves would be identified next to what is now known as Pheasant Wood in 2007.

From May to September 2009 the exhumation of the remains of 250 soldiers took place. A world-wide identification project began seeking to identify the remains which have been recovered, by use of DNA matching. As a measure of its success, two brothers, Eric and Samuel Wilson would be identified as having been buried side by side.

The 250 soldiers’ remains were re-buried at the new Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery from 30 January 2010 in the same order as their remains had been recovered. The new cemetery was then dedicated on 19th July, 2010, 94 years after the Battle.

As soldiers have been identified their names on the VC Corner Cemetery memorial are removed, as they now have an identified grave site. This process will continue as more soldiers are identified.