The Fromelles analogy is interesting. Having followed the story on various Great War sites the impression I have is that the recovery project was and is being driven by the relevant Australian authorities on the basis that most of the remains in the pits are Australian fallen.

I don’t really think so, that’s the impression the Australian government and PR would like you to have.

The research and discovery was undertaken by a passionate and determined private researcher Lambis Englezos. Essentially he presented a situation that – thanks to publicity – the Australian (and British) authorities had no choice but to act. And we were talking a mass grave – a lot of families of ‘the missing’ involved.

The Australian policy regarding recovery of the fallen seems closer to that of the USA than that of the UK.

In that Britain didn’t turn up to the Vietnam war and Australia did, the recent recoveries from Vietnam stand, however otherwise the bodies are not being brought ‘home’ from previous wars.

What is notably different is that young Australians travel to places like Fromelles and Gallipoli for anniversary services, as well as ‘closer’ places like Kokoda (roughly in travel terms as far from Sydney and Melbourne as London is from Gallipoli) to undertake various commemorative runs and the like.

Regards