http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,4090563%255E701,00.html http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=1191182&thesection=news&thesubsection=general&thesecondsubsection=latest "If it was good enough for Australian soldiers to fight for the French on French soil it should be good enough for the French to preserve those graves", Queensland Premier Peter Beattie
GRAVE INSULT
By BRAD CLIFTON and LEO SCHLINK
08apr02
THEY fought and died for France and freedom. Claimed by a war far from their homeland, 61 Australian soldiers were buried where they fell in the Somme.
Now, decades after paying war's ultimate price, the graves of these gallant Australians are under threat.
Plans are afoot to build an international airport near the French town of Chaulnes, replacing Great War battlefields with bitumen and churning up the graves of tens of thousands of war dead.
Among the memorials in danger of being removed for the airport site about 130km northeast of Paris are the graves of the 61 Australians revealed today by The Daily Telegraph.
The project has raised a chorus of concern from Commonwealth nations such as Australia, Canada and England.
Politicians including NSW French Government wants to exhume these heroes Premier Bob Carr, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are opposed to the plan, as is NSW RSL president Rusty Priest.
"There are 56,000 names on the walls at the Menin gate at Ypres representing the Commonwealth soldiers who died in that campaign and the bodies never recovered," Mr Priest said.
"I believe the dead should not be disturbed. Let them stay there, in their final resting place.
"They gave it all for France. France should remember they did and find another place."
In a letter to French Ambassador Pierre Viaux, Mr Carr expressed his concerns "on behalf of the people of NSW".
"In France, Australian blood stained the soil," Mr Carr wrote.
Australia's High Commissioner to Britain, Michael L'Estrange, also has registered Australia's concern. And outraged French villagers want to join forces with Australia to stop the airport.
While the French Government has promised to consult Australia before any final decision is reached, the threat of the development being built on land famous for some of the fiercest battles of World War 1 has led to a stream of protest.
Mr Carr expressed his delight at the response to a petition against the project, launched by State MP Ian McManus, which has been issued to RSL clubs throughout the state.
According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission register, the remains of 61 Australians are contained in three cemeteries within the proposed site. The majority of those soldiers were killed in battles such as Amiens, Mont St Quentin and Peronne.
Up to eight Commonwealth cemeteries could be affected, but there are thousands of unmarked graves in the area which also might be unearthed.
David de Sousa, curator of the Danicourt museum in nearby Peronne, is embarrassed the deeds of Allied troops will be wiped out.
"The decision of our Government, without any dialogue with our English, German and Australian neighbours, is at the very least truly scorning," he said.
The AIF strength in France was maintained at some 117,000 men.Its battle casualties for the three years of trench warfare between 1916 and 18 were over 181,000; of whom over 46,000 died. Another 114,000 were wounded, 16,000 gassed and nearly 4,000 were taken prisoners of war. In terms of total deaths per 1000 men mobilised, the AIF figure was 145 - the highest of all the British Commonwealth armies. The Australian Army - A Brief History' written by Brigadier M.Austin (Rtd)
Tronsky
