GRAVES ON CALLIPOLI.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9477, 14 December 1918, Page 1

GRAVES ON CALLIPOLI.

The Commonwealth 'Minister oi' Defence (Senator Pearee) stated in the Senate last, week that telegraphic communication had been held with the High Commissioner, in his capacity as representative of the Commonwealth Government on tho Imperial AVnr Graves Commission, with reference to the graves of Australian soldiers "at Gallipoli. As a result it couJd he stated that instructions were cabled several weeks since to Australian headquarters, Egypt,. that a suitable officer be kept in readiness to proceed to Gallipoli at the earliest opportunity, with a. view to investigating the. conditions of. Australian graves there. On October 31 Army Council instructions were issued for the urgent despatch to Gallipoli of a fully equipped Graves' Registration Unit, including Lieutenant C. E. Hughes, Australian Engineers. This unit was instructed to report at once on the condition of the graves, then to procoed with >the temporary, marking of graves, and enclosing cemeteries. This unit had been on- the peninsula from the date of the landing of the first contingent of the army of occupation, and an early report might be expected. The question of acquiring in perpetuity the land containing the graves • was receiving the attention of tho Imperial Graves' Commission, which was empowered, by its charter to acquire and hold land for such purpose. The High Commissioner considered that the identification of Australian graves' sites at Cape Helles and other parts of the peninsula would be efficiently undertaken by the stall' now there, 'which possessed complete maps prepared in anticipation.