AUSTRALIAN GRAVES

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 91, 14 October 1920, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN GRAVES

WORK ON FAMOUS BATTLEFILDS

GENERAL BIRDWOOD'S INSPECTION.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPTRIGHT.)

(AUSTRALIAN ■ NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) PARIS, 12th October,

General Birdwcod has concluded a tour of the West front. He visited all the Australian battlefields and inspected the work of the Australian graves section, which numbers three officers and seventythree men, who have been engaged in. discovering isolated Australian graves, exhuming bodies and reverently burying them in the Australian cemeteries. General Birdwood traversed the entire Passchendaele battlefield and saw a number of bodies actually found, identified and removed. One man's identity was established only by his name being scratched on the plate of his artificial teeth. During the past i'ew months over four thousand out of sixteen thousand missing Australians have been identified. Many more will be found, but it will* never be possible to locate all the dead, because a large number were killed during memorable attacks in which the troops had previously removed their identification discs and- regimental colours.

General Birdwcod interviwed the Bishop of Amiens regarding arrangements for unveiling an Australian memorial tablet in Amiens Cathedral in November, when many French generals will attend.

General Birdwood expressed complete satisfaction with the work of the Australians tending the graves of their own dead. Owing to the magnitude of the task it is not expected to be completed within two years. The cemeteries now appear unkempt, but they will soon be in perfect order. Already many former residents are returning to the devastated towns, especially Peronne and Corbie. They everywhere show the utmost respect for the Australian graves, and do not even disturb the Australian signposts giving new names to streets. Already two thousand people have returned to Villers Bretcnneux, where rebuilding is proceeding slowly. When General Birdwood passed through the inhabitants were not aware that Melbourne had adopted the town. General Birdwood left to-day and is motoring to Marseilles.