TRIBUTE TO FRANCE

Evening Star, Issue 17483, 14 October 1920, Page 7

TRIBUTE TO FRANCE

MELBOURNE ADOPTS A TOWN. GREAT DEEDS RECALLED. Itesi Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. PARIS, October 13. The announcement that Melbourne "has adopted the town of Villers Bretonnenx has delighted the French . public. The newspapers recall the deeds of the Australian divisions in saving Amiens, and their victories in August and September, 1918. —A. and N.Z, Cable. SOLDIERS’ GRAVES. AUSTRALIAN - BATTLEFIELDS VISITED. GENERAL BIRDWOOD’S REPORT.

PAMS, October 12. Sir William Birdwood has concluded a tour of the west front. He visited all the Australian battlefields, and inspected the •work of the Australian Graves Section, numbering three officers and 73 men, who have been engaged discovering isolated Australian graves, exhuming bodies, and reverently burying them in Australian cemeteries. 'Sir William Birdwood traversed the entire Passchendaele battlefield, and saw the number of bodies actually found, identified, and removed. One man’s identity was established only by the_ name scratched on the plate of his artificial teeth. On ring the past few months over 4,000 out of 16,000 missing Australians have been identified, and many more will be found; but it* will never be possible to locate all the dead, because a large number were killed during the memorable attacks in which the troops previously removed their identification discs and_ regimental colors. Sir William _ Birdwood interviewed the Bishop of Amiens regarding the arrangements for unveiling the 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 in tending the graves of their own dead. Owing to the magnitude of the task it is npb expected that it will be completed within two years. The cemeteries now, appear to be neglected, but will soon he 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 Australians’ graves, and do not even disturb the Australian smupost giving new names to the streets. Already 2,000 people have returned to Tillers Bretonneux* where rebuilding is proceeding slowly. When Sir William Birdwood passed through, the inhabitants were not aware that Melbourne had adopted the town. General Birdwood left to-day, motoring to Marseilles.—A. and A.Z. Cable.