EXHUMATION TO CEASE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 13 September 1921, Page 7

EXHUMATION TO CEASE

WAR OFFICE DECISION.

8Y CABIiK-PBESS ASSOCIATION— COPVUIGH'I

(Received Sep. 18,-1.80 p.m.) LONDON, Sep* 18, It is authoritatively stated that the War Office has decided to discontinue the exhumation of graves on the French and Flemish battlefields after September 80. Neither Australia. New Zealand nor Canada were parties to this decision, the matter being entire;ly within the discretion of the Imperial authorities. It is estimated that 125,000 bodies have not been recovered in France and Flanders, including 11,000 Australians. Exhumation would probably take years, while identification would be increasingly difficult each year. It is understood that Mr Hughes and the Commonwealth military are anxious to con"nue exhumation. It is believed that if the Dominions jointly appeal to the Imperial authorities the latter may be induced to continue exhumation for at least another year.