THE WESTERN FRONT

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14491, 14 October 1920, Page 5

THE WESTERN FRONT

VISITED BY GENERAL BIRDWOOD. RESTORING AUSTRALIAN GRAVES. GOOD WORK BEING DONE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received October 13, 5.5 p.m. PARIS, October 12. General Sir W. R. Bird wood has concluded a • tour of the West Front, during which he visited all the Australian battlellelds and inspected the work of the Australian Graves Section, numbering three officers and 73 men, who have been engaged in discovering isolated Australian graves, exhuming the bodies and reverently burying them In the Australian cemeteries. General Blrdwood travelled the entire Passchendaele battlefield, where he saw a number of bodies actually found, identified and removed. One man's identity was established only by a name scratched on the plate of his artificial teeth. During the past month over 4000 out of 10,000 missing Australians have been identified. Many more will tie found, but it will never be possible to locale all the dead, because large numbers were killed during the memorable attacks in which the troops previously removed their Identification and regimental colours. Sir \V. It. Birdwood interviewed the Bishop of Amiens regarding arrangements for unveiling an Australian memorial tablet In Amiens Cathedral in November, when many Frcncii generals will attend. General Birdwood expressed complete satisfaction with the work of the Australians lending the graves of their own dead. Owing to its magnitude, the task is nol expected to be completed within two years. The cemeteries now appear unkempt, but will soon be in perfect order.

Already many former residents are returning to Hip devastated towns, especially Pemnne and Corbie. They everywhere show the utmost respect for Australian graves, and do not even disturb Ihf Australian signposts giving new names to the streets. Already •2000 people have returned to Villers Bretonneux, when.' re-building is proceeding slowly. When he passed through the inhabitants were not aware thai Melbourne bad adopted the town. General Birdwood left to-day motoring to Marseilles.