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Fromelles: The Final Chapters
When we give these soldiers a dignified grave we accomplish here one of the oldest gestures of mankind. It is a gesture of devotion. It is the gesture accomplished by every son for his father and by every nation for their heroes. Let them rest in peace in this land for which they shed their blood and which owes them everything, including freedom!
— General Bruno Cuche, 30 January 2010
- GenresWarNonfictionWorld War I
263 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2013
4 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Tim Lycett
2 booksTim Lycett is a former Victorian police officer and crime-scene specialist with 25 years experience. For his service to the community he has been awarded the Victoria Police Service Medal and the National Medal. He has been performing genealogical research for the past fifteen years but his particular area of expertise is researching Australia's First World War soldiers; a passion he has undertaken for more than twenty years.
During this time he has assisted a great many people to locate, identify and understand their ancestor's military service. Tim is well established within the international military research community and has written several biographies of Australian soldiers that have appeared in national newspapers and military history magazines. His lifelong interest in the First World War and his own historical research led him to establish the Fromelles Descendant Database, which voluntarily works with soldiers' descendants to help identify the lost World War I Australian diggers recently discovered buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood, France.
Tim now lives on the Gold Coast with his wife.
During this time he has assisted a great many people to locate, identify and understand their ancestor's military service. Tim is well established within the international military research community and has written several biographies of Australian soldiers that have appeared in national newspapers and military history magazines. His lifelong interest in the First World War and his own historical research led him to establish the Fromelles Descendant Database, which voluntarily works with soldiers' descendants to help identify the lost World War I Australian diggers recently discovered buried in mass graves at Pheasant Wood, France.
Tim now lives on the Gold Coast with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 12, 2014
*I received a kindle copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profound, moving, astonishing, compelling, edifying, True.
*PLEASE READ THIS BOOK*
This is an important book which needs to be read! It is an incredible true story!
Lest We Forget.
I don't know where to begin...the work that these people have voluntarily done over the course of many years including many long hours of very involved and often heart rending research, towards these extraordinary ends...it's just incredible and truly deserves high praise and acknowledgement.
I daren't say too much without the risk of spoiling an extremely well told account of the events that brought about the Fromelles story, The Final Chapters. The story of how these long lost buried Diggers were identified and their lives reclaimed.
These missing pages of history are told now for the first time.
Thanks to the tireless and unrelenting work of these so called "amateur researchers," 250 Australian Soldiers were recovered from a -previously unknown- mass pit grave in Pheasant's Wood at Fromelles, and ultimately given the proper military burials they rightly deserved... 124 of whom have been positively identified through the diligence and doggedness of the aforementioned researchers.
Since they fell in the battle at Fromelles in 1916, these 250 Soldiers had been recorded as missing, or in some cases erroneously recorded as being 'presumed' buried elsewhere, because nobody knew of the existence of the mass grave at Pheasant's Wood, nor was it ever acknowledged that such a severe and costly battle had even occurred at Fromelles....until now.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I would personally like to thank everyone involved in the discovery, unfolding and eventual outcome of this story....full credit to you all.
Some quotes from the book:
"...After all, if it wasn't for a humble school teacher who decided to follow up on a hunch, the men (fallen soldiers) would still be lost to us, tangled in rough burial pits at the edge of a lonely wood."
Author.
"...Lambis's search is an astonishing tale in itself, but it highlights the inescapable fact that, up until recently, this was an event that had been relegated to the footnotes of Australian history."
Author.
"To truly do their memories justice, I believe we need to find out something of their lives, not just the circumstances of their deaths."
Contributing Author of Fromelles.
Every bullet has it's billet,
Some bullets more than one.
For you sometimes kill a mother,
When you kill a mother's son.
Joseph Lee, Scottish poet.
Apart from War history researchers, this book would most definitely appeal to Genealogy buffs and Family Historians as well as any researcher or even casual readers. It is very well written and formatted, making it very easy to follow as well as being compelling reading...I found it difficult to put down.
Easily 5 stars.
April 9, 2014
4.5★s
The Battle of Fromelles in northern France, July 1916 was a disaster from start to finish, but the end result was that there were hundreds of dead Australian soldiers whose whereabouts were unknown; their families at home in Australia had no answers and grieved for many years. With the diligence and perseverance of a man named Lambis Englezos, the discovery was made in 2008, almost one hundred years later, of unmarked mass graves in a place called Pheasant Wood near Fromelles.
Tim Lycett, a police officer in Victoria with a keen interest in the history of the First World War, and Sandra Playle, a genealogist for over thirty years from Western Australia, joined forces and worked at identifying the relatives of the listed missing men in the hope that one day DNA could be used to identify their remains – claiming their identities, reconnecting them with their families and giving them the honour and dignity to finally rest in peace was of paramount importance to these devoted volunteers.
The hours, days, weeks and even years that went into the searches with some relatives being found reasonably easily and others seemingly never able to be found; the incredible and dogged determination of people who just wouldn’t give up, fighting every inch of the way for the rights of the long lost diggers of Australia to be finally found; this emotional, inspiring and extraordinary story was one which had a profound effect on all who were involved. But finally, after ninety-four years the lost soldiers were resting in peace. Finally their families could honour the memories of those loved ones.
pre-war innocence being replaced with post-war trauma
A truly incredible, heart-wrenching, emotional and inspirational tale of determination and devotion for a cause governments preferred to forget – the “ordinary, everyday people” who are even now still working to identify the last, as yet unidentified soldiers.
FOR HONOUR
FOR COURAGE
FOR REMEMBRANCE
Highly recommended. (Thanks Julie for your recommendation to me)
The Battle of Fromelles in northern France, July 1916 was a disaster from start to finish, but the end result was that there were hundreds of dead Australian soldiers whose whereabouts were unknown; their families at home in Australia had no answers and grieved for many years. With the diligence and perseverance of a man named Lambis Englezos, the discovery was made in 2008, almost one hundred years later, of unmarked mass graves in a place called Pheasant Wood near Fromelles.
Tim Lycett, a police officer in Victoria with a keen interest in the history of the First World War, and Sandra Playle, a genealogist for over thirty years from Western Australia, joined forces and worked at identifying the relatives of the listed missing men in the hope that one day DNA could be used to identify their remains – claiming their identities, reconnecting them with their families and giving them the honour and dignity to finally rest in peace was of paramount importance to these devoted volunteers.
The hours, days, weeks and even years that went into the searches with some relatives being found reasonably easily and others seemingly never able to be found; the incredible and dogged determination of people who just wouldn’t give up, fighting every inch of the way for the rights of the long lost diggers of Australia to be finally found; this emotional, inspiring and extraordinary story was one which had a profound effect on all who were involved. But finally, after ninety-four years the lost soldiers were resting in peace. Finally their families could honour the memories of those loved ones.
pre-war innocence being replaced with post-war trauma
A truly incredible, heart-wrenching, emotional and inspirational tale of determination and devotion for a cause governments preferred to forget – the “ordinary, everyday people” who are even now still working to identify the last, as yet unidentified soldiers.
FOR HONOUR
FOR COURAGE
FOR REMEMBRANCE
Highly recommended. (Thanks Julie for your recommendation to me)
February 6, 2016
Fromelles: The Final Chapter
By Tim Lycett & Sandra Playle
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
In July 1916, thousands of young Australian soldiers were slaughtered in France at the Battle of Fromelles, known as our nation's worst 24 hours. For ninety years, the fate of those diggers was unknown. In 2008, the remains of 250 Australian soldiers were discovered in an unmarked mass grave at Pheasant Wood, a burial sight that had been missed in all post war recoveries. This is the story of a mission to restore the identities of the lost diggers, using fragments of information, military records, DNA, genealogy and persistence. Former crime scene police officer Tim Lycett and genealogist Sandra Playle were at the vanguard of the amateur network, working alongside bureaucracies across the world to link the dead with their families nearly a century after the event. Thanks to their diligent research, the missing soldiers emerge from the obscurity of dusty files and precious old letters to tell their version of what happened so long ago and so very far from home. The identification project is ongoing, all in the common cause of commemoration and remembrance.
Review
As a Kiwi I was really interested in my Australian neighbors bravery on the battlefield of Fromelles during WW1. This is a heart-rending and inspiring,account of war, the consequences and its effect on the lives of the lost soldiers' descendants.
The Battle of Fromelles in France was one of the bloodiest battles during the First World War, 5,500 men were shot down amid the horror of that blundered attack.
The whereabouts of 399 of dead soldiers was unknown for almost a century until the discovery in 2008 of unmarked mass graves at Pheasant Wood. The remains of these 250 men sparked a mission to reclaim their identities.
Tim Lycett and Sandra Playle volunteered their time and together with enthusiasts and international experts, they were able to piece together fragments of information from relics, military records and family histories using genealogy data and DNA analysis.
This was a fascinating read that all ANZAC's and history enthusiasts will definitely enjoy.
4.5 Stars
By Tim Lycett & Sandra Playle
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
In July 1916, thousands of young Australian soldiers were slaughtered in France at the Battle of Fromelles, known as our nation's worst 24 hours. For ninety years, the fate of those diggers was unknown. In 2008, the remains of 250 Australian soldiers were discovered in an unmarked mass grave at Pheasant Wood, a burial sight that had been missed in all post war recoveries. This is the story of a mission to restore the identities of the lost diggers, using fragments of information, military records, DNA, genealogy and persistence. Former crime scene police officer Tim Lycett and genealogist Sandra Playle were at the vanguard of the amateur network, working alongside bureaucracies across the world to link the dead with their families nearly a century after the event. Thanks to their diligent research, the missing soldiers emerge from the obscurity of dusty files and precious old letters to tell their version of what happened so long ago and so very far from home. The identification project is ongoing, all in the common cause of commemoration and remembrance.
Review
As a Kiwi I was really interested in my Australian neighbors bravery on the battlefield of Fromelles during WW1. This is a heart-rending and inspiring,account of war, the consequences and its effect on the lives of the lost soldiers' descendants.
The Battle of Fromelles in France was one of the bloodiest battles during the First World War, 5,500 men were shot down amid the horror of that blundered attack.
The whereabouts of 399 of dead soldiers was unknown for almost a century until the discovery in 2008 of unmarked mass graves at Pheasant Wood. The remains of these 250 men sparked a mission to reclaim their identities.
Tim Lycett and Sandra Playle volunteered their time and together with enthusiasts and international experts, they were able to piece together fragments of information from relics, military records and family histories using genealogy data and DNA analysis.
This was a fascinating read that all ANZAC's and history enthusiasts will definitely enjoy.
4.5 Stars
May 15, 2016
Fromelles: The Final Chapters is a well written recount of the events between 1916 - when the Battle of Fromelles took place; 2002 - when Lambis Englezos first began searching for the mass graves at Pheasant Wood; right up to 2010 - when finally the remains of the 250 Aussie diggers from those mass graves in Pheasant Wood were recovered, reburied and many finally identified in the new Fromelles Military Cemetary.
I was recommended this book by my father in preparation for our upcoming journey to France and Belgium for the centenary commemorations of Fromelles and Pozieres. My own great grandfather fought at Fromelles and was fortunate enough to survive the war and return home to Australia, but many of his comrades were much less fortunate. History was never my favourite subject at school so I am only now embarking on learning about this important part of my family and national history.
Tim Lycett's writing style is simple, clear and direct which makes this book very easy to engage with for readers who have little prior knowledge or interest in military history, like myself. I really enjoyed his summary of the battle itself up front, this provided important background details to contextualise Lambis Englezos', Tim's and Sandra's stories of research, discovery, and dedication to the cause.
The interspersion of stories of the fallen diggers, their lives and the challenges to be overcome in identifying them through genealogical research, community outreach, and DNA analysis made this recount compelling and engaging.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about Australia's engagement in Fromelles and the incredible research and collaborative efforts that contributed to the recovery of 250 men and identification of over 100 of them to date. Lest We Forget.
I was recommended this book by my father in preparation for our upcoming journey to France and Belgium for the centenary commemorations of Fromelles and Pozieres. My own great grandfather fought at Fromelles and was fortunate enough to survive the war and return home to Australia, but many of his comrades were much less fortunate. History was never my favourite subject at school so I am only now embarking on learning about this important part of my family and national history.
Tim Lycett's writing style is simple, clear and direct which makes this book very easy to engage with for readers who have little prior knowledge or interest in military history, like myself. I really enjoyed his summary of the battle itself up front, this provided important background details to contextualise Lambis Englezos', Tim's and Sandra's stories of research, discovery, and dedication to the cause.
The interspersion of stories of the fallen diggers, their lives and the challenges to be overcome in identifying them through genealogical research, community outreach, and DNA analysis made this recount compelling and engaging.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about Australia's engagement in Fromelles and the incredible research and collaborative efforts that contributed to the recovery of 250 men and identification of over 100 of them to date. Lest We Forget.
July 6, 2015
An extraordinary story about the dedicated 'amateurs' whose perseverance began the search that found the lost graves of Fromelles and identified the young Australian soldiers buried there, and finally the search to identify and remember them.
July 1, 2024
It is wonderful to see that the Australian sacrifice at Fromelles is being recognised through a plethora of publications about the battle. This book purports to explain: "How the buried diggers were identified and their lives reclaimed." It partially achieves this but not wholly. In fact it suffers from a lack of clarity throughout. Is it a story about the lost diggers, the battle, failures of British leadership, Australian politicians and bureaucratic sluggishness, genealogy, science and archeology? It is actually a story about all of these elements but it is poorly constructed and these themes are not well integrated. There is very little on the science of DNA and the bits that are included are poorly explained. There is not nearly enough about the archaeology of the site. There are some bits that complain too much about bureaucracy but without explanation from the other side about why such processes were followed. The story of the finding of the diggers is a fascinating one but this book doesn't quite deliver.
April 1, 2019
This was only an OK book on a pretty remarkable story. When it fell down, in my opinion, is that in never really established what the book was about. Was it about the personal stories of those who lost their lives or was it about their research and their journey. I sort of got the impression that for one of the authors it was about them. The story is a good one but unfortunately it is not matched by the narrative.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews