Imminent Release of Successful Identifications

[J Banning]

Jeremy, the edited version of the BBC Fromelles video is I believe under 1.5 minutes in duration so I do not see that the version shown on BBC Points West required any editing whatsoever. I also do no see anything suspicious here but there must have been a reason why Peter Barton’s comments were removed from the final version. I personally did not construe anything controversial in his comments whatsoever. Maybe this unedited version was also broadcast on other regional BBC news programmes so members may be able to comment.

Regards

Norman

Edited to add:

BBC Video (Edited version)

Hi Norman – you may not have seen any reason for the BBC to edit but they obviously did for a reason that we probably won’t ever know. I’ll give you an example – last Friday Peter and I were filmed by BBC Wales as I had tracked down the nephew of Thomas Collins (the man that Sapper William Hackett refused to leave) so he can attend the opening of the Tunnellers Memoral in June. They filmed us around various locations in Swansea all relevant to the Collins story and then our meeting with John Abraham, the nephew. There is a version on the BBC website here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/8565357.stm However, there was a different, longer and more detailed version broadcast in Tuesday’s local news and I know of one other version that was cut. It’s just what broadcasters do – I would have liked the news version to be on the BBC website as it contained much more info but that’s just one of those things.

Back on to Fromelles, I imagine that Peter was edited out as the piece with both Peter and Victoria would have had two ‘talking heads’. Same as my example above – just a different edit of the story. Like you I don’t see anything suspicious in Peter’s comments but I also don’t see any issue with their being edited out of various versions – it’s just one of those things. Peter had done BBC News24 and various interviews all morning so he had been given ample time to talk. BTW, I just told Peter about this and he had no issue with it either.

As an aside, it is great to see Robert Hall interviewing Victoria on this extended link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8572527.stm

[Tjap]

Ian, I agree entirely with your comment that "However, the success does suggest that more ID work should be done on newly found remains in circumstances where the family research work is viable" and I hope members will forgive me for pressing this point but will this be the case with the 15 sets of British soldiers remains found at Beaucamps-Ligny or as I suspect will they be interred as "Known Unto God" in a low-key ceremony and we the general public will be informed after the event with no doubt another fatuous excuse from the CWGC that " We had the info late and could not get it on the web site" or similar as used in the past.

Regards

Norman

The family tree work depends on having lists of persons who might be identified.

Is this the case with those in the pits at Beaucamps Ligny ?

Just asking and hoping for a reply - I don't seem to have had many replies to my questions just lately

Best regards to all,

Howard

[ianw]

Howard,

I am no expert but I think that the BL 15 are part of a small identifiable group of soldiers known to be missing in action in that area. Therefore, they offer a readily researchable group in respect of finding extant relatives suitable for the DNA work.

Hopefully, someone will be able to give confirmation of this.

[Fedelmar]

I can only urge you all to actively campaign (and loudly) about the boys at Beaumony Ligny. They went off to war knowing they were likely to be killed and expecting nothing more than to have a grave with a headstone bearing their name. They fought and died to give us all the right to a voice and the people at the top have an OBLIGATION to see that the right thing is done by them no matter what the cost.

As I understand it the 6 that failed to produce DNA were 'unkown'. Please bear in mind I may be wrong on that as I have had a lot of information (and emotions) to process this week.

Bright Blessings

Sandra

[Seadog]

Thanks for your views Sandra, much appreciated. Whilst I in no way wish to steer this topic away from its original subject may I ask for your and other members opinions why there was no media coverage of the B-L 15 here in the UK given that the CWGC has a “Media Manager” and the MOD presumably a similar position, plus the CWGC have an “Exhumation Officer” based in France whose role is I understand to oversee the removal of such remains with a view to preserving the evidence for attempted identification. The aspect that I find most frustrating and completely unnecessary is the veil of silence from the authorities in this and other similar cases of soldier’s remains being discovered. I ask you this because of your experience with the excellent Fromelles situation.

Best Wishes

Norman

[Fedelmar]

Norman ... I think the best person to speak with about this is Victoria ... she may be able to point you in the right direction.

As far as the secrecy goes ... totally understand your frustration and for the life of me I cannot understand why.

Time to speak to the media and get them to ask the questions!

Good Luck.

Bright Blessings

Sandra

[Seadog]

Thanks for the reply Sandra.

Best Wishes

Norman

[Chris_Baker]

Norman, why don't you just pick up the phone to CWGC and ask them?

[Seadog]

Hi Chris, I have contacted them by email as at least this way you can get a hard copy of both question and answer. If you look at Post 115 in this Topic.

Click for topic:

Regards

Norman

Edit to add: In fairness to our Australian and British friends who created this topic on Fromelles will members please add any further posts relating to the Beaucamps-Ligny discoveries to the above thread - Many Thanks Norman

[Victoria Burbidge]

I imagine that Peter was edited out as the piece with both Peter and Victoria would have had two ‘talking heads’. Same as my example above – just a different edit of the story. Like you I don’t see anything suspicious in Peter’s comments but I also don’t see any issue with their being edited out of various versions – it’s just one of those things. Peter had done BBC News24 and various interviews all morning so he had been given ample time to talk.

As an aside, it is great to see Robert Hall interviewing Victoria on this extended link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8572527.stm

Thanks, Jeremy. It was quite terrifying. Added to which, I lisp and I didn’t know it …………….

Peter has always been the official historian for this project, excelling in the technical side of things. I’ve merely plodded along, finding and collating information, researching lists of names, correcting data and tracking the men themselves (British and Australian). Bearing in mind that this week’s news was wholly centred on the identification of these men, it’s hardly surprising that the interviews were structured and edited the way that they were.

Irritatingly, I haven’t been able to find a link to Peter’s interview, so have no idea how well the two sides were balanced.

V.

[Seadog]

An interesting article ( 22/04/10) from the Daily Mail website on the identification of Private Harry Dibben:

Click for article:

Regards

Norman

[Fedelmar]

Hello Norman .... 4183 Pte Edwin Henry Dibben was in the 54th Bn AIF and was amongst those identified in the March round.

The next round will be done in May 2010.

Bright Blessings

Sandra

[Seadog]

Thanks Sandra it is good to see the positive effect that such identifications have on the existing relatives.

Best Wishes

Norman

[Fedelmar]

It certainly does ... Tim and I have had some wonderful conversations with family since the ID's were released. I am soooo pleased for the boys and their families. It will be a very special ANZAC Day for them all this year.

Bright Blessings

Sandra

[Seadog]

Agreed Sandra, I hope that someone is writing a detailed book on the Fromelles discovery including a profile of all of those currently identified. It would be good to see all of the facets of the discovery brought together under the same cover.

Best Wishes

Norman

[Fedelmar]

word around the traps over here is that there is a strong possibility of this happening.

Bright Blessings

Sandra

[chana]

Not sure if anyone saw it, but there was an article in The Sun and the Daily Mail (amongst other newspapers), around the end of last week, about Harry Dibben who was killed at Fromelles. Edwin Henry Dibben according to the CWGC.

A link to the Daily Mail article:

http://tiny.cc/harrydibben

Thought I'd share it with you.

Hannah

[Seadog]

Hi Hannah

Please see post 111 where I have included the link to the Daily Mail article.

Regards

Norman

[chana]

Hi Hannah

Please see post 111 where I have included the link to the Daily Mail article.

Regards

Norman

Hi Norman,

Thank you, yes I literally just saw it while scrolling down to read your message. Was sure I'd read the whle thread before I posted. Sorry about that.

Hannah

[Scotty]

Hi Norman,

This is the front page of my local (Newcastle NSW) paper on Saturday. The identification of Pte Cressy has had a positive effect on all of his existing relatives. For all those involved in the project, this is the end result. A happy and thankful family. Scott.

[Seadog]

Hi Hannah

You have nothing to be sorry about and perhaps I should have phrased my post a little better.

Scott

thanks for posting the newspaper headline. It is of course the stories of the individual soldiers that are going to be the most interesting and poignant aspects of the Fromelles event. I very much look forward to reading some of these in due course. Mind you if members are able to post such stories that would be very much appreciated.

Best Wishes

Norman

[howardchinner]

Excerpts from Private Cressy's diary are read in a France Culture Radio programme broadcast on 9th November 2010. Also members of his family are interviewed in the same programme. For links, see separate post under Fromelles Project on 8th & 9th November 2010.

Hi Norman,

This is the front page of my local (Newcastle NSW) paper on Saturday. The identification of Pte Cressy has had a positive effect on all of his existing relatives. For all those involved in the project, this is the end result. A happy and thankful family. Scott.