July 19, 1916

[Guest dinkidi]

G'day

Just reserving a spot for perhaps the saddest of "On this Day"s for the AIF.

"Decimated" is simply the wrong word as it implies a mere 10 percent casualty rate. The story has been, and will continue to be, told many times; but little asides keep popping up.

I understand that many of the troops involved had not yet been issued with steel helmets, and went in wearing slouch hats.

Another story concerns two German Soldiers who carried a wounded Australian across No-Mans-Land to 'his' front line. They handed him over, saluted, and set off 'home'. Tragically, others had not witnessed their bravery, and they didn't make it.

C'est La Guerre!

Pat

[Andrew P]

Went to the football on saturday night and in the Footy Record publication there was an article by Ross McMullin, author of the Pompey Elliott biography about the July 19 attack and the Australian Rules footballers that were killed in this attack.

It looks like McMullin is trying to get enough funding for a second 'Cobbers' statue to be displayed at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance. The original cast of the statue at Fromelles is still in existence but the cost of the project will be over $100,000.

[Guest dinkidi]

So the night was not a total loss Andrew. You got to see those goals by Sav & Wellsey, and someting interesting to read.

Go Roos!

ooRoo

Pat

[Andrew P]

At least it took my mind off the terrible umpiring but I won't go into that.

It's good to see from the last few years that Fromelles is no longer a forgotten battle thanks to people like McMullin & Robin Corfeild.