Another 'digger' identified at Fromelles

As is well known, Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Cemetery is a newly created burial ground for those Australian and British soldiers who were discovered in a mass grave a few years ago. Work has been ongoing since 2009 to establish the identities of those who were recovered from this grave.

In recent days, an announcement was made that another Australian soldier has been identified from his DNA.

Private Roy Martin, from Cobar in NSW, was among the more than 1800 men from the AIF killed during the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916. His identity has now been confirmed through a detailed process involving DNA analysis and historical research, in collaboration with the Fromelles Association of Australia.

This now brings the total identified to 181 of the 250 soldiers recovered at the mass grave.

Roy Martin was one of dozens of soldiers from the 30th Battalion, AIF to be killed on 19/20 July 1916.

The 30th Battalion was raised as part of the 8th Brigade at Liverpool in New South Wales on 5 August 1915. Most of its recruits hailed from the Newcastle region and other parts of country New South Wales.

The 8th Brigade (of which the 30th Battalion was a part) joined the newly raised 5th Australian Division in Egypt and proceeded to France, destined for the Western Front, in June 1916. The 30th Battalion's first major battle was at Fromelles on 19 July 1916. It was tasked with providing carrying parties for supplies and ammunition but was soon drawn into the vicious fighting.

Private Martin will receive a new headstone at Fromelles on the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles in July.

The identifications were conducted in partnership with the soldiers’ families, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commemorations team, historical research organisation Fallen Diggers Incorporated and the Fromelles Association of Australia.