AUSTRALIA'S DEAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 November 1920, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S DEAD.

•MASKING GRAVES IN FRANCE. LOOATINGr THE MISSING. «J Telegraph —Prist Assn.-CopyrlgM. Received Nov. 1, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 31. Mr. Grover, the Sydney Sun correspondent, has just completed a studv of Australian graves from Amiens t'o Poperinghe (near Ypres). He was impressed with the magnificent devotion and the spirit of a handful of "diggers," mostly 1014 men, and many decorated, who stayed behind to engage in the work of locating and identifying their dead comrades, who otherwise would be missing.

The task of exhumation is difficult, and repulsive bodies are located by means of a steel rod, similar to that used by the New_ Zealand gum-diggers. The actual eitncation is careful and tedious. Where discs are missing the Workers scrutinise every portion of the clothing on the body, noting even the bone formation and the dental work. The magnitude of the achievements is astounding. A considerable number of missing have been found—twenty-five last week, and about fifty weekly—around the northern area of Poperinghe. Since Australia topic control, nine have been found in the area worked and cleared by the British garrison headquarters.

The diggers" relate a striking story of careless work of the British searchers. Particulars on a cross disagreed with departmentarrecords, and exhumation revealed another man. A systematic search then resulted, m between 60 and 70 Australian graves being found wrongly marked., The French peasantry are giving great assistance without payment on the grounds that Australia has done much for France, though feeling tubs high against Britain, because of her supposed leniency towards Germany .-AUS.-N.Z. Cable 'Assn.