Missing in action : Australia's World War I Grave Services, an astonishing story of misconduct, fraud and hoaxing
Velzen, Marianne van2018
Book
Total copies: 1
At the end of World War I 45,000 Australians had died on the Western Front. Some bodies had been hastily buried mid-battle in massed graves; others were mutilated beyond recognition. In many cases, next of kin had been informed of the death of their loved ones, but often men were listed as 'Missing in Action', because nobody knew for sure. Lieutenant Robert Burns was one of the many Australian soldiers who were listed as missing. Now that the guns had fallen silent, his father, a former AIF Colonel, wanted to know what had happened to his son. He wasn't the only one looking for answers. A loud clamour arose from Australia for information and the need for the dead to be buried respectfully. A number of men put in charge of this exercise however, were deeply flawed, with their own personal reasons for preferring to remain in France unearthing bodies. In the end there was a great scandal with allegations of body hoaxing and gross misappropriation of money and army possessions. There were two highly secretive inquiries. This is the untold story of those dark days and darker deeds. It is also the compelling story of the search for a son's remains.
Main title:
Author:
Velzen, Marianne van, author
Imprint:
Crows Nest, NSW : Allen & Unwin, 2018.©2018.
Collation:
xx, 267 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map, portraits ; 24 cm.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references (pages 243-257) and index.
ISBN:
9781760632809
Dewey class:
940.46544
Language:
English
Subject:
Australia. Army. Australian Graves DetachmentAustralia. Army. Australian Graves ServicesWorld War, 1914-1918 -- Missing in action -- FranceWorld War, 1914-1918 -- Missing in action -- Identification -- FranceSoldiers' bodies, Disposition of -- FranceSoldiers' monuments -- FranceWar and families -- AustraliaWorld War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, AustralianWorld War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western FrontAustralia -- History, Military -- 20th century
BRN:
596722