Published: Thursday, 5th June, 2008 9:55am

Graves of 'lost army' discovered

by Lucy Thorne

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THE families of soldiers killed on one of the bloodiest days of the Great War could get the chance to bury them with dignity after 92 years.

The bodies of members of the Royal Berkshire Regiment are certain to be among those discovered by archaeologists who this week began excavating a mass grave in northern France.

Dozens of soldiers from the regiment's 2nd/4th Battalion never returned from the disastrous battle of Fromelles in July 1916.

Around 1,500 British soldiers died alongside 5,000 Australian allies in the savage fighting during a diversionary operation intended to distract the Germans from throwing reinforcements into the main offensive on the Somme.

The bodies of up to 400 British and Australian soldiers - known as Diggers - were never recovered and it is believed the Germans buried them in a mass grave at Fromelles, near Lille.

This week Glasgow University archaeological research division, under the guidance of the Maidenhead-based Commonwealth War Graves Commission, began digging at Fromelles and immediately found an arm and hand, thought to be part of the remains of one of the Australians.

Following events in France closely this week was war historian John Chapman, who lives in Purley, where he is a parish councillor.

He said: "The Royal Berkshire Regiment was very much involved in the battle of Fromelles, there were two or three battles and quite a few of the men were missing and their bodies were never found.

"I think it is highly likely that some bodies will be those of Royal Berkshire Regiment soldiers."

The battle was intended to be a diversion for the Battle of the Somme but research implies the battle plans may have been leaked after an officer was found dead on the battlefield with top secret information on him.

Mr Chapman, who is also a trustee of the Royal Berkshire Regiment museum at Salisbury, added: "The battle was meant to keep the Germans on their toes. There is quite a lot of controversy about who it was and how they got hold of such top secret intelligence.

"He should never have been carrying secret plans over the top."

The Royal Berkshires' 2/4 Battalion went to France with 15 officers and 850 other ranks, the majority of them from Reading and the other parts of the county.

They lost six men at the first battle, with 11 reported missing in action and 15 wounded.

At the second battle on July 19, four officers and 22 other ranks were killed, with nine missing and 23 wounded.

The names of nine of the missing from the first battle are recorded on the Loos Memorial - Leslie Ernest John Beard, of Reading; Ernest Wicks, Reading; Arthur Parrett, of Wokingham; Arthur Evan Tallent, of Ascot; William Steven Joseph Watts, of Maidenhead; Charles Joseph Clark, Walthamstow; Frank Doyle, of Frankton; Fred McAllister, of Liverpool and Thomas Tavernor, of Houghton Regis.

Mr Chapman believes their bodies might be discovered by the Glasgow University archaeologists.

He added: "Knowing the names of the missing means they can trace their relatives.

"If any come forward DNA samples can be taken from the bones and the relatives, and hopefully they can match them up.

"It is an absolutely unique opportunity and could be an important breakthrough."