Our Darkest Day
Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 1:27PM 
This is an abridged edition of Patrick’s acclaimed book, Fromelles, first published in 2007 and substantially updated in 2008 after the confirmation of the discovery of the Missing Diggers of Fromelles, the story of which was first revealed in the original edition.
On 19 July 1916, near the French village of Fromelles, Australia suffered its worst-ever losses in a single day when a British officer ordered around 7000 of our Diggers ‘over the top’ to attack the heavily-defended German lines. The following morning more than 5500 Diggers were dead, wounded or missing: the dead was greater that our losses from the Boer, Korean and Vietnam wars combined. Many of those who died disappeared from the official record, their fate remaining unknown for close to a century.
This abridged edition of the bestselling Fromelles includes the recent discovery of the largest mass war grave since the Second World War; the recovery of the missing Diggers’ remains; the names of those who have been identified and the opening of the new Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery in 2010
Reader Comments (1)
Great book Will be back at the battlefields next year approx April=May How did we let this happen! Can you let me know who can give me an overall map of the WW1 battlefields of this area My husband lost a great uncle to the Villers battle on the night/early morn of April 24/25 of 1918 No known grave just a name on the wall! This is our third trip to this area, it just pulls us back. Once again a great book, how many tissues did you need?!
Regards Margaret Benjamin