Dig for the Diggers - one act play

The Battle of Fromelles took place on the days of 19 and 20 July 1916, and came to be known as the ‘worst 24 hours in Australia’s entire history.’

Over five and a half thousand Australian soldiers were killed, wounded or taken prisoner due to an ‘error’ by the British High Command.

The Germans buried all those who were killed in mass graves behind German lines, however, not all the burial pits were found in the aftermath of the war.

Eventually, in 2007, more graves were found and exhumation began in 2008. A new cemetery was created and a process of DNA matching amongst Australian relatives began.

The first body was re-interred in January 2010. 

“Dig for the Diggers” one act play tells the story of the DNA identification of Mick Feeney – stubborn Australian miner from Bothwell, who volunteered for World War One and ended up buried in a mass grave at Fromelles in 1916.