Media Release
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is proud to host the Remembered photographic exhibition to commemorate the
90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission (CWGC). The 52 photographs depict sites of
significance for Australia in the First and Second World Wars.
The photographs, taken by British photographer Brian Harris,
capture the poignancy and timelessness of the war graves maintained
by the Commission. They include images from CWGC sites in
Turkey (1915), France and Belgium (1916-1918), Greece (1941), Egypt
(1942), Singapore (1942-45) and Thailand (1942-45).
Founded as the Imperial War Graves Commission in 1917, the CWGC
honours 1 700 000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died
in the First and Second World Wars. The Commission looks after
their graves and memorials at some 23 000 military and civil sites
in 150 countries. The total number of Australian war dead
commemorated by name and in the care of the CWGC is approximately
12 460.
His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery, AC, CVO, MC,
Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, will speak at
the official opening of the exhibition at 5.00pm on Tuesday 30
October in the atrium of the R G Casey Building, John McEwen
Crescent, Barton. The event will be hosted by Mr Michael
L'Estrange, AO, Secretary of the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, and the exhibition will be opened by Air Chief
Marshal Sir Peter Squire, GCB, DFC, AFC, DSc, Vice Chairman of the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (London).
The exhibition was curated by the Shrine of Remembrance in
Melbourne with assistance from the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission and will be on display in the R G Casey Building until
23 November 2007.
Media Inquiries: DFAT Media Liaison on 02 6261 1555