The body of an Australian soldier, killed during the First World War, found during an excavation

The skeleton was found in a mortar crater about fifty metres from one of the many trenches which formed the forward German defence line, constructed in 1917 and known as the "Hindenburg Line". The position of the body seems to indicate that the soldier fell into the mortar hole, killed by enemy bullets. 

This discovery follows that of a German soldier during another preventive archaeology operation last year in the same sector. It was not possible to identify him, so he was buried in a collective cemetery. 

In the present case, successive working of the land has left the skeleton in a poor state of conservation, but the presence of some personal effects gives us some clues as to his identity. Firstly, his nationality is indicated by his military badge, that of The Australian Commonwealth Military Force. Then, his rank: three revolver bullets made in England found at the level of his thorax, could correspond to the disintegration over time of one of his uniform pockets. This would help identification as only officers and non-commissioned officers carried revolvers. Lastly, the year of his death indicated by a George V coin dated 1918 and which was probably in his trouser pocket. He probably fell during the battles which raged around Saint-Quentin at the end of September 1918. 
From his uniform and personal effects, the buttons of his jacket and shirt and a wooden pencil remain. 

From 1916 to 1918, the Australians were engaged on numerous fronts such as the Somme and Flanders. Out of 330,000 men, 60,000 were killed and 166,000 wounded or mutilated.