Dragon Investigations

Well il be starting my fourth week on Monday and still not ready to come home, even for a visit!! Im loving the experience.

On my arrival 'on site' Monday 11th May i must say i was impressed with the facilities. the site had been set up and fully equipped in less than four weeks and that included constructing a road into it. We experienced a few teething problems which can only be expected, electrics, plumbing etc but nothing that couldnt be sorted.
we have a mortuary reception area where the remains will be brought from the gravesite (by me),a purpose built radiology lab, a processing room were the remains will be washed and dried, 4 anthropology tables, soco , a finds officer (for all the recovered artefacts and a DNA clean room. all portacabins linked by a long corridor.

My first couple of days was spent going over Health and Safety on site, kit issue and learning the history behind the reasons for us being here.
A local man called Murciel Delabarre, who lives in the village of Fromelles will be spending most days on site.
He is a historian and has spent most of his adult life scouring the fields of 'no mans land' searching for clues and artefacts that will lead to the discovery of possible more graves. He is an exceptional man. He is working as an advisor to the team on behalf of the war graves commission. There is nothing this man dosnt know. He also works as a curator for the museum in Fromelles. He is very passionate about the project and laying these men to rest with military honours funerals.
The first week we were taken on a tour of the museum. It was three attic rooms that were filled to bursting with all kinds of artefacts, uniforms, shells, personal effects, pictures, press cuttings etc. He has literally run out of floor and wall space. It was a very moving experience as Murciel knew a lot of personal stories related to items that he would point out to us.
we also got to see the work starting on the new cemetery were these soldiers will be buried. Its very close to were we are working, maybe 500 meters.
The locals are very much supporting us. Over coffee in the local tabac cafe. I was told a moving story by a lady. She said that the locals looked on these men as their own sons. They wanted them to be buried close to the church, so they could still hear the bells ringing everyday at 6 minutes past 12, as they had heard them ringing for the last 90 years.
Many years ago, the bells were rung as a first warning to the farmers working in the fields that it would soon be time for lunch. The timing of the bells ringing, was never put right due to these soldiers being buried close by. I had a tear in my eye listening to that wonderful story. Now everyday i make sure i listen out for the bells and stop for a minute to listen.
We all try hard not to personalise what we are doing, but its difficult not to when hearing stories like that.


Towards the end of week one and the digging commences.
The machinery moved in to remove the top layer of earth. As there had been a non evasive preliminary dig last year, a detailed report had been provided, so the team of archeologists were fully aware of how far down the machinery could go.
Once the depth had been gained it was down to digging by hand.
It was amazing for me to watch them at work. Trowelling away tiny amounts of earth so as not to disturb any remains.
It was all going to plan.....then the heavens opened and it rained for most of the second week, heavy torrential rain.
It was a case of all hands on deck. Spade in hand at 5pm on Friday all digging drainage trenches as the graves were starting to flood. We were soaked, working in thick muddy glue like clay, knee deep. these things are sent to try us!!! We got there in the end though, the air shelters were put up on the 2 graves that had been opened and we managed to have a couple of days off over the weekend

A group of us visited Belgium for the Medievel cat throwing festival and the burning of the witch. All the main streets were closed off and the whole day and evening was one long procession of magnificent floats. Then early evening everyone gathers in the town square. The jester then climbs the tower to the sounds of boos from the audience below. He then hurls cats from the top of the tower into the crowd......stuffed ones i might add!!
The witch is then brought into the square in a cage and after a bit of play acting, is thrown onto a fire to be burned.
we had to have lots of Belgium beer and chocolate to get over the traumatic events of the day!!!

Week two and three we started to reveal the skeleton remains.
DNA samples are to be taken from each of the remains. My role is to ensure the continuity of these samples and the remains when exhumed. It is painstaking work, very slow at the moment as most of the archeologists havnt previously worked on a forensic excavation and the procedures are a lot different to what they are used to.
Full protective clothing is worn at all times within the graves, suits, masks, gloves etc. If you add that, to the bad weather conditions you can get a feel for the conditons we are working in.

I have managed to adapt, most of the procedures for continuity of evidence, that i use on a daily basis at work. That old saying comes in handy...'if it aint broke, dont fix it'. it seems to be working well.

Well this week we have a complete turn around with the weather. Its been glorious sunshine and the heat within the air shelters (there to protect the opened graves ) has risen. So as you can imagine, its getting very uncomfortable in the suits and masks.

We have had lots of interest from the media this week again. The channel four documentary company has been on site, doing interviews with some of the team. I did my piece to camera whilst wearing my csi work teeshirt. I thought it only right to give my force a mention for giving me the secondment in the first place.
They will be with us for the duration of the project and the documentary will be aired on rememberance sunday 2010.

Dont forget you can keep updated at Fromelles. Im hoping my blog will appear on there website soon.

to be continued.........