LEST THEY FORGET
Relatives of soldiers killed liberating France from the Germans furious at plan to erect wind farm on graves
A PORTARLINGTON relative of a WWI soldier who died during a bloody French conflict — that claimed thousands of Australians — says a proposal to build a wind farm on war graves will sully their sacrifice.
John Bugge’s great-uncle, Ernest Bugge, and five others from the Bellarine Peninsula were among the 6000 Australians to die during the Battle of Bullecourt in 1917.
Mr Bugge, pictured, said the proposal by French energy giant Engie Green to build six wind turbines on the site was a disgrace.
“I would advise them to show some respect and let our dead soldiers rest in peace. There is no doubt they will disturb the graves if this goes ahead,” he said.
Mr Bugge, a Vietnam veteran, said the plan to build the turbines between Bullecourt and Riencourt-lesCagnicourt in northern France, currently out for community consultation, needed to go back to the drawing board. “I’m all for renewable energy but this is ridiculous.”
A PORTARLINGTON relative of a World War I soldier who died in a bloody French conflict that claimed thousands of Australians says a proposal to build a wind farm on war graves will sully their sacrifice.
John Bugge’s great-uncle Ernest Bugge and five others from the Bellarine Peninsula were among 6000 Australians who died during the Battle of Bullecourt in 1917.
Mr Bugge said the proposal by French energy giant Engie Green to build six wind turbines on the site was a disgrace.
“I would advise them to show some respect and let our dead soldiers rest in peace. There is no doubt they will disturb the graves if this goes ahead,” he said.
He said others to die in the battle were Frederick James Betts and J.E. Lincoln, both from Portarlington, and Raymond Alfred Benham, H.S. Davis and F.W. Gray, all of Drysdale, who died on April 11, 1917.
Mr Bugge, a Vietnam veteran, said the plan to build the turbines between Bullecourt and Riencourtles-Cagnicourt in northern France needed to be reconfigured.
“I’m all for renewable energy but this is ridiculous.”
Mr Bugge, who visited the Battle of Bullecourt memorial site in France on Anzac Day this year, said it was almost a hectare in size.
According to French newspaper La Voix Du Nord, locals are against the project.
It quotes Riencourt-lesCagnicourt Mayor Gerard Crutel as saying: “This project, I do not want it . . . this place is almost a graveyard.”
In another outlet, The Local Fr, an Engie Green spokesman said the company was in contact with “Australian authorities” and had not been asked to move or scrap the wind farm.
Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan has said he will speak to his French counterpart to obtain clarity on the proposal.
“I spoke to her six weeks ago. We had a really good conversation about the need for our countries to continue to co-operate when it comes to commemorating what took place 100 years ago, so I will be reaching out to her to have a discussion,” Mr Tehan told Sky News.
Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson said the proposal demanded clarification.
“I think the first thing the French Government owes to us is at least give the Australian people a very clear understanding of what is proposed,” Dr Nelson said.
He said the site was a destination for many Australians wanting to pay their respects.
“Anyone in our country who thinks that it’s appropriate to put a wind farm on this site simply has not been there and has not yet come to the position of understanding of what it means to be an Australian,” he told the ABC yesterday.