Media release 3rd June 2019. Contact Len Kelly +61 400 069136, kandlos12@gmail.com

WW1 archaeology helping our diggers to recover from combat trauma

Amateur WW1 historian and businessman Len Kelly has a soft spot for soldiers returned from war

time duty overseas. Himself an ex-Captain in the infantry in the regular army he has an affinity with

the young soldiers who come back from war, many carry both physical and mental injuries. “I never

saw active service having been in the army post-Vietnam and when the world was more or less at

peace. However in recent years I’ve seen young keen enthusiastic men freshly trained come back as

different men. It’s sad”

Mr Kelly is partially funding an archaeological dig at the end of June at the famous Australian and

British battlefield of Bullecourt in France. The dig being conducted by Breaking Ground Heritage of

the UK , is itself founded by Mr Dickie Bennet who saw extensive combat service with the Royal

Marines. With French government approvals in place and with Mr Richard Osgood a senior

archaeologist of the British Ministry of Defence, the team is set to excavate sections of the

Australian support line in the battlefield.

Mr Kelly is also sponsoring a soldier from his old battalion, ex-Private Kieran Scotchford of Brisbane’s

8/9RAR to join in the dig, literally as a digger. They will be camping on the battlefield and working

hand in hand with British veterans, also the survivors of combat. Kieran is delighted with the forth

coming trip. “ I have sometimes found it very hard dealing with civilian life after serving in the

infantry in Afghanistan in 2012. This trip is something that I am excited to be part of. It will be great

mixing with the British veterans and swapping notes. To link ourselves with the immortal memories

and deeds of Australian and British soldiers who fought in France during the Great War of 1914-18 is

very humbling”.

Mr Kelly hopes that the unique experience for Kieran, being surrounded by positive people from a

shared culture will help further his transition into civilian life and one day leave behind forever the

effects of combat trauma.

Kieran Scotchford and Len Kelly.

The present view of the Bullecourt rail embankment that will be excavated in the coming archaeological dig.

The Bullecourt railway embankment in May 1917.