14 replies to this topic

[KevinEndon]

It has been reported that an Australian lady died on Monday just after or during the ceremony.
I would like the family to know that we are thinking of them (we overheard some relatives trying to get transport to whatever hospital she had been taken to), myself, Doug Lewis, Roy Evans and Paul Brant are saddened by their loss. May she rest in peace in the knowing that she was able to be part of such an event.
If anyone knows of the family could you please pass on our condolences.

Kevin

[Teebo]

Could you please tell me where you did get the info?

That's very sad indeed, condoleances to the family.

[ianw]

I must confess I was worried about some of the older folk in the pretty intense heat. There was absolately no shade in the public viewing field and leaving the area after the ceremony was subject to quite a delay.

My condolences to the family, if this sad report is true.

[chalkie]

My understanding is that she died in Australia whilst watching the Ceremony live on television, but that her relatives were in the crowd.
Chris

[chalkie]

My understanding from the crew of Meridian Television is that she died in Australia whilst watching the Ceremony live on television, but that her relatives were in the crowd.
Chris

[KevinEndon]

As I said we overheard a family asking for directions to whatever hospital the lady had been taken to and if transport could be made available. This was outside the public viewing area up where the mini buses were picking up the disabled passengers. I trust the lads that were with me will back my story up.

Kevin

[judy7007]

During the ceremony, three different people received medical attention not far from where we were standing.  On one occasion someone was taken away by stretcher.  I do know it was a lady but perhaps she recovered and is not the person who died.   As yet I haven't been able to find a report on Aussie news.

Judy .

[Teebo]

There was no news of such accident in the local papers... really sad story for what should have been a very special day...

[Neil Mackenzie]

Just after 2.30pm, as I was leaving, I did see a lady lying in an ambulance near the exit from the public area. Fingers crossed she made a recovery and Kevin's news (which I also heard from someone else this morning) is incorrect.

A number of people (young and old) had to be helped. An elderly man I had seen being attended to earlier and looking extremely unwell I later saw walking around - which was good news.

As Kevin says  it was EXTREMELY hot and shade was non existent. I think the guidelines had requested no umbrellas although you could not blame people who used them.

Unfortunately this may have spoiled what was otherwise a very well organised and moving event.

Neil

[RoyEvans]

I can confirm what Kevin has reported and indeed we were told on the following day that an Australian woman had died at the event. Hopefully the lady whose relatives we overheard asking about the hospital was not that lady though.

Roy

[27thBN]

RoyEvans, on 22 July 2010 - 05:58 PM, said:

I can confirm what Kevin has reported and indeed we were told on the following day that an Australian woman had died at the event. Hopefully the lady whose relatives we overheard asking about the hospital was not that lady though.

Roy

Very Sad  RIP...I did not hear or see anything on the TV (in Australia) about it though)
MC

[SPOF]

None of the people I know in Fromelles has said anything about it as far as someone dying at the event. I spoke to a friend of mine in Fleurbaix about this today and there has been no news. He called his son who is a fireman who was on standby for Prince Charles' later visit to the Indian Memorial at Neuve Chappelle and there has been nothing in the Fire Brigade who would have been expected to know or at least had it passed on from the ambulaance service.

There was a lady connected to Fromelles who died during the ceremony on Monday in Australia but as her son and his family are in Europe and tryiong to come to terms with the news, I won't say any more.

Glen

Update: Added clarification to confirm the lady who died was in Australia.

[judy7007]

SPOF, on 23 July 2010 - 09:18 PM, said:

None of the people I know in Fromelles has said anything about it as far as someone dying at the event. I spoke to a friend of mine in Fleurbaix about this today and there has been no news. He called his son who is a fireman who was on standby for Prince Charles' later visit to the Indian Memorial at Neuve Chappelle and there has been nothing in the Fire Brigade who would have been expected to know or at least had it passed on from the ambulaance service.

There was a lady connected to Fromelles who died during the ceremony on Monday but as her son and his family are in Europe and tryiong to come to terms with the news, I won't say any more.

Glen

Glen

This is very sad.  I know you don't want to say any more and I fully respect that, but a few friends have been emailing me and asking if the initial reporting was incorrect.  So far I haven't answered them. Would it be correct to say that it is confirmed that someone did sadly die during the ceremony at Fromelles but no details were made available to the media?   If you don't wish to answer, that's fine too.

Judy

[SPOF]

Sorry Judy,

I've just re-read my post and I'm still causing confusion. The lady who died was in Australia and not at Fromelles.

I'll update my post.

Glen

[judy7007]

SPOF, on 25 July 2010 - 07:53 PM, said:

Sorry Judy,

I've just re-read my post and I'm still causing confusion. The lady who died was in Australia and not at Fromelles.

I'll update my post.

Glen

Many thanks Glen.  All is quite clear to me now.  It is very sad indeed.  However it now  makes sense why none of the emergency services in Fromelles had any information.

Judy