Lost war heroes identified in mass grave

For more than 90 years, the final resting places of Private Samuel Charles Wilson and Private Eric Robert Wilson have been a mystery.

But DNA testing has put the mystery to rest.

The brothers were among 250 Australian and British soldiers found in battlefield graves in Fromelles, northern France, in 2008.

Their remains were identified and released to the public earlier this week.

Federal Defence Personnel Minister Greg Combet said 203 of the soldiers found in the mass grave were Australian, and 75 of them had been identified by name.

At this stage, little else is known about the Wilson brothers.

Both enlisted in Port Macquarie and were members of the 53rd Battalion, 14th Brigade.

Samuel was born in Braidwood, near Canberra, and Eric was born in Port Macquarie.

Their names appear on the war memorial at Town Green and it is understood they also are listed on the honour boards at Hamilton House in Hastings River Dr, and at the Wesley Chapel in Horton St.

It also is understood the diggers have a living relative in Queensland.

The men have been reburied at Fromelles Military Cemetery in France.

They were identified by a Joint Identification Board, with members representing the British and Australian governments.

The board identified the men based on evidence including DNA taken from the remains and from family members who came forward.

The 1916 Battle of Fromelles was one of the first major battles Australian troops fought on the Western Front. More than 1300 Australians died there.