Australian Army identifies two unknown soldiers from WWI and WWII

The Australian Army has formally identified two soldiers who had previously been buried as unknown for decades. Both men died on August 8, though in different wars and locations.

Private Archibald 'Blue' Hanley, of the 30th Battalion, was killed during the Battle of Amiens near Villers-Bretonneux, France, in 1918. His identity was confirmed through investigations by the Army's Unrecovered War Casualties team, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and the Office of Australian War Graves.

Lieutenant Hercules William Crawford, of the 39th Battalion, went missing in action on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea during World War II. He was confirmed to be the unknown soldier buried at Bomana War Cemetery following a two-year investigation. Crawford was the last member of the lead battalion to head up the Kokoda Track to be officially identified after being missing since 1942.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Matt Keogh stated the identifications reflect a commitment to