A BRITISH archeologist has been hired to conduct exploratory excavations to resolve the question of whether the bodies of World War I Diggers lie in pits in a field in northern France.

The Australian Army has re-engaged battlefield archeologist Tony Pollard of the Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD), despite criticism of his report of earlier work at the site, Pheasant Wood.

The decision has sidelined leading Australian experts who had offered to investigate the suspected war graves at no cost to the taxpayer.