Australia
Practice Relating to Rule 112. Search for and Collection of the Dead
Australia’s Defence Force Manual (1994) provides: “Parties must search for the dead”.
The manual further states:
All of the protagonists to a conflict shall attempt to agree to form special teams to undertake the search, identity and recovery of their dead from a belligerent’s battlefield. This will include any arrangements for such teams to be accompanied by members of the belligerent force upon whose land they are searching. In the course of their duties search teams are deemed to be protected persons.
Australia’s LOAC Manual (2006) states:
9.91 The parties to a conflict must … search for the dead …
…
9.109 … All of the protagonists to a conflict shall attempt to agree to form special teams to undertake the search, identity and recovery of their dead from a belligerent’s battlefield. This will include any arrangement for such teams to be accompanied by members of the belligerent force upon whose land they are searching. In the course of their duties search teams are deemed to be protected persons.
The LOAC Manual (2006) replaces both the Defence Force Manual (1994) and the Commanders’ Guide (1994).