Tag: MOD JCCC

Three members of RAF Lancaster crew buried in The Netherlands

A burial service was held in The Netherlands on Thursday for three previously missing WW2 RAF Airmen – crew members of Lancaster ED 603 – which was tragically shot down over the IJsselmeer in The Netherlands, resulting in the death of all seven on board

Members of the airmen’s families, and of the Dutch military were present for the service (Crown Copyright)

Relatives of three Royal Air Force airmen gathered in The Netherlands yesterday to witness their burial with full military honours, 82 years after they were killed in action during the Second World War.

Pilot Officer Charles Sprack DFM (Distinguished Flying Medal), Pilot Officer Arthur Smart DFM, and Pilot Officer Raymond Moore DFM were laid to rest at Workum (Spoardyk) General Cemetery, following the recovery of their remains from the wreckage of AVRO Lancaster MkIII ED603. The aircraft crashed into the IJsselmeer near the village of Workum on the night of 12/13 June 1943 during a bombing raid on Bochum, Germany. 

The Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, organised the service in collaboration with Dutch authorities and organisations supporting the National Programme for the Recovery of Aircraft Wreckage with Missing Crew.

The excavation, funded by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, was featured in a national documentary titled ‘Guy Martin’s Lost World War Two Bomber’, highlighting the scale and significance of the operation. 

Of the seven-man crew aboard ED603, four were recovered and buried shortly after the crash. The remaining three Sprack, Smart, and Moore were listed as missing and commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

In 2023, their remains were recovered and now they have been laid to rest alongside two of their fellow crew members. DNA testing was not required, as it was confirmed that three bodies were recovered. They were buried together in a single coffin with full military honours. 

Mrs Gail McCord, Niece of Pilot Officer Smart said: “Today was closure for the families, it is nice all three crew have been laid to rest together – they flew, served and died together. We would like to thank the RAF King’s Colour Squadron for supporting the burial today.“

The military party pictured with the new headstones for the three airmen (Crown Copyright)

Tracey Bowers, MOD War Detective, said: “It is lovely so many family members have made the journey to see their relatives laid to rest.

“Working with the many organisations in The Netherlands is always a pleasure and we are grateful for all the help that has been given to us.”

The service was conducted by The Reverend Dr (Wing Commander) Philip Wilson and included readings chosen and delivered by family members. The RAF King’s Colour Squadron provided the bearer party. 

Padre Philip Wilson said: “All of the three Airmen had over 40 sorties in Bomber Command and we have laid to rest young Aviators of valour whose sacrifice won our freedom. It was an emotional farewell.

Head of Commemorations at the Commonwealth War Graves CWGC, Dr James Wallis, said: “It is an honour for the Commission to have facilitated the reuniting of three crew members from Lancaster ED603 with two of their fellow crew historically buried in Workum (Spoardyk) General Cemetery.

“Enabling adherence to our principle that war dead should, where possible and practical, be buried with their comrades, we are grateful for the support from municipal authorities in making this happen. 

“We will now care for these graves in perpetuity – indeed, today’s ceremony speaks to the shared work of ensuring that those who gave their lives in both world wars continue to be remembered.”

‘Unknown’ soldier’s grave identified 107 years after his death

The final resting place of a Devonian man who served with the King’s (Liverpool Regiment) in World War 1 has been named in France almost exactly 107 years after his death

A rededication service, at which Captain (Capt) Hubert Leslie Smith’s name was added to his gravestone, was held yesterday (25 March) at his graveside in Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Ham British Cemetery near Saint Quentin. 

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives’ and was attended by serving soldiers of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and The Royal Yorkshire Regiment. 

Members of the Smith family stand at the graveside with the military party (Crown Copyright)

Capt Smith died on 24 March 1918 and after the war his remains were recovered and buried in Ham British Cemetery as an unknown captain of The King’s (Liverpool Regiment). Because he was missing Capt Smith was commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial. 

The location of Capt Smith’s grave came to light after a researcher submitted a case to CWGC hoping to have identified his final resting place. After further investigation by the National Army Museum and JCCC, it was confirmed. 

JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron, said: “It has been a privilege to work with The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment to organise the rededication service for Capt Smith today and to have had his family present at the service.

“Although Capt Smith died 107 years ago, his memory has lived on within his family. It is important that men such as Capt Smith, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country, are honoured and remembered for their bravery.”

The service was attended by Capt Smith’s great nephews and their families, who had travelled from the UK and the USA to attend the service. 

Peter Smith, great nephew of Capt Smith said: “Today’s Smith family in both the UK and the USA were both surprised and pleased to have this opportunity to understand and recognise the life and service of a man we never met in person.

“Thank you JCCC and all those involved for discovering our relative and providing this opportunity to pay tribute to his life, service, and death from long ago.”

Reverend Paul Robinson CF, Chaplain to 4th Battalion The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment who conducted the service said:  “It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to preside at the Rededication Service of Captain Hubert Leslie Smith.

“As an Army Chaplain, honouring the fallen is one of our most sacred tasks. It is our role to silently shepherd an often-beleaguered nation through grief and we revere those who have died and lay to rest those who have served our nation with dignity and honour and treat their families with respect and compassion.

“Memorials reflect the emphasis the British people place on the worth and value of the individual.”

Captain Smith’s new headstone at Ham British Cemetery (Crown Copyright)

The headstone over the grave was replaced by CWGC. Director for the France Area at the CWGC, Jeremy Prince, said: “We are honoured to mark Capt Smith’s grave with a new Commonwealth War Graves headstone, more than a century after his death. We will care for his grave, and those of his comrades at Ham British Cemetery, in perpetuity.”

Graves of two Glasgow soldiers rediscovered in Belgium

The graves of two World War One soldiers, Private (Pte) Peter Keill, aged 20, of 7th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders and Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) James Ferris, aged 29, of 16th Battalion The Highland Light Infantry, have finally been marked more than a century after their deaths.

The rededication services, organised by the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, were held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Dadizeele New British Cemetery on Wednesday (25 October 2023) and Tyne Cot Cemetery yesterday (26 October 2023).

JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron said: “It has been a privilege to work with The Royal Regiment of Scotland to organise the rededication service for Pte Keill and to have his niece present. 

“Pte Keill was a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He is still fondly remembered by his family and this service marked the end of their quest to establish what happened to him.”

Pte Peter Keill

By October 1918 the static fighting associated with the Western Front, which had kept the British Army in Belgium within the Ypres Salient since 1914, had lifted, and Allied forces were advancing.

On 1 October 1918, 7th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders were in assembly positions in front of the village of Slypskapelle. After a brief barrage, they attacked at 6.15am and reached their first objective, the Menin to Roulers railway line north of Ledeghem.

After further fighting they consolidated in positions along the railway line. The battalion had suffered considerable casualties with 23 killed in action or died of wounds, four missing and 73 wounded. Pte Peter Keill was among these casualties. The location of Pte Keill’s grave was lost and, as he was missing, he was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Pte Keill’s niece, Mary Lloyd-Jones was in attendance at the service and said: “My mother always talked about her brother Peter, even though she was born two months after his death he was always part of her life and he has been part of mine too.

“We’re so pleased to see his final resting place recognised, and it’s been an honour for me to be here to see that happen today with my daughter Sian and my sister-in-law Margaret representing Peter’s wider family. We’re so grateful to Rosie from JCCC and Catherine from CWGC for making this happen.”

2nd Lt James Ferris

2nd Lt Ferris died in December 1917 while driving the enemy from the Passchendaele Ridge. He had no known grave so, following the war, his name was placed on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

In 1920 the remains of an unknown British Officer, a 2nd Lt of The Highland Light Infantry were buried nearby in the Tyne Cot Cemetery. The regiment and rank were identified from the insignia found on the casualty’s uniform, but there were no other artefacts to indicate his name.

Research has now revealed that Ferris was that unknown British Officer, and a new headstone has been installed above his grave at a ceremony attended by his descendants.

James Ferris’ great-nephew, Ewan, who attended the service said: “Although I never knew Uncle James I know that he was an upstanding man: he had a good job and was a Captain in the Boys Brigade – presumably this led him to join a regiment with direct ties to the Boys Brigade in his home town of Glasgow.

“I am pleased that we are now able to mark his final resting place and honour his memory.”

JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark said: “I am grateful to the researcher who submitted this case. Their work has led us to recognise the final resting place of James Ferris and restore his name to him. It has been a privilege for me to have contributed to this case and to have organised the service for the rededication of his grave today.

“The services were conducted by the Reverend (Captain) David Jeal, Chaplain to 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland and were attended by serving soldiers of the battalion.”

The Reverend Jeal said: “It was a great honour and immensely important for us to remember and rededicate the graves of 2nd Lt Ferris and Pte Keill, and to give them a place to rest where their names are written and recorded, so that they may be honoured by this generation and all who follow. We owe so much to their selfless sacrifice for our freedom.

“The headstones over both graves were replaced by CWGC who will care for them in perpetuity.”

Geert Bekaert, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Area Director said: “It is a privilege to now care for the graves of Private Peter Keill and Second Lieutenant James Ferris.

“The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is dedicated to ensuring that these servicemen, who made the ultimate sacrifice, are remembered with the dignity and respect they deserve. Their sacrifice will continue to be honoured by future generations as their names are eternally recorded on their headstones.”

Engraved spoon helps identify Royal Scots Fusilier killed at Loos

Two Great War soldiers finally laid to rest

Two British soldiers killed on 26 September 1915 (during the Battle of Loos) were laid to rest with full military honours yesterday, a century after their deaths.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (MOD JCCC), also known as the “MOD War Detectives”, and was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Loos British Cemetery, Loos-en-Gohelle in northern France.

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Members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland carry Pte Johnston to his final resting place. Crown copyright.

One set of remains was recovered in January 2018 during a WW1 ordnance search near Lens. Also found was a pocket watch and a spoon with the number 13228 stamped on the back.

MOD JCCC and the CWGC confirmed it to be the regimental number of Private (Pte) William Johnston (aged 39) of 7th battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, having cross referenced it with war records that also confirmed he was the only casualty with this number who did not have a known burial place.

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Soldiers of the Yorkshire Regiment carry an unknown East Yorkshire Regiment soldier to his final resting place. Crown copyright.

The MOD JCCC traced a great-great-niece who provided a DNA sample to compare with DNA taken from the remains. The results were conclusive. Pte Johnston’s service records no longer exist, so not much personal information is known about him.

Sharon Williamson, of Portadown, County Armagh, is Pte Johnston’s great-great-niece and DNA donor, she said: “I was sent an email by a relative in America who had been contacted by the MOD War Detectives to say that they had found remains from the Great War.

“They asked for my DNA, that was the start of our journey. Later, once it was confirmed that William was our relative, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to be here and pay our respects to a family member that, though we didn’t know, we did not want him to be alone on his final journey.”

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Phil Aldridge, great great nephew of Pte Johnston lays a wreath. Crown copyright.

The remains of another British soldier were found separately in the same area. Although it was not possible to identify him by name, MOD JCCC did confirm he served with the East Yorkshire Regiment due to two East Yorkshire shoulder titles being found with the remains.

Louise Dorr, MOD JCCC Caseworker said: “I’m both pleased and saddened that although I have been able to identify one of these soldiers by name, there are just too many casualties missing from the 8th East Yorkshire Regiment for us to be able to name their casualty.

“I’m delighted to see them both laid to rest in front of their military family and, in Pte Johnston’s case, his biological family. May they both rest in peace.”

The service was conducted by the Reverend Dave Jeal, Chaplain to 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland. Two bearer parties were provided by the Yorkshire Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Scotland respectively.

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Rev Dave Jeal leads the service. Crown copyright.

Rev Dave Jeal, who’s own grandfather Frederick Nichols served with the East Yorkshire Regiment during the Second World War, said: “To be involved today is a real privilege for me.

“When these two men died they did so in the service of our country: they gave everything. That’s so important to remember and to honour, because by bearing their remains to their final rest, our young soldiers of today can see they walk in the footsteps of those giants who went before them.”

The graves will now be marked by headstones provided by the CWGC, who will care for their final resting place in perpetuity.

CWGC Horticulture Manager, Steve Arnold said: “As the Recovery Officer I was honoured to be able to retrieve these two British soldiers from where they had fallen over 100 years ago, together with the personal items that have enabled Private Johnston to be named.

“It is deeply moving to see them laid to rest today alongside their comrades; each time we engrave a new headstone we renew our commitment to caring for all the graves in our care in perpetuity.”