Tag: MOD War Detectives

Arnhem 80: Stories from the Second World War

The Battle of Arnhem was one of the most audacious endeavours of the Second World War. On the 80th anniversary, discover selected stories from the front line:

Operation Market Garden was a plan conceived by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery to hasten the end of the Second World War by opening up new routes into Germany.

The allied forces adopted a bold strategy: seize a series of crucial bridges in the Netherlands through a combination of airborne attack and ground advances.

The Battle of Arnhem – the centrepiece of the operation – exemplified both the daring and the pitfalls of the allies’ approach.

British paratroopers were tasked with capturing and holding the bridge at Arnhem until reinforcements could arrive. But what unfolded was a harrowing saga of bravery met with a great loss of life for the allied forces.

The paratroopers faced fierce resistance from the well-prepared German forces, including elite Panzer tank divisions that had been underestimated by allied intelligence.

Ground forces struggled to advance as planned, leaving the airborne troops isolated and vulnerable.

But throughout the protracted and bloody engagement shone countless tales of courage and sacrifice.

Lieutenant Peter Cane

Born in Reading, Lieutenant Peter Cane (top, left) was among the first wave of paratroopers to land at Arnhem during the operation’s opening stages.

A seasoned combat veteran, he had already faced the harsh realities of war in Sicily and Italy before his deployment to the Netherlands.

As Lieutenant Cane led his men through the narrow streets of Arnhem, they were initially greeted by cheering Dutch citizens. However, this quickly turned into fierce combat with German troops.

Despite being mortally wounded in one of the first encounters with the Wehrmacht, Cane continued to encourage his men to remain determined.

He succumbed to his injuries shortly after the skirmish and was initially buried in a makeshift grave near where he fell.

He was 25 years old when he died.

His remains were later moved to Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, where he rests today.

Captain Lionel Queripel

Captain Lionel Queripel (top, right) was a British officer who displayed extraordinary bravery during the Battle of Arnhem.

Serving with 10th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, Queripel had already seen significant action, having been evacuated at Dunkirk and during fighting in North Africa and Italy.

During the battle his unit came under intense fire from German forces. Despite sustaining a facial wound, Queripel continued to lead his men with remarkable courage.

He carried an injured soldier to safety and then returned to coordinate an assault on the enemy position.

As ammunition ran low and Germany forces pressed their advantage, Queripel ordered a strategic retreat to prevent further casualties.

His courage was later recognised with the Victoria Cross.

Lieutenant Dermod Green Anderson

Lieutenant Dermod Green Anderson (above, left) was born in Durban, South Africa and moved to England in the 1930s to study architecture.

At the outbreak of the Second World War he was employed as an assistant to the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, who had designed the Cenotaph.

In 1940, Anderson joined The Gloucestershire Regiment and completed his training as a glider pilot.

He participated in the Normandy operations and played a crucial role at Arnhem.

Tragically, he was killed near Oosterbeek on 25 September 1944 by a German mortar bomb.

His bravery was noted by his commanding officer, who recalled his efforts to rescue wounded soldiers under heavy enemy fire.

After the battle, Anderson was reported missing and his name was inscribed on the Groesbeek Memorial.

His remains were discovered during a field survey near the old church in Oosterbeek, where efforts had been made to locate lost field graves.

The identification process by the MOD Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre and the Dutch Identification and Recovery Unit involved DNA analysis, which eventually allowed the MOD to contact Anderson’s modern-day relatives.

Anderson was laid to rest on 18 September 2024 at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery in the presence of his great-nephew, a serving lieutenant colonel in the British Army.

The burial service was conducted with full military honours and attended by Armed Forces personnel who carried his coffin and performed a rifle salute.

Private Henry Moon

Private Henry Moon (above, right) from Speeton, North Yorkshire, was an apprentice joiner before joining the British Army during the Second World War.

He served with 7th Battalion The Green Howards (The Yorkshire Regiment).

Moon landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944 and spent his summer advancing through France and Belgium, before reaching the Netherlands.

During the Battle of Arnhem Moon’s unit faced intense combat as they attempted to hold their positions against German counterattacks.

Tragically, Moon was killed during a German mortar attack on 1 October 1944.

Moon’s remains were only discovered on 12 November 2020 during roadworks on the A15 motorway.

His body was found in a shallow grave on the battlefield where he fell.

The identification process involved matching his possessions with his battalion and conducting DNA analysis, which confirmed his identity through a sample from his great-nephew David.

On 18 September 2024 Private Moon was finally laid to rest at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery.

His coffin was carried by serving soldiers of The Royal Yorkshire Regiment.

With thanks to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Torch of Commemoration handover ceremony held at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery

British Veteran Geoff Roberts handed the CWGC Torch of Commemoration to Caroline Frost, daughter of Lt Col John Frost who commanded the Allies during the battle of Arnhem in a ceremony yesterday at CWGC Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery.

The handover ceremony marked the final leg of the ‘Path to Freedom’ trail that began in Leopoldsburg, Belgium and followed the route taken by the Allied armoured forces as they attempted to relieve the airborne troops holding their positions in Arnhem.

The trail started on 10 September and was split into 22 stages taking in seven CWGC Memorial sites along the way, marking one of the most infamous battles of the Second World War and commemorating nearly 2,000 Allied soldiers who lost their lives.

Claire Horton CBE, Director General of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, said: “The Torch of Commemoration has proved to be a hugely successful way to educate younger people about what the Allies went through during their ordeal, and to ensure their legacy will never be forgotten.

“The CWGC’s Arnhem Oosterbeek Cemetery has been a focal point of commemoration for the Battle of Arnhem since the end of the Second World War, with the sacrifice of nearly 1,500 wounded and killed soldiers at the heart of our mission to protect their legacy and educate future generations.

“Today, we call on our communities to join us in our duty to ensuring the commemoration of the war dead continues, and share their memories and stories. Many of the stories of what the soldiers went through during the Battle of Arnhem are truly inspiring, and we hope they encourage younger people to honour them for evermore.”

The roadshow culminates in a parachute jump this morning (Saturday 21st September) by the British Army at Ginkel Heath – where the Allied paratroopers landed during Operation Market Garden – and a memorial service on Sunday 22nd September at the CWGC’s Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery where many Arnhem veterans are buried.

For more information on Arnhem and Operation Market Garden, please use the link below:

ARNHEM – A BRIDGE TOO FAR

Graves of Royal Dublin Fusiliers located in Belgium

The graves of six soldiers who fought and died during World War 1 have finally been marked with their names over 100 years after they died.

Rededication ceremonies were held at each grave, with services taking place on 10 and 11 July 2024. 

The services took place at the Commonwealth War Grave Commission’s (CWGC) Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Stasegem Communal Cemetery and Hooge Crater Cemetery, all in Belgium. They were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’. 

The services were also attended by serving soldiers of The Royal Irish Regiment, members of The Royal Dublin Fusiliers Association and the families of Sjt Connell, Pte McCann and Pte Reynolds. 

JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron, said: “It has been a privilege to have organised these rededication services and to have had so many people in attendance, both from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

“It is important that the sacrifices of these Royal Dublin Fusiliers are not forgotten as they paid the ultimate sacrifice for all our freedom in the face of tyranny.”

On 8 August 1918 the Allies launched the 100 Days Offensive near Amiens, France, ending the stalemate of the Western Front and forcing the German Army to retreat. All six of the men rededicated this week were killed during this phase of the war. 

Sjt Connell had arrived on the Western Front on 20 December 1915. He died on 5 October 1918 when 1st Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers were moving into the front line near Ledegem. He was 21 years old.

His remains were recovered and buried in Dadizeele New British Cemetery as an unknown Serjeant of 1st Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Because he was listed as missing, Sjt Connell was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

He was posthumously awarded the Military Medal. 

Julie McInaly, the great granddaughter of Private William McCann, speaks with the Rev’d Jason Clarke MBE CF at the graveside in Stasegem Communal Cemetery (Crown Copyright)

Pte McCann enlisted into The Royal Dublin Fusiliers and joined 2nd Battalion on the Western Front on 10 June 1915. He died on 21 October as his battalion was in the process of withdrawing from the front line. 

Pte McCann’s remains were buried in Stasegem Communal Cemetery as an unknown soldier of 1st Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers. As he was missing, he was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. 

Les Reynolds, the great nephew of Private Bertie George Reynolds MM, lays a wreath at the graveside in Hooge Crater Cemetery (Crown Copyright)

LCpl James Edward Freer, Cpl Edward Doyle, Pte Bertie George Reynolds MM and LCpl George Washington were all members of 1st Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers when they died, on 28 and 29 September 1918 in the area around Gheluveld.

All four men were missing following the fighting and were commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Their remains were recovered together after the war and buried side by side in Hooge Crater Cemetery as unknown soldiers of The Royal Dublin Fusiliers. 

More recently researchers have submitted evidence to CWGC to identify the final resting place of these men at Hooge Crater Cemetery. Further research by CWGC, the National Army Museum and JCCC confirmed their findings. 

The service was conducted by the Reverend Jason Clarke MBE CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment. He said: “These men laid down their lives in the service of others.

“Each one a precious soul, each one loved and cherished by family and friends; and now each one known and honoured by name by us in that honoured rest they so deserve for the service they gave to others.”

The headstones over the graves were replaced by CWGC.  

CWGC said: ‘Caring for the graves of these courageous men is both an honour and a privilege for the CWGC.

‘Their stories, uncovered through meticulous research, serve as powerful reminders of their bravery and dedication. The CWGC remains steadfast in its commitment to preserving their memory in perpetuity.’

Graves of six soldiers identified on the Western Front

The graves of six soldiers from Welsh regiments, who went missing in France and Belgium during World War One, have now been marked more than a century after their deaths

Though all six soldiers had been buried at the times of their deaths, their names had been lost. Their graves were only identified recently after researchers submitted cases to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC). 

Further research by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, the CWGC, and the National Army Museum, used sources such as war diaries, service records, grave registration reports and other documents. Following this, the original findings were confirmed allowing each soldier to be commemorated by name. 

The grave rededication services were organised by JCCC, and saw named headstones provided for Second Lieutenant (2/Lt) Noel Osbourne Jones; 2/Lt Herbert Taggart; Private (Pte) Lionel Grove and Captain (Capt) Clifford Nichols, all of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, as well as Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Arthur Dowding of the Monmouthshire Regiment and Pte George Price of the South Wales Borderers. The services were attended by serving soldiers and representatives of The Royal Welsh. 

The services were held in France on 2 July at CWGC’s Bellicourt British Cemetery and Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, as well as in Belgium, on 3 July, at Bedford House Cemetery and Chester Farm Cemetery. The family of Captain Nichols attended. 

JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said: “Researching these six men and getting to know their individual war stories has been a fascinating journey. It has been a privilege to have played a part in the conclusion of those stories and to know that their families finally have answers to what happened to them. 

2/Lt Noel Osborne-Jones, 2/Lt Herbert Taggart, and Pte Lionel Grove were all killed on 8 May 1916 while conducting a trench raid. Their bodies were recovered by the Germans and buried by them at Fournes, before being moved to the Cabaret Rouge Cemetery after the war.

Unfortunately, the Germans did not know their names, and as such they identified their bodies only by rank and regiment. Following the war, all three men were named on the Memorial to the Missing at Loos. 

L/Cpl Dowding was killed in action near Ramicourt in October 1918, just weeks before the end of the war. Although he was buried at the time of his death, key information about his grave was lost in the chaos of conflict, and after the war he was named on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial. 

The military party stands behind the headstone of L/Cpl Dowding (Crown Copyright)

Captain Nichols was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele on 31 July 1917. At the time of his death, he was listed as a member of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who had been attached to 164 Machine Gun Company.

His body was recovered from an unmarked field grave near Spree Farm in 1923, and his rank and regiment were identified by his buttons and badges. Unfortunately, there was nothing to indicate his name at the time, and he was buried as an unknown officer.

Following the war, Capt. Nichols was commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres. 

The family of Captain Nichols stands with the military party at the graveside (Crown Copyright)

Private Price was killed in action near Hill 60, Belgium in October 1917. He was originally buried in a field grave, but by the end of the war all recordings of his name had been lost.

He was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.  

Wreaths and flowers laid at the grave of Pte Price (Crown Copyright)

The services were conducted by The Reverend Richard Mutter CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh. The Reverend Richard Mutter CF said: “To restore the names to these young men and to honour their sacrifice here in this place is a very special thing.

“I am pleased to have led these services of rededication and to help close the final chapter of these men’s stories.”

The headstones over the graves were replaced by CWGC. Xavier Puppinck, France Area Director at CWGC, said: “It is an honour for the CWGC to care for the graves of these six valiant soldiers of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the Monmouthshire Regiment and the South Wales Borderers who went missing in France and Belgium during World War One.

“They paid the ultimate price while fighting on the Western Front, more than 100 years ago. And now it is our privilege and duty to care for their graves in perpetuity.”

Edinburgh Gunner laid to rest more than 100 years after his death

TWO WORLD WAR ONE SOLDIERS BURIED IN FRANCE

Two soldiers, whose remains were found in a cave, have been laid to rest with full military honours more than a century after their deaths. One of them is from Edinburgh.

The service for Serjeant (Sjt) John Smith, of Gloucestershire, and Gunner (Gnr) Charles Lightfoot, of Edinburgh, was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’. 

It was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Vendresse British Cemetery, France yesterday (13 June 2024). 

Bearer Party led by Battery Sergeant Major P. Kinsey (Crown Copyright)

In 2015, French archaeologists working in caves near Chassemy noted an inscription on the cave wall:  

15 Sept 1914 

Here lies Sjt Smith and 3 Gnrs 

29th Battery RFA

Despite the reference to four casualties, excavations revealed just two sets of remains. Research, genealogy and DNA testing have now found those remains to be Sjt Smith and Gnr Lightfoot.  

Sjt Smith and Gnr Lightfoot were professional soldiers in the 29th Battery Royal Field Artillery. They arrived in Rouen just days after war broke out in 1914. Their unit worked their way east towards Belgium, and then south towards the Aisne and by mid-September they were fighting around the Aisne area. 

On 13 September the troops marched from Cerseuil and halted at about 8.30am just north of Braine. German shells were bursting on the road, but they continued to Brenelle, and halted at midday until 5.30pm.

They stayed the night of September 13 to 14 in Brenelle and were then brought into action just north of the Chassemy to Brenelle Road. The Battery was heavily shelled and afterwards moved position. At dusk the Brigade moved to the east of the Braine to Brenelle Road. 

The war diaries make no reference to casualties during these dates, but other records show the 29th Battery lost four men between 13 and 14 September. Evidence shows that a gun position was hit by a shell on 13 September, and this killed at least two.

The men known to have been killed by the shell were Sjt Smith and Gnr Lightfoot, whilst the other two men who died that day were Gnr Adams and Gnr Blyth.

By the end of the war their burial place was unknown, and all four were listed on the memorial to the missing at La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre. Whilst Smith and Lightfoot have now been identified unfortunately Gunners Blyth and Adams remain missing. 

Alexia Clark, MOD War Detective said: “It has been a privilege to work on this case, and to be able to give these men the dignified burial they deserve, whilst offering closure to their family members.

“I am grateful to Sjt Smith’s cousin and Gnr Lightfoot’s great-nephew for offering their DNA to allow us to identify these men, and for the input other members of the families have offered to create a truly special service for them today.

“Whilst Gnrs Adams and Blyth remain unfound, we have also been able to remember them today, and acknowledge their sacrifice alongside that of their comrades.”

The military party and families of Sjt Smith and Gnr Lightfoot at the graveside (Crown Copyright)

Reverend Roger Grafton, Chaplain to 14th Regiment Royal Artillery said: “I am so excited to have been asked to take part in this ceremony at Vendresse.

“Last year I was asked to be involved in the burial of an unknown soldier at the Guard’s Cemetery in Lesboeufs, so to be invited to take part again so quickly after that is a real honour.

“I have served with the Royal Artillery for the last 10 years as a chaplain, and one of the Gunners’ straplines is “once a Gunner, always a Gunner. To be able to lay two of our own to rest today after so many years is a particular privilege.”

Head of Commemorations at the CWGC, Mel Donnelly, said: “We are thankful to everyone involved in helping to identify Sjt Smith and Gnr Lightfoot. 

“It was moving and fitting to see them buried with full military honours at Vendresse British Cemetery, and we will care for their graves in perpetuity.”

Officer Of The Cheshire Regiment Killed In World War One Laid To Rest In France

A young soldier who worked as a schoolteacher and played for Bolton Wanderers Football Club has finally been laid to rest in France along with two unknown soldiers, nearly 110 years after his death

Second Lieutenant (2ndLt) James Arthur Greenhalgh, of 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment, was buried with full military honours in a service organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’.

The service was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner near Neuve-Chapelle on 22 May 2024. 

Rosie Barron, MOD War Detective said: “It has been an honour to have worked with The Mercian Regiment, which today recruits from Cheshire, to organise the burial of 2ndLt Greenhalgh and these two unknown soldiers, and to have played a part in the identification of 2ndLt Greenhalgh.

“Although two of these men were sadly not identifiable, the Greenhalgh family now have answers as to what happened to their relative and he now rests in Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner alongside his comrades.”

2ndLt Greenhalgh, who came from Bolton, Lancashire, and had played for Bolton Wanderers Football Club, was killed on 22 October 1914 in the village of Violaines. 

At 5:30 hours the enemy attacked their positions on the outskirts of the village. The alarm was raised by a patrol from D Company, but their trenches were rushed before they could resist and bayonet fighting ensued. The entire battalion was forced to retire with six Officers and 209 other ranks missing, many of whom were taken prisoner. 

2ndLt Greenhalgh was reported later to have been in the trenches and to have been shot in the head. He was 25 years old. 

His men were unable to recover him and, after the enemy had captured the village, a serjeant of The Norfolk Regiment was taken by a German Officer to the location where 2ndLt Greenhalgh had fallen and allowed to bury his body. After the war no trace of 2ndLt Greenhalgh’s grave was found, and as he was listed as missing. He was commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.  

In 2020, the remains of three soldiers were found on the outskirts of Violaines during the construction of a new housing estate. Although two of the soldiers had no artefacts on them which would lead to their identification, one was believed to have been an Officer of The Cheshire Regiment. After DNA testing, this casualty was identified as 2ndLt Greenhalgh.  

The service was attended by members of 2ndLt Greenhalgh’s family. His great niece, Joanna Potts, was unable to attend the service, but placed a personal inscription on behalf of the family on his headstone. 

Joanna Potts, great niece of 2ndLt Greenhalgh said: “Hearing my Great Uncle had finally been found after all this time, has been an unexpected and surprisingly emotional time.

“We are so grateful that he will now be laid to rest and commemorated for the sacrifice he gave for us all.”

The coffin of Second Lieutenant Greenhalgh was carried to the graveside by serving soldiers of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Crown Copyright)

The coffin of 2ndLt Greenhalgh was carried through the cemetery by serving soldiers of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment and the service was conducted by the Rev Gary Birch CF, Chaplain to 19 Regiment Royal Artillery said: “I have officiated at a number of WW1 burials of both known and unknown service personnel, and each one is special and important in their own right.

“Being able to honour them and finally show them the proper dignity and respect they deserve reminds us of the fragility of life and gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect and learn the lessons of past conflict.”

The coffin of Second Lieutenant Greenhalgh is lowered onto the grave (Crown Copyright)

The graves will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC. Xavier Puppinck, Director for the France Area at the CWGC, said:  “We are honoured to have played our part in helping to lay these exceptionally brave men to rest, more than 110 years after they put their lives on the line in Violaines.”

Dundee Soldier Buried With Military Honours

A World War 1 soldier from Dundee who was identified in part through possible tartan fragments and a thistle brooch, has finally been laid to rest with full military honours.

More than a century after his death, Private (Pte) David Valentine Gemmell, who served with The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), was buried at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC), Woburn Abbey today 15 May 2024.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’.

In 2019 two casualties were recovered by the CWGC following a call from a farmer in the village of Cuinchy who had been ploughing his field and discovered what he thought could be WW1 casualties. The remains were close to the recovery site of a casualty JCCC has earlier identified as a Lance Corporal from 1st Battalion Black Watch killed on 25 January 1915.

Research focused on the period between 25 January and 6 February 1915 when the British front line was approximately at the recovery location. The artefacts confirmed the casualties were British and, although none identified a regiment, some suggested a Scottish connection, a link to The Black Watch – including pieces of possible tartan, a thistle brooch – and possible previous military service.

Tracey Bowers, MOD War Detectives’ case lead said: “The presence of a spoon with the service number 3800 was of great help and enabled us to narrow down the list of candidates.

“We always have to be mindful; a spoon found near a casualty doesn’t always mean they were the owner. In this case, following DNA we were able to confirm the identity of 3800 Pte Gemmell who was killed on 25 January.

“Due to the number of artefacts found alongside the two casualties it is possible they were either sleeping in a dugout or holding the line. The weather and conditions in January 1915 were known to be cold, wet and very difficult for the infantry soldiers who were trying to hold the advancing enemy.”

Despite DNA testing the second casualty has not yet been identified but research and genealogy is on-going.

The Gemmell family said: “It is both a privilege and honour to be here today to see our Grandfather and Great Grandfather buried.

“A beautifully emotional occasion we were here not just to remember Private Gemmell but the unknown soldier alongside him. We would like to thank all those involved in particular the Regiment, 3 Scots, JCCC and the local community.”

Major Patrick Marshall (3 Scots) presents the flag to Pte Gemmell’s grandchildren (Crown Copyright)

Reverend Geoffrey Berry CF, Chaplain to The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland said: “Reveille, the traditional bugle call for the bearer party to return to work is also the ringing call to their colleague Private David Gemmell who they have just lowered, to rise in glory into the presence of the Lord.“

The grave of Pte David Gemmell will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.

The military party and other invited guests stand with the family of Pte Gemmell (Crown Copyright)

Xavier Puppinck, France Area Director CWGC, said: “We are profoundly privileged to stand here today, united in reverence as Private (Pte) David Valentine Gemmell is laid to rest.

“His selfless sacrifice and unwavering service are forever etched in the annals of history and in the sacred stones of the Commonwealth War Graves Woburn Abbey Cemetery. May his legacy endure under our unwavering care and commitment.”

PICTURED (TOP) Artefacts belonging to Pte Gemmell which were presented to his family after the service (Crown Copyright)

Three Great War soldiers buried with full military honours in Belgium

More than a century after his death, Lance Serjeant Robert Brand, a 24-year-old Glaswegian soldier has finally been laid to rest with full military honours in Belgium. He was buried alongside two unknown soldiers from the same regiment.

The burial service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Messines Ridge Cemetery, Belgium yesterday (25 October 2023).

Tracey Bowers, JCCC Case lead, said: “Robert served his Country for the entirety of the War and paid the ultimate sacrifice, I am honoured to have worked on this case and be here today to pay my respects.

“It is always disappointing not to identify all soldiers but we will keep trying.”

The three soldiers were recovered by archaeologists working in Neuve Eglise, Belgium, as part of a potato farm expansion project. Artefacts found nearby identified them as soldiers from the 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry.

Other finds indicated they died after August 1916; this information combined with that from battalion war diaries and other records, narrowed their dates of death to a period between 13-15 April 1918. This was during the Battle of the Lys.

A shortlist of potential candidates was drawn up using the finds, anthropological information and documentary evidence. Then efforts were made to trace the descendants of eight of the regiment’s men listed as missing and who matched all the available evidence. Lance Serjeant Robert Brand was positively identified through the DNA testing of his descendants.

Robert Brand was born on 13 September 1893 in Stirling, to William McPhail Brand and Christina Johnston Arthur. He was the eldest of 12 children. He had first gone to France with the army in November 1914, and in 1916 he was hospitalised with a gunshot wound to the neck. Following this, he was entitled to wear a wound stripe on his uniform.

This wound stripe was one of the critical artefacts in helping to identify him as one of these casualties.

Caroline Smith, Great Niece, said: “The Brand Family is honoured and humbled to be able to attend the burial of our Uncle, Lance Serjeant Robert Brand and two of his fellow soldiers. It is amazing how remains have been found after all these decades.

“We would like to thank the JCCC whom have guided us through the process of DNA and organising the burial. Also thank you to the Regiment for being here to support and honour. Last of all thank you Uncle Robert, who fought for our country and our family. We are very proud and grateful.”

The service was supported by members of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland who provided the bearer party, Piper and Bugler.

Conducting the service, Rev’d David Jeal, chaplain said: “It is a great honour and privilege to finally lay our soldiers from World War 1 to rest.

“We remember their sacrifice and have given them the full military burial they deserved, something I and all 2 SCOTS soldiers present will never forget.”

The graves of Lance Serjeant Brand and the two unknown soldiers will be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.

Geert Bekaert Commonwealth War Graves Commission Area Director said: “It is a profound honour to now care for the graves of Lance Serjeant Robert Brand and his fellow soldiers from the 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, at Messines Ridge Cemetery, Belgium.

“The Commonwealth War Graves Commission reaffirms its commitment to preserving their memory in perpetuity and their burial today reminds us of the enduring legacy of all those who served during the First World War.”

Among the soldiers who remain unidentified, one possible individual is Private Robert Campbell. The JCCC would like to appeal to any family members who believe they could be related to a Pte Robert Campbell who served with the 9th Glasgow Highland Light Infantry to get in touch.

They fell at Paschendaele: Three Great War soldiers buried in Belgium

More than a century after his death, Private (Pte) William James Meager, a 38 year old soldier from Bloomsbury in London, has finally been laid to rest with full military honours alongside two other unknown British soldiers.

The service, organised by the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Belgium yesterday (27 September, ‘23).

The remains were discovered in August 2019 during a commercial archaeological dig, which was being conducted prior to development on the site. Along with the remains, they discovered various regimental insignia of the former Middlesex Regiment.

The Middlesex Regiment cap badge which helped to identify Private Meager. (Crown Copyright).

JCCC research and DNA testing identified one set of remains as Pte Meager: reported missing on 18 August 1917 during the early stages of the Battle of Passchendaele.

With no remains recovered at the time of his death, he was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. Despite extensive additional testing, the other two men were not able to be identified so have been buried as unknown soldiers of unknown regiments.

Nicola Nash, JCCC case lead said: “Although it was disappointing to not name all three men, we are thrilled to finally lay Pte Meager to rest. The Battle of Passchendaele is best known for the horrendous conditions that the soldiers had to fight through and the huge number of casualties. 

“Pte Meager and these two unknown soldiers tragically lost their lives during this battle. Today, we honour their sacrifice and pay tribute to their memory”.

Members of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment travelled from the UK to lay their fellow soldiers to rest.

Members of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment bringing in the coffin of Private Meager. (Crown Copyright).

Alan and Kathleen Meager, great nephew of Pte Meager and Alan’s wife, said: “We feel extremely honoured to be one of the lucky families whose relative has been found.

“We are so thankful for all the amazing work that has been done to identify William and for the respect shown by the local people of Belgium.”

The service was conducted by the Reverend Paul Collins, 3rd Battalion, The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (PWRR). The Reverend Collins said: “It is wonderful to know that men and women of our armed forces are not forgotten even when they died so long ago.

“Being able to lay them to rest and conduct the military funeral honouring their sacrifice will be a highlight of my ministry within the Royal Army Chapins Department.”

The graves of Pte Meager and the two unknown soldiers will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.

Director for Central and Southern Europe at the CWGC, Geert Bekaert, said: “Since his death we have ensured Pte Meager has not been forgotten, but today we are very glad to be able to finally lay him to rest along with two of his comrades at our cemetery.

“We will care for their graves in perpetuity.”

More than 100 years on, Great War stretcher bearer buried in Belgium

More than a century after his death, Private (Pte) Robert Kenneth Malcolm, a 23-year-old stretcher bearer from Stockton-on-Tees, has finally been laid to rest with full military honours and his war medals presented to his family.

Private Malcolm’s cloth orderly patch which indicated he was a stretcher bearer. Copyright Ruben Willaert nv

The burial service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Bedford House Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium on 10 May 2023.

Pte Malcolm is borne to his final resting place by officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Crown copyright

His unidentified remains were recovered from a shell hole outside a German blockhouse in Fusilier Wood, near Klein-Zillebeke, Belgium in 2019. Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) insignia and a ‘Medical Orderly’ cloth patch were also recovered, indicating the soldier may have been a stretcher bearer.

Private Malcolm’s cap badge. Copyright Ruben Willaert nv

After extensive research carried out by JCCC and DNA testing, the remains were identified as Pte Malcolm who was reported missing on 6 August 1917 – believed killed during shelling. With no remains recovered at the time of his death, he had been commemorated on the Menin Gate.

Rosie Barron, JCCC case lead said: “The identification of Pte Malcolm was a long and at times complicated task, so it is very satisfying to have organised his burial service today and to have seen a positive conclusion to this case.

“Stretcher bearers such as Pte Malcolm were vital to the war effort. Without their dedication and bravery, many more men would have died on the battlefields. 

“Pte Malcolm came from a large family. His mother and siblings died unaware of his fate and memory of Pte Malcolm had been lost through the generations. It has been a privilege therefore to have his great great nieces here today to see him laid to rest and to know that he will be remembered by future generations of his family who will now be able to visit his grave.”

Records uncovered during Rosie’s investigation showed that though Pte Malcolm’s medals were sent to his mother after the war, they were not delivered and so were returned and destroyed. The MOD Medal Office (MODMO) has therefore been able to reissue his 1914 Star with Clasp ‘5 Aug – 22 Nov 1914’, often referred to as ‘the Mons Star’, and the British War Medal and Victory Medal (Please note: photos of the medals are unavailable but for more information please visit the IWM website.

They were placed on top of the coffin as Pte Malcolm was carried to his grave, and afterwards they, and the flag which covered his casket, were presented to his family by Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) Adam Gregory of 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital, who led the bearer party.

An officer of the Royal Army Medical Corps presents Pte Malcolm’s service medals to his great great niece Linda Jordan. Crown copyright

Linda Jordan, Pte Malcolm’s great great niece, was one of two family members who provided positive DNA matches. She, and her sister, attended the burial service.

Linda said: Getting a letter five months ago from JCCC suggesting I could be related to a fallen WW1 soldier, whose body had been recently discovered, was quite a shock. My family was unaware that our great grandmother had eleven siblings, one of whom was Pte Malcolm.

“It is fascinating how we were traced and the link confirmed through DNA testing. As Pte Malcolm had been missing for so long it was amazing and quite emotional to see the care that all those in the wider Army family have taken to identify and honour him. We were privileged to represent his family at his funeral. It is our way of respecting him and acknowledging the sacrifice he, and so many others, made in service of our country.

WO2 Gregory said: “It is an honour and an overwhelming privilege to be part of this burial service for a fallen WW1 comrade from the RAMC. Pte Malcolm has been placed alongside his brothers in arms whom all paid the ultimate sacrifice for their King and country. 

“Pte Malcolm was a regular RAMC soldier supporting the citizen volunteers in a new Army unit. This is part of an historic event, and it is very befitting that a mix of Regular Army and Army Reservists from 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital have carried him on his final journey.”

The service was conducted by the Reverend Andrew Grant, Chaplain to 5th Regiment Royal Artillery, and a bearer party from 202 (Midlands) Field Hospital RAMC bore the coffin to the graveside.

The Reverend Grant said: “I am greatly honoured to have been asked to conduct the burial service for Pte Robert Kenneth Malcolm of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

“The continuing work of identifying the remains of those killed in the World War 1, and bestowing upon them the full honours of a proper burial, are key to reminding ourselves that, despite the unimaginable numbers lost in the conflict, each soul whose life was cut short was a precious human being, and loved by someone.

“This can be so easily forgotten when death back then was meted out on such an industrial scale.”

Pte Malcolm is guarded by officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps before burial. Crown copyright

The grave of Pte Malcolm will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.

Head of Commemorations Casework at the CWGC, Mel Donnelly, said: “We are very grateful to our partners in Belgium who conducted the painstaking excavation of the site near Fusilier Wood.

“Their professionalism ensured that the remains of a Commonwealth soldier recovered together with his insignia, enabling Private Malcolm to be identified. He can now be laid to rest alongside his comrades.”

Seven soldiers of the Great War finally laid to rest

The Menin Gate, Ypres

Six Commonwealth soldiers and a German soldier who all died during World War One were buried yesterday (Thursday 30 June 2022) in a joint ceremony with the Canadian authorities more than a century after their deaths.

The service, which was the largest of its kind this year, 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) New Irish Farm cemetery in Ypres, Belgium.

The remains were previously recovered from two distinct sites close to one another near the village of St Julien during a planned archaeological dig. One set contained a casualty of the Newfoundland Regiment, a Royal Inniskilling Fusilier, a Hampshire soldier and an unknown soldier of an unknown regiment.

The Canadian authorities have managed (through DNA) to name their soldier as Private John Lambert (Newfoundland Regiment) who died on 16 August 1917. Sadly, both the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Hampshire Regiment have too many casualties killed on 16 August 1917 for the JCCC to be able to attempt identification.

The second set contained the remains of three casualties: an unknown Royal Fusilier, an unknown soldier of unknown regiment and an unknown German soldier. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to establish their date of death.

Louise Dorr, MOD JCCC Caseworker said: “This has been a long and challenging investigation for us. It’s a matter of great sadness to me personally, that we haven’t been able to identify any of the British soldiers or the German casualty.

“Whoever they were, they were somebody’s son, brother, husband or father. It’s especially poignant that we are burying old enemies together. They all paid the ultimate price of war, and their sacrifice must never be forgotten.”

!!3
A British soldier lies side by side to a German casualty. Crown copyright.

The British bearer party was provided by the First Fusiliers whilst the musicians were from the Royal Irish Regiment. The firing party was provided by the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. These three regiments are the modern-day equivalents of the Royal Fusiliers, the Royal Hampshire Regiment and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Louise added: “The soldiers taking part in today’s service can see they walk in the footsteps of the giants who went before them.“

The service was conducted jointly by the Reverend Gary Watt, Chaplain to the First Fusiliers and Father Shawn Daley of the Canadian Army.

The graves will now be marked by seven headstones provided by the CWGC.

!!2
The service was conducted jointly by the Reverend Gary Watt, Chaplain to the First Fusiliers and Father Shawn Daley of the Canadian Army. Crown copyright.

Liz Woodfield, Director of External Relations at the CWGC, said: Today these men have been buried at our cemetery alongside their comrades, with respect and dignity.

“We are honoured to be able to formally recognise Private John Lambert, and although it has not been possible to identify the other casualties, we pay tribute to the ultimate sacrifice they have made. We will ensure the graves of these brave soldiers are cared for with dedication, in perpetuity.”