Drummy Posted 11 June , 2009 Share Posted 11 June , 2009 With the well known Point du Jour discovery in 2001 of 20 British soldiers (Grimsby Chums?), the large number of British, French etc soldiers found by the Diggers at Boesinge, Belgium and the current recovery of up to 400 British and Australian troops at Fromelles, I am sure there have been other notable WW1 discoveries, here are a few examples I have listed, I find the subject fascinating as these discoveries provide a direct link and reminder to the first war. Out of interest has anyone got any other examples since, say the 1960’s, of discoveries on the Western Front and in other theatres. Pte Harry Wilkinson, 2/LF (1914) discovered in 2000 (Prowse point) Pte Richard Lancaster, 2/LF (1914) discovered in 2006 (Prowse point) Pte George Nugent, 22/NF (1916), discovered in 1998 (Ovillers Military Cemetery) 25 of the crew of HM Sub E24 (1916) found when the wreck was raised in 1974 (Hamburg Ohlsdorf cemetery) Pte John Hunter and Sgt George Calder, Australian soldiers, found with 3 unknown soldiers (all died 1917) at Westhoeke in 2006 (Buttes New British Cemetery) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummy Posted 16 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Another soldier, story featured in trench detectives, Private Jack Willoughby, Lord Strathcona's Horse (1918) found in 1986 (now buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery). Any more examples out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 These men, now buried at Terlinchthun, were found by an old friend of mine back in 1982. At that time it was the largest discovery of soldiers for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummy Posted 16 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Thanks Paul, really interesting picture, do you know more of the circumstances in which the soldiers were found? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 They were all found in a field, never ploughed since the war, at the rear of Ovillers Military Cemetery. My old friend Yves, a CWGC gardener, was asked to clear the field of shells and the bodies were found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockney tone Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Paul, Thanks for posting the picture, I had read ages ago about these chaps being discovered , just seems a shame that they were not buried closer to where they were found! Regards and best wishes, Scottie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 In those days Terlincthun was the only open cemetery in France, so all soldiers were buried here, no where they were found. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockney tone Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Paul, not wanting to hijack the thread but what ones are classed as open on the Somme at the moment? I was fortunate to attend a burial at Serre a couple of years ago and was just wondering what the policy was? Regards and best wishes, Scottie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Scottie - the policy changed in the ?late 1990s. Soldiers were then buried as close as possible to where they were found. The Royal Fusiliers at Monchy le Preux were an example of that in c.1998. This policy continues to this day. In Belgium the only open cemetery was Cement House, and again the policy for that changed, but I think that was after 2000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Banning Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Pte John Hunter and Sgt George Calder, Australian soldiers, found with 3 unknown soldiers (all died 1917) at Westhoeke in 2006 (Buttes New British Cemetery) You missed off that one of the 3 unknown soldiers was later identified by DNA. His name is Private George Storey and his headstone has been amended accordingly. See the website below for details concerning the Zonnebeke Five. http://www.polygonwood.com/Polygon%20Wood%...nnebeke%205.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockney tone Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Paul, thanks for clarifying the position, nice to know the policy has changed. Regards and best wishes, Scottie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Don’t forget the 200+ discovered on or near the site of the industrial site at Boezinge, Flanders and excavated by the group called "The Diggers" Regards Norman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummy Posted 16 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Jeremy - many thanks for the info regarding Storey I was not aware of that, Paul - Thanks for the update, is the 1982 find the largest in the last few decades (excluding Boesinge & Fromelles) and did it attract much media attention at the time of find / reburial? Many thanks Neil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummy Posted 16 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Just had a look re info for the Royal Fusiliers, 27 soldiers of the 13th Bn, Royal Fusiliers were found at Monchy le Preux in 1998, two of them identified, Pte's Frank King and George Anderson. (Monchy British Cemetery). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 16 June , 2009 Share Posted 16 June , 2009 Paul - Thanks for the update, is the 1982 find the largest in the last few decades (excluding Boesinge & Fromelles) and did it attract much media attention at the time of find / reburial? Many thanks Neil. There was very little media attention, aside from an article in the Courier Picard. In those far off days the media was not that interested in anything to do with the Great War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 17 June , 2009 Admin Share Posted 17 June , 2009 I think I'm right that this man was a late find too http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...asualty=4028846 Jack White AIF rings a bell and don't forget John Kipling............... Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummy Posted 17 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2009 found a few more examples - Australian soldier found near St. Yves on 6th August 2008 during archaeological digs by Bradford University students. Three Canadian soldiers found near Hallu, France in 2007 Pte Herbert Peterson, Canadian, & another unknown soldier found near Vimy Ridge in 2003. Couple of allied examples Five French soldiers found near Fricourt in 2007 (reburied Albert?) Pvt Francis Lupo, US Infantry, who died in 1918, was found in 2003 and reburied at Arlington National Cemetery in 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 I think I'm right that this man was a late find too http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...asualty=4028846 Jack White AIF rings a bell and don't forget John Kipling............... Michelle Yes, I went to Jack White's funeral. That was in c.1996/97. He was found at Bullecourt and reburied in Queant Road Cemetery. Around 2000 I also attended the funeral of two Scottish soldiers, both unknown, who were re-buried in London Cemetery, High Wood. They were found by German military historian Dr Alex Fasse, while he was walking the ground around Longueval. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 These photos are from 2003 at AIF Burial Ground, Flers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 17 June , 2009 Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Jack White AIF rings a bell A video was produced of Jack White's funeral. A grey and murky day, it seemed to suit quite well for the reburial. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummy Posted 17 June , 2009 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2009 Hi Michelle, Had a quick look re Jack White - Sgt Jack James White, 22nd Australian Infantry, Killed 03/05/15, found near Bullecourt in 1994 and reburied at Queant Road Cemetery in 1995. In respect of Sgt David Kitto, RAMC, have you any further details? Thanks Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 18 June , 2009 Share Posted 18 June , 2009 Private Russell Bosisto 27th Battalion AIF was found in 1998 and buried at Courcelette British Cemetery Four Australians were discovered in March 2003, near Merris. Two of the four soldiers were identified as: Lieutenant Christopher Champion and Corporal Ernest Corby of the 3rd Battalion AIF. All were buried at Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension. Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 18 June , 2009 Admin Share Posted 18 June , 2009 Neil, I'm afraid not, it must have been early-mid 80s and I think he was found near Cambrai. I was hoping that Paul Reed would step in and help my crumbling brain cells out on this one. Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dongough Posted 12 July , 2009 Share Posted 12 July , 2009 Private William Robert Tedford, 3233, 47th Battalion AIF (My grandfather's older brother) Reported missing in action 5th April 1918, Dernancourt, France His remains, together with those of two others, were found beside a railway line at Dernancourt in the Somme, France on 13 September 1978 The other soldiers were identified as Private A C H Rockliff, 7225 Private J Moore, 3012 The intermingled remains of the three were re-buried in a collective grave (Plot 13, Row F, Grave No's 10 & 11) in Terlincthun British Cenetary, Wimille, France. All three served in the 47th Battalion AIF & were all previously commemorated on the Villiers Bretonneux Memorial in France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdeayton Posted 22 January , 2010 Share Posted 22 January , 2010 Dear Don I have some informastion on Adye Rockliff and would be interested in knowing more about the circumstances of the discovery and subsequent re-interment. My history of the 47th Battalion will be published this year. You can find me at: principal@mackillop.tas.edu.au Craig Deayton Private William Robert Tedford, 3233, 47th Battalion AIF (My grandfather's older brother) Reported missing in action 5th April 1918, Dernancourt, France His remains, together with those of two others, were found beside a railway line at Dernancourt in the Somme, France on 13 September 1978 The other soldiers were identified as Private A C H Rockliff, 7225 Private J Moore, 3012 The intermingled remains of the three were re-buried in a collective grave (Plot 13, Row F, Grave No's 10 & 11) in Terlincthun British Cenetary, Wimille, France. All three served in the 47th Battalion AIF & were all previously commemorated on the Villiers Bretonneux Memorial in France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now