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Remembered Today:

new bodies have been found ....Beaucamp ligny


gilles

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Hi Norman

Met the Family last night did not get chance to read email yesterday got a reply from Sheffield Star, he thinks it would be a good idea,

to contact a national paper with the story?

any idea which national paper Norman ?

I will get on with it before they meet in December might give them a boost ?

Frank

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Hi Frank I am no expert as concerns the Press but I would suggest that the Sheffield Star should be able to take the story forward as they are owned by the Johnston Press who also own the Yorkshire Post and even if the story is not published in that title then it could be syndicated to other national newspapers including the Daily Mail which whilst its website can be padded out with celebrity tittle-tattle has also covered such stories in the past. Perhaps other members will have some suggestion.

Regards

Norman

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Norman

Drafting a letter getting my private secretary to do it over week end ( another of Larretts grand- daughters )

Larrett

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Nice one Frank I am sure you will mention the great success at Fromelles with the use of DNA, the unacceptable time-scale for attempted identification of British remains and the complete veil of secrecy from the MOD and CWGC as regards the complete lack of any news of discoveries being put in the public domain.

You obviously have some excellent secretarial staff :thumbsup:

Norman

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...mind you I did contact a fair few people!.

Having just re-discovered it (Click) has the 'All-Party Parliamentary War Heritage Group' or any of its members been contacted? its website claims (Click):

"Fromelles: involvement of the Group helped ensure that the highest standards were applied in the recovery of the lost soldiers, leading to the construction of the first CWGC cemetery for 50 years (2007–2010)."

Peter Doyle & Peter Barton - who must be aware of the situation - are given as being co-secretaries, but, because of their position with the group, might not be able to raise the issue of the Beaucamp ligny fifteen (and the remains of others held in 'Limbo') without it having first been raised with them by third parties (I have absolutely no idea of the ethics or rules which might apply to such Parliamentary groups)

NigelS

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Thanks Nigel, emails sent to the Chairman, Peter Doyle and Peter Barton as Post 255 with added info about the proposed meeting in London during Decemberr to discuss DNA profiling.

Norman

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Hi Norman

Reply from from some poor secretary, from Veteran Agency. (Poor Lass)

15 November 2011

Dear Mr Wood

Thank you for your email of 28 October .received via the MOD UK website regarding the discovery of the remains of

15 soldiers at Beaucamps-ligny in Nothern France,Your email has been forwarded to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in veiw

of the Agency's responsibility for Veterans Welfare issues and I have been asked to reply

I can confirm that the remains found at Beaucamps-Ligny in France in October 2009 are still in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission(CWGC) at Arras.

we are currently working with the CWGC and the York & Lancaster Regiment to formally identify them and once the identification has taken place, the CWGC will decide

where they will be laid to rest. At the present time ,I am unable to confirm where they will be buried. However .I can confirm that they are normally buried in the cemetery

Nearest to where they were found.

It is hoped the burial will take place in October 2014, the 100th anniversary of the death of the brave soldiers.

I am sorry I am unable to offer you any futher information but hope I have clarified the current situation for you

Yours sincerely

C Spooner

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The standard reply Frank but at least by asking the question the authorities are made aware that the story of the BL-15 is truly in the public domain and people are watching the situation with great interest and concern for the future fate of the soldiers. The worst case scenario would be for us to do nothing and to give a free hand to the MOD in conjunction with the CWGC to bury the soldiers as unknowns after waiting a considerable time in order that nobody will be any the wiser. Members should be left in no doubt that this is exactly what happened in the past because even the CWGC did not report the fact that such burials were occurring in their war cemeteries..

Regards

Norman

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A very quick reply from Peter Doyle (Post 334)

I will bring this matter to the attention of the chairman, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, and will write again once this has been considered.

Yours sincerely

Peter Doyle

Professor Peter Doyle Cgeol

Secretary, All Party Parliamentary War Heritage Group

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Excellent work Frank, I hope very much that the newspaper will take this up. Whatever the response is I am sure you will let us know. The fact that your Grandfather had at one time been a footballer for Huddersfield Town should itself grab the editors attention.

Best regards

Norman

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It is hoped the burial will take place in October 2014, the 100th anniversary of the death of the brave soldiers.

I am afraid that this gets my goat.

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I would think that most if not all of us agree with that sentiment Chris, in my opinion this inane idea was quickly dreamed up after three years of non-action by the authorities I suspect as a reaction to the pressure being applied from many quarters.

Norman

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I understand that you would like people to contact their MPs. Would it be possible, please, for someone to set out a summary of the situation and what you would like MPs to do? I am very happy to write, but I'm sure I'm not alone in not feeling able to face wading through fourteen pages of posts to pick out the salient details.

I don't want a sample letter; in my experience of organising MP campaigning, letters which are copied and pasted don't have the impact of individually composed letters. Just some bullet points would be perfect.

I wonder whether a fresh thread asking people to consider writing letters might raise awareness of the issues. I'm afraid 'New bodies ... found' didn't persuade me to click until today.

Just one point; my contacts with MPs showed that the first letter is likely to get a 'will refer on' reply. It's the second letter you write to follow that response which tends to get more personal attention. Even if the MP doesn't act in the way you hope, the letter will be read by her or his staff and so the problem will be known to a wider audience.

Has anyone asked for an EDM? I haven't looked. Or even an Adjournment Debate?

Gwyn

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Hi Norman

Just replied to "Huddersfield Examiner" .

The seem to be very interested all been well might be published tomorrow .

Grandad Larrett played 1913/14, 19 appearances 1 cup match,then went to war.

The report another player also was killed, he came from Tinsley Sheffield of all places that was about

mile from each other.

Frank

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Received today from Jim Murphy MP, Shadow Defence Secretary

Thank you for detailing this case and highlighting the difficulties individuals have been having in getting answers. As Shadow Defence Secretary I have tabled the below Parliamentary Questions on this subject:

What efforts have been made to identify the human remains found at Beauchamps-Ligny in France in November 2009

What representations has he received regarding the identification of the human remains found at Beauchamps-Ligny in France in November 2009

What system of DNA matching does the MoD use in seeking to identify human remains, prior to burial

How many individuals have been identified as deceased UK Service personnel following the discovery of human remains in each year since 2005

Parliamentary convention only allows me to act on behalf of those individuals living within my own constituency. It is therefore not possible for me to make representations on your behalf to the MoD on the specifics of the situation. I would encourage yourself and others to continue to ask questions of the MoD via your MPs.

We will await events with interest

Norman

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Looks like 2 pages in the newspaper

http://www.examiner....86081-32282057/

Sorry, no idea how to shorten links :unsure:

Edit:....This clever website did it for me. :thumbsup:

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