Help ID Three Lancashire Fusiliers from Wigan and Manchester

[ph0ebus]

An interesting story on the BBC this morning...apologies if this was covered already (I did search before posting):

DNA Needed to ID WWI Lancashire Fusiliers

So, it seems they think they know whose remains they have....it would be great if they can confirm it.

-Daniel

[John_Hartley]

Reading the article, it looks like they have records of the the names of three men buried at spot. Presumably, the DNA exercise would serve to confirm who is who.

[CROONAERT]

Curious as to this comment in the article...

"They had compressed fibreboard dog tags which as you'd imagine in 96 years have just rotted away," he told the BBC.

Rowan enlisted in 1902, Parkinson and Pulford enlisted in 1908 and all went overseas on 22nd August 1914 (just one day after the authorisation, but before the first issue of the vulcanised asbestos fibre disc). Surely they would have had the aluminium tags which have been known to survive the years better (especially in that area) but may have been removed from the bodies after death?

Dave

[willy]

Vulcanised asbestos discs were issued from 21 August 1914 , however due to stocks of aluminium discs,you can still find these being issued upto 1915.

Early issue of fibre discs were only one per soldier which lead to id problems even then ,so two were issued from september 1916.

They were general issue from November 1916

[SteveMarsdin]

Does this relate to these bodies discovered:

 

I so, UK media interest at last, well done BBC

[CROONAERT]

Vulcanised asbestos discs were issued from 21 August 1914 , however due to stocks of aluminium discs,you can still find these being issued upto 1915.

Early issue of fibre discs were only one per soldier which lead to id problems even then ,so two were issued from september 1916.

They were general issue from November 1916

Chapter and verse...'Identifying the Dead - Identity discs 1869-1918'

...and a slightly less accurate (a few minor errors) but illustrated (including AO extracts) version... WFA version 'Identifying the dead...'

Rowan , Parkinson and Pulford would all have been issued with the tags that were held for them upon mobilisation at the beginning of August 1914 so its almost certain that they had the aluminium disc as opposed to the VAF disc. However, that said, there is always the possibility that they could have also recieved issue of a fibre disc so they might have had a 'pair' (pairings of 1907 and 1914 discs is far from uncommon) along with the possibility of private purchase wrist tags meaning that they may have been well covered as far as ID is concerned (though at least two would probably have found their way back to Army records and possibly the next of kin if not all three!)

Dave

[Guest tafski]

[]

Chapter and verse...'Identifying the Dead - Identity discs 1869-1918'

...and a slightly less accurate (a few minor errors) but illustrated (including AO extracts) version... WFA version 'Identifying the dead...'

Rowan , Parkinson and Pulford would all have been issued with the tags that were held for them upon mobilisation at the beginning of August 1914 so its almost certain that they had the aluminium disc as opposed to the VAF disc. However, that said, there is always the possibility that they could have also recieved issue of a fibre disc so they might have had a 'pair' (pairings of 1907 and 1914 discs is far from uncommon) along with the possibility of private purchase wrist tags meaning that they may have been well covered as far as ID is concerned (though at least two would probably have found their way back to Army records and possibly the next of kin if not all three!)

Dave

Nice one Dave just shows your works are read

Tafski