soldiers remains new finds.

[andrew pugh]

Good Evening All.

I was talking to my brother earlier this evening and he informs me that on page 6 of Sun Newspaper there is a short mention of the finding of 2 British soldiers possibly Royal Fusiliers. Can anyone throw any light on this story as i have not seen it personaly.

Regards.

Andy

[dfaulder]

Try:

http://www.thesun.co...S&ATTR=Our+Boys

One of two references on Google News under "World War" Fusiliers

THE relatives of three soldiers who perished in World War One are being urged to come forward - so the men can be buried with full military honours.

The bodies of the Lancashire Fusiliers have been uncovered during an archaeological dig in Belgium. Experts, who were searching for the remains of 22 soldiers killed in a skirmish with the Germans near the River Lys also uncovered the Fusiliers' cap badges.

Records have led them to name the heroes as Sgt Matthew Edgar Parkinson, a machine gun instructor from Rusholme, Greater Manchester, Private Henry Pulford, 25, of Bradford, and Private James Rowan, from Wigan. The trio served with the 2nd Battalion.

But the Ministry of Defence insists they must be formally identified before they can be given a proper send-off - and the only way to do that is using DNA. Lieutenant Colonel Mike Glover, curator of the Fusilier Museum in Bury, said: "We are trying to track the relatives of the three. If we can find them we will ask the MoD to agree to DNA testing. If the identities of the men are established, they will be re-buried with full military honours at a military cemetery in Belgium.

"The MoD would pay and the regiment would be represented at the funerals. If they cannot be definitely identified the bodies will still be reburied at a cemetery but marked 'Unknown'." The Lancashire Fusiliers lost 13,642 soldiers in WW1.

Sounds depressingly familiar, but here's to hoping I'm wrong.

BBC: BBC News - DNA needed to identify WWI Lancashire Fusiliers

DNA needed to identify WWI Lancashire Fusiliers

The men formed part of 2nd battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers

A military museum in Bury is hoping to solve the mystery of three Lancashire Fusiliers killed in Belgium in 1914.

The bodies were among six found by a French archeologist in Le Touquet, a village south of Ypres, in November.

Officials from the Lancashire Fusiliers Museum believe the three men are from Wigan and Manchester.

But before they can be given a full military funeral, experts need to trace the soldiers' relatives to confirm their identities through DNA checks.

Documents held by the museum suggest the three men - Henry Pulford, Edgar Parkinson and James Rowan - were buried near the village.

All three had been out in the region for a few months in the early stages of World War I in 1914.

The men were killed in an attack on the village on 20 October, and later buried in a temporary graveyard, said Lt Col Mike Glover, curator of the regimental collection.

"If we can turn three unknowns into three real Lancashire Fusiliers then I think we will have achieved an awful lot"

"They had compressed fibreboard dog tags which as you'd imagine in 96 years have just rotted away," he told the BBC. "Within the archive we have a list of these three individuals who were buried in this spot.

"At the moment it is speculation the three bodies that have been found actually relate to these three individuals - that's why we'd like to trace relatives.

"If we can turn three unknowns into three real Lancashire Fusiliers then I think we will have achieved an awful lot."

Anyone who thinks they may be related to the men should contact the museum, which will contact the Ministry of Defence (MoD). They will be asked to give a DNA sample and, if the soldiers' identities are confirmed, they will be buried with full military honours.

The museum is home to the collection of the XX Lancashire Fusiliers and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, and commemorates 300 years of history and heritage.

David

[NigelS]

Isn't this the same find discussed at length in 6 British soldiers found in Comines-Warneton thread Here ? see post #91 for regimental details

NigelS

[dfaulder]

Isn't this the same find discussed at length in 6 British soldiers found in Comines-Warneton thread Here ? see post #91 for regimental details

NigelS

Well, Comines-Warneton is on the Lys (per the Sun report). The BBC report:

... The bodies were among six found by a French archeologist in Le Touquet, a village south of Ypres, in November. ...

seems to:

• Support
  • "among six found"
  • "South of Ypres"

  [*]Not Support

  • "Le Touquet" - Google Maps sends me to the Channel Coast!
  • "French archeologist"; Wallonian?
  • "In November"?

David

[NigelS]

Well, Comines-Warneton is on the Lys (per the Sun report). The BBC report:

seems to:

• Support
  • "among six found"
  • "South of Ypres"

  [*]Not Support

  • "Le Touquet" - Google Maps sends me to the Channel Coast!
  • "French archeologist"; Wallonian?
  • "In November"?

David

There is a 'Touquet' (no Le !) shown in the Comines-Warneton area on Google Maps

November, I think, was the time the discovery came to be 'public' knowledge & was first discussed on here.

France & Belgium were often confused in reporting in the GW, so possibly EDIT The Sun BBC EDIT can be forgiven for an error in the nationality of the archaeologist, or maybe he is French?

NigelS

[dfaulder]

They do look similar don't they.

David