Beaucamps Ligny Update

[MelPack]

I have had a read through the various threads relating to the BL15 and the recovered remains of other British soldiers that have burgeoned since my last visit to the Board.

I can confirm that the BL15 are to be interred in October 2014 on the centenary of their deaths whereas the remains of all other recovered soldiers will be buried by June 2014.

The identification project is fully underway. All 58 of the missing soldiers of the 2nd Battalion have been included in the programme and, as with Fromelles, the identification process is underpinned with reference to anthropological and documentary evidence and DNA analysis.

As matters stand, 53 out of the 58 soldiers have at least one or both categories of DNA being provided by actual donor relatives for comparative analysis. The prospects for a significant number of successful identifications are, therefore, very good.

[Seadog]

Thanks for confirming the situation with the BL-15 Mel which does sound very promising. The total number of individual human remains at present in the custody of the CWGC in Arras has been reported officially on the 21^st May 2013 as 75 which I presume includes the BL-15 and also I presume remains other than those deemed to be from WW1. That would leave 60 individual sets of remains or partial sets which will be buried by June 2014 which of course will be increased by further remains found between now and that date. This looks very much like a cynical move on the part of the MOD to use the 100^th anniversary as an excuse to dispose of the 60 the earliest of which could date from 2008.

Best Wishes

Norman

[John_Hartley]

I assume that the just announced search for descendents relates to men included in this group:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23554309

[Seadog]

Thanks for the link John as you say this is concerned with the BL15 and I suppose we could also assume that the other possible descendants have been traced.

Norman

[Kath]

Lance Corporal Larrett Roebuck,a former Huddersfield Town professional footballer, Lance Sergeant George Edwardes, aged 26, from Barnsley, and Private Ross Jeff, aged 20, from Moss, Doncaster.

All the 15 soldiers found at Beaucamps Ligny were members of the York and Lancaster Regiment.

■ Relatives of L/Sgt Edwardes or Pte Jeff are urged to contact Lynne Gammond by emailing lynne.gammond453@mod.uk or calling 07769 887 707.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/sheffield-family-hopes-dna-will-identify-soldier-1-5920508

Kath.

[Seadog]

Thanks for the link Kath, hopefully the relatives can be contacted,

Norman