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Remembered Today:

Insignia of soldiers attached to other regiments


jay dubaya

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I don't know the answer, google and the forum search option have driven me up the wall for the past 30 minutes or so. Something I have overlooked in a different thread are soldiers from one regiment that died whilst attached to another regiment. Would say, a Dragoon Guard attached to the Life Guards be badged as a DG or a LG?

As always any help and pointers will be greatly appreciated.

 

cheers, J

 

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I don't think soldiers attached from one unit to another were re-badged, only those who were actually transferred. What does the record on the CWGC website say about his regiment at the time of death? Also, check the medal index card.

 

Ron

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Thanks for that Ron, I think I can eliminate all those who were attached because of their rank, the particular soldier who was attached was identified by his disc and no other form of identification is noted on the CoG report, the question arose from my curiosity. However whilst searching this morning I have found the following.

 

1226F9F0-A59E-4F33-89B3-2DDB12266B14.jpeg.4d6f1dbc295c85a4e0e0a033ff940463.jpeg

 

This somewhat answers my question although the CWGC database makes no mention of this particular soldier being attached to the Life Guards. The original burial location and the effects found suggest that he was attached.

 

The comments at the bottom of this CoG report are perhaps the saddest I have ever seen.

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This post might help:

 

I remember another one but can't find it for the moment, will keep looking.

 

Luc.

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5 hours ago, jay dubaya said:

Thanks for that Ron, I think I can eliminate all those who were attached because of their rank, the particular soldier who was attached was identified by his disc and no other form of identification is noted on the CoG report, the question arose from my curiosity. However whilst searching this morning I have found the following.

 

1226F9F0-A59E-4F33-89B3-2DDB12266B14.jpeg.4d6f1dbc295c85a4e0e0a033ff940463.jpeg

 

This somewhat answers my question although the CWGC database makes no mention of this particular soldier being attached to the Life Guards. The original burial location and the effects found suggest that he was attached.

 

The comments at the bottom of this CoG report are perhaps the saddest I have ever seen.

Very sad, do you think the Belgian child is named on the headstone?

Well I think I have answered my own question by looking at the Grave registration report.  Don’t want to take your thread off course but is he still buried with the soldier?

 

Mandy

5418C149-AF95-4B3B-8477-995119ED4F0B.jpeg

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It’s unclear Mandy, the burial report says ‘removed’ but the CoG report well......

I will enquire with Andrew at the CWGC as   I can’t see that the boys name would appear on the headstone and I’d like to think that the family claimed him back and he now has his own named grave.

 

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The boy's name is mispelled, it should read Achiel Verholle.

There are some documents in Dutch on what happened that day: 

http://www.wegwijzerwoi.be/nl/koekuithoek-moorslede-1

 

Edit:

It seems that the remains were seperated but I don't know if he still has a grave,

The remains were seperated and he is now buried in the Belgian military cemetery at Houthulst, grave M-1-1440 (F.R. 5344)

(Source: THE NAMES LIST, In Flanders Fields Museum)

AOK4 from this forum has written an article in a magazine. He might have more details.

 

Luc.

Edited by LDT006
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Thanks for that Luc, I will contact AOK4. It's reassuring to have this confirmation on such an innocent life that was wasted in what appears to be an act of compassion.

 

Jon

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Thanks to google translate the page linked by Luc. 

 

On Shy Monday, first hordes of refugees arrived from the edges of Roeselare, followed shortly after by wounded people from the region who were received in the monastery. The Germans drove hostages as a living shield in front of them. A panic arose and the inhabitants of Moorslede fled or retreated to their homes. No one saw anyone on the street anymore. Around 4 pm the German outposts arrived at district De Koekuit. At the Verraes farm a few young people had gathered and went into hiding. They were discovered and forced to line up in front of the shed, hands in the air. Achiel Verholle had given a mad British soldier a drink and was shot dead. The others were forced to set fire to the farm, with all cows, horses and pigs in it. One should not let go or attempt to extinguish anything. * The castle on the Koekuit district served for some time as a lazaret and a quarter for the German staff. From 1917, the castle was shot at several times and was completely destroyed at the end of the war.

 

I have been in contact with AOK4 regarding Achiel Verholle. One wonders if Achiel has any surviving relatives? With acknowledgement and thanks to Jan (AOK4) here is part of the conversation.

 

Even though the IWGC couldn't separate the two bodies, the Belgian war graves service managed to do so a few years later... He was thought to be a soldier so was reburied at Houthulst Belgian Military Cemetery, but as the Belgians couldn't find a soldier named "Achiel Verholle" they removed the name and so he is now buried as an unknown Belgian soldier...

I have researched the matter a bit for my book about the former German military cemeteries of Moorslede.

I am working on a book in English where I will mention this story as well.

I've contacted the Belgian War Graves service after my research but they are unwilling to change anything no matter how much evidence one has.

Achiel Verholle was 19 years old when he was killed in 1914.

 

 

 

 

Edited by jay dubaya
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Thanks for the update Jon and additional information from Jan.  A sad story, just got sadder.

 

Mandy

Edited by mandy hall
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  • 1 year later...
On 17/01/2019 at 14:06, jay dubaya said:

 

 

I have been in contact with AOK4 regarding Achiel Verholle. One wonders if Achiel has any surviving relatives? With acknowledgement and thanks to Jan (AOK4) here is part of the conversation.

 
There are still some 'Verholle's' in Moorslede. I am one of them. My great-grandfather had a brother named Achiel (Verholle). This is (i think) not the Achiel mentioned in the article but I think they're relatives. Based on the information above, I will do some more searches!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by saverhol
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4 hours ago, saverhol said:

 

I hope that you can encourage your family to unite in requesting that the authorities permit a named memorial.  It seems a tragedy that he should lie unmarked.  Perhaps you can gather some publicity via local media, TV, newspapers and radio, etc.

Edited by FROGSMILE
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