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Remembered Today:

Sucrerie Military Cemetery: Case #1 - Private John Finlay #3751


laughton

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This is a child topic of the cemetery review here, which has the initial appearance of warranting a separate topic as this will need some detailed review @Becstar

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/279781-sucrerie-military-cemetery-colincamps/

  • COG-BR 2052385: Bec will want to look at this one at 57d.R.35.c.05.65
    • in December 1933 they thought this was #3751 FINDLEY of the 1_/A.I.F. because that is what the disc on his chest said
    • he was found in the same grave as another identified man of the 14th AIF, which is unit for Private John Alexander Finlay #3751
    • they decided against that compelling evidence for some reason?
    • why - because they had him already concentrated from an unknown at 57d.X.5.a.0.9 5 years earlier in January 1929 on COG-BR 2050237
    • there was no identification in that case, so no idea how they made the decision and apparently they did not review the case
    • the two locations abut each other other and are probably not more than 500 yards apart, between the windmill and sugar factory northeast of Pozieres

Sucrerie Military Cemetery

doc2052385.JPG

Serre Road Cemetery No. 2

doc2050237.JPG

 

This is not the first case where there is serious doubt about the initial identification. For some reason, when these cases are filed, the CWGC in Maidenhead does not acknowledge receipt of the report and does not assign a case file number. There are four (4) Commonwealth on my Categories List and others in the Canadian list. The CWGC Agency in Ottawa does assign a case number. I have asked WHY but have never received a response.

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I did not notice earlier that at the bottom of the Serre Road COG-BR it says they found a razor marked J.A.F. so that is how they made the determination.

 

No idea how they decided which one was allocated the razor if both bodies were in one grave?

 

Based on the location and other J. A. F. Australians missing, it probably was his razor but would you not take an identity disc on the chest of a man over the initials on a razor found with two bodies?

 

 

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