JCCC Reports on Rededications 2023

[MelPack]

Thanks to the sterling work of a number of researchers (many active on the Board), this year will have a significant number of rededications where a grave previously marked as unknown will have a name restored. I will post the report of each case on this thread.

The first was today, although technically it was an identification case through DNA matching, The full story is below:

News story

Grave of a Worcestershire Soldier Identified in Belguim

The grave of First World War soldier, Serjeant (Sjt) William Clay Cubberley, aged 28, of 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment, has finally been marked more than a century after his death.

From:

Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK

Published

22 March 2023

 

The new headstone over Sjt Cubberley's grave features an inscription chosen by his great nephew, John Cubberley.

The rededication service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Perth Cemetery (China Wall), near Ypres, Belgium today (22 March ‘23).

Sjt Cubberley’s then unidentified remains were buried in 2017, and among those in attendance was Rosie Barron, a JCCC caseworker at her first JCCC service. Rosie, disappointed the remains had not been given a name, spent some of the intervening five year period investigating the case.

Rosie said:

“After a conversation with Belgian archaeologist, Simon Verdegem, in 2021, I began to reinvestigate the case from scratch. Simon was able to give me more detail about the location where the soldier was found. This was crucial to the identification. We are now very pleased to have given Sjt Cubberley his name back, a regular soldier whose family had devoted their lives to service in The Worcestershire Regiment. His story is now complete, and it has been a privilege to organise this rededication service and to remember Sjt Cubberley today.”

In 2012 the remains of a soldier were found during the laying of a pipeline near Waterstraat. He bore the buttons and shoulder title of The Worcestershire Regiment, and a crown indicating he may have been a serjeant major. However, after unsuccessful DNA testing, the casualty was buried as an unknown soldier of The Worcestershire Regiment on 6 September 2017.

Then, during the Covid-19 pandemic, which restricted JCCC’s ability to deliver services abroad, the team reviewed ‘cold cases’ where DNA had been taken but no match found.

It was then that Rosie Barron, confirmed that 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment was at the location where the unknown remains were found between 24 and 28 September 1917. Although there were no missing serjeant majors of the battalion killed during that period, there were three missing serjeants. The families of all three men were asked to share DNA, and John Cubberley, the great nephew of Sjt Cubberley, proved to be a match.

John Cubberley said:

“It fills me with great pride that I have the name Cubberley and I will always be eternally grateful for that. Words cannot express my gratitude to JCCC who have gone beyond the call of duty on my family’s behalf leading to the identification of Serjeant Cubberley’s grave. My Grandfather I am sure is more at peace knowing his brother has been found. My thanks to the MOD for continuing to find our lost family members who went to ‘fight the good fight, who kept the faith and finished the race’ and to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.”

The service was conducted by the Reverend Daniel Njuguna CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment and was attended by serving and retired members of The Mercian Regiment.

Serving soldiers of the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment participated in the new headstone rededication service for Sjt Cubberley.

The Reverend Njuguna said:

“Today marks a milestone in the story of the life of Sjt William Clay Cubberley. His final resting place shall no longer be unknown; thanks for the dedication of JCCC and all those involved. What a privilege to be here to witness, recognise and express on behalf of many our gratitude for the service and sacrifice of Sjt Cubberley.”

Initially serving with 1st Battalion, Sjt Cubberley transferred to 2nd Battalion during the First World War. It is believed that although Sjt Cubberley is not recorded as having been promoted to Company Serjeant Major, he may have been promoted in the field and died before any record of this was made.

On 24 September 1917, the Third Battle of Ypres had already been raging for nearly two months. 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment took over the line near Veldhoek in preparation for an attack to be made on 26 September. The following day they were heavily shelled, and the Germans attacked. The attack was successfully repulsed in the section of the line held by 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment. At 05:30hrs on 26 September, the day of Sjt Cubberley’s death, the Germans redoubled their bombardment making several direct hits of the roof of Battalion HQ in Inverness Copse. The battalion War Diaries record that ‘To carry on in the open under such a fire was impossible. The whole ground was churned up, even the bodies of the killed soon disappeared.’ The shelling made evacuation of the wounded impossible and for 24 hours stretcher bearers were unable to evacuate the wounded.

At the last hour the plans for the attack were changed and owing to their heavy losses, 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment provided only supporting fire for the attack. They were relieved on the night of 27 to 28 September 1917. Around 55 men of the battalion lost their lives during their time in the line. Of these 48 men are still missing and are commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

CWGC said:

Director General of the CWGC, Claire Horton, said: “We are immensely grateful to the War Detectives and to Mr Verdegem, and to all those who have worked with us, in identifying Sjt Cubberley’s final resting place at Perth Cemetery (China Wall), more than a century after his death. We can now mark this brave man’s grave with a headstone bearing his name. This service of re-dedication gives us an opportunity to renew our commitment to care for his grave and those of his comrades, forever.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/grave-of-a-worcestershire-soldier-identified-in-belguim

Edited 22 March , 2023 by MelPack

[Michelle Young]

I am aiming to get to the service at Ecoust tomorrow morning.

[Michelle Young]

A pleasure to attend and to meet forum member @Ancre1917

[MelPack]

News story

Graves of two officers missing since 1918 rededicated in France

The graves of Lieutenant (Lt) Harold Rymer Smith and Second Lieutenant (2ndLt) Wilfred John Massey Lynch, who were killed on the Western Front in the spring of 1918, have finally been marked with headstones which now bear their name more than a hundred years after they died.

From:

Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK

Published

24 March 2023

 

2nd Lt Richard Langley of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment presents a Union Flag to Sarah Rockliff, the great niece of Lt Smith.

The services, which were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, were held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Ecoust Military Cemetery near Arras and at Crucifix Corner Cemetery at Villers-Bretonneux, France yesterday (23 March 2023).

Rosie Barron, JCCC case lead said:

It has been a privilege to have contributed to the identification of these two Officers and to have organised these rededication services. Had the German Spring Offensive of 1918, in which they fell, been successful then the outcome of the First World War could have been very different. It is thanks to men such as Lt Smith and 2nd Lt Massey Lynch, who paid the ultimate sacrifice during such fierce fighting, that the Allies were able to stem the German advance and bring the war to a conclusion later that year.

The graves of both men were identified after researchers provided the CWGC with evidence suggesting they had been found. Further research conducted by the National Army Museum and JCCC confirmed their findings.

Lt Smith and 2ndLt Massey Lynch were killed at the beginning and end respectively of Operation Michael which lasted from 21 March to 5 April 1918. Operation Michael was the first of three phases of the German Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht, which did not conclude until July 1918.

In 1917 Russia had surrendered, releasing German troops from the Eastern Front, and the Americans had joined the war on the Allied side. The aim of the Spring Offensive was to use the advantage of Germany’s newly released troops to force a victory in the west before the Americans could deploy their forces in strength. The offensive was initially successful and the Germans retook most of the ground that they had lost in the fighting of previous years. However, the attack overstretched their resources and eventually faultered.

Lt Harold Rymer Smith

Lt Smith, from Barnet, Middlesex, was 23 years old when he died of wounds on 21 March 1918, the first day of Operation Michael. On 19 March 1918, 2/6th Battalion The North Staffordshire, to which Lt Smith belonged, moved into the Bullecourt Sector and took up positions in support around Ecoust-Saint-Mein. Two days later the Germans attacked in force making three attacks on Ecoust-Saint-Mein that day. British forces were eventually overwhelmed.

Lt Smith was wounded in the back by a shell and taken to the Regimental Aid Post (RAP) on the north western edge of the village near the Croisilles to Ecoust Road. As casualties mounted, the RAP, the tunnel under the embankment and Battalion Headquarters were filled with wounded in the space of a few minutes. Captain G Adams later reported that Lt Smith had been lying on the stretcher next to him and that he had died. Having captured Ecoust-Saint-Mein the Germans set about clearing the village and created a mass grave close to the location of the RAP. Lt Smith was buried there, and his death and burial were reported through the Red Cross.

In September 1920 the mass grave was exhumed, and the soldiers buried there were moved into Plot II, Row B in Ecoust Military Cemetery. As he was missing Lt Smith was commemorated on the Arras Memorial. He is now known to be buried in Ecoust Military Cemetery alongside other men of 2/6th Battalion The North Staffordshire Regiment killed that day.

The service was attended by members of Lt Smith’s family who gave an emotional tribute to him and his brother, 2ndLt Ralph Pritchard Smith, who was also killed during the Great War.

Sarah Rockliff, the great niece of Lt Smith, said:

We are deeply grateful to all those who helped find our Great Uncle Harold Rymer Smith. This has been profound for our family. Choosing the wording on the headstone and attending the service of rededication allows us to do what Harold’s parents and siblings never could. This brings peace in our hearts to the family past, present and future.

The new headstone over 2nd Lt Massey Lynch's grave in Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux.

2ndLt Wilfred John Massey Lynch

25 year old 2ndLt Massey Lynch, from West Derby, Liverpool, was killed on 4 April 1918 in the latter stages of Operation Michael. The Germans attacked with the aim of forcing the British Fourth Army back towards Amiens and the First French Army away from its ally. Seizing this ground would allow the Germans to move heavy howitzers in range of Amiens, where vital railway junctions were key to the resupply of Allied forces. The final aim of the German plan was to take the city itself.

At 07:00hrs 3rd Dragoon Guards, to which 2ndLt Massey Lynch was attached, were sent to operate on the right flank of 43rd Brigade north of the Villers-Bretonneux to Warfusee Road as the 14th Division was being forced back. At 09:15hrs they carried out reconnaissance and filled in any gaps they found in the line. A new line was dug, and the situation stabilised. They remained around this location throughout the day as the enemy attacked. It was during this fighting that 2ndLt Massey Lynch lost his life. The German attack ultimately failed to take the ground needed to launch their attack on Amiens and Operation Michael came to a close the following day with the strategic city still in Allied hands.

After the war 2nd Lt Massey Lynch’s body was recovered and he was buried as an unknown Officer of 3rd Dragoon Guards in Crucifix Corner Cemetery, in Villers- Bretonneux. Because he was missing, he was commemorated on the Pozières Memorial to the missing.

Capt Alexander Gale of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards lays a wreath at the graveside of 2nd Lt Massey Lynch.

2ndLt Massey Lynch’s great niece, Ann Massey Lynch said:

Growing up, it was my parent’s stories of service in the Second World War that formed the backdrop to conversations. Older relatives, like my grandfathers, were either dead or did not speak of their experiences, or of the relatives who had died as young men in the First World War. So, my great uncle Wilfred was a shadow, who was known through a family photo of 1916, and through his daughter Lisle. I am deeply moved that both JCCC and CWGC, should take the time to create such a beautiful rededication service, and to erect and care for a new headstone. Lisle would have been so grateful. It gives dignity to such an early death and has re-awakened his young life story for me. I shall mark 23 March as a special day to remember both Wilfred and all those who gave their lives in the Great War.

The services were conducted by the Reverend Daniel Njuguna CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment and were attended by serving soldiers of 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

The Reverend Njuguna said:

The tribute paid by Lt Smith’s family, sums up beautifully the significance of these rededication services to families such as those of Lt Smith and 2ndLt Massey Lynch. It brings us all peace in our hearts today to finally stand at your grave and offer you our blessings, our love and the care you deserve. We feel so fortunate this can happen when so many more still lie unrecognised. This is truly a moment to treasure and a special place of wonder.

The headstones over their graves have been replaced by the CWGC.

Director General of the CWGC, Claire Horton, said:

We are honoured to be able to mark the graves of these two brave men with headstones bearing their name at our cemeteries in France this week. They paid the ultimate price whilst fighting on the Western Front, more than 100 years ago. And now, it is our privilege and duty to care for their graves in perpetuity, along with their comrades.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/graves-of-two-officers-missing-since-1918-rededicated-in-france

Congratulations to Board member 'Ancre 1917' for the research that identified the grave of Lt. HR Smith:

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/299893-lt-hr-smith-north-staffordshire-regiment-kia-21-march-1918/#comment-3146535

and Board member 'micks' for his research confirming the grave of 2nd Lt. Massey Lynch:

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/258178-unknown-officer-3rd-dragoon-guards/#comment-3153612

 

 

 

[jaykayu]

On 24/03/2023 at 13:18, MelPack said:

Congratulations to Board member 'Ancre 1917' for the research that identified the grave of Lt. HR Smith:

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/299893-lt-hr-smith-north-staffordshire-regiment-kia-21-march-1918/#comment-3146535

and Board member 'micks' for his research confirming the grave of 2nd Lt. Massey Lynch:

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/258178-unknown-officer-3rd-dragoon-guards/#comment-3153612

Hear, hear - congratulations.

[TEW]

Cubberley was featured on BBC Hereford & Worcester with Elliot Webb this morning.

Now available on catch up. Item was featured at 08.37 or 2hrs & 37m in.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f76yqw

TEW

 

[MelPack]

News story

Soldiers who fell in France a generation apart honoured in graveside ceremonies

The final resting places of three soldiers have been identified and services of rededication have been held at their graves in France.

From:

Veterans UK

Published

19 April 2023

 

Cecil Shelley

The services were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’. The service for Lieutenant (Lt) Cecil William Charles Shelley of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards was held at Loos British Cemetery. The service for 2nd Lieutenant (2Lt) Alick Aylmore of 15th London Regiment (Prince of Wales’ own) Civil Service Rifles was held at Assevillers New British Cemetery. The service for Private (Pte) Douglas Dickson of 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment was held at London Cemetery & Extension, Longueval.

Louise Dorr, JCCC caseworker said:

Although none of these brave men’s families were able to be here, they are very well represented by their military family and today, as we return their names to them, we are reminded of their bravery and their sacrifice.

Details of the soldiers identified are as follows:

Lt Cecil William Charles Shelley

A new, named headstone marks the final resting place of Lt Cecil Shelley. Crown Copyright.

Cecil William Charles Shelley was born in Windsor on 5 September 1873. He was the son of Lieutenant Colonel Sir Charles Shelley, JP (5th Baronet Shelley of Castle Goring) and Mary Jane Jemima Stopford. He had eight siblings. He married Sybil Bertie Peel in what was then Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and their daughter, Eileen Sybil Shelley was born there on 10 July 1906. Her mother died only 20 days later. It is thought Eileen was raised abroad, returning to England when she was 22. The Shelley family provided several of England’s greatest literary figures.

Lt Shelley died on 17 October 1915 while serving with 2nd Battalion Scots Guards during World War 1. The war diary for the 3rd Guards Brigade confirms that in the middle of October, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards took over a sector of the front line where casualties were likely to be heavy. Burial records show that the casualty in grave XVII.A.3, Loos British Cemetery, were of an “Unknown British Officer (Lieut) Scots Guards”. It was also noted that this casualty bore the South Africa Medal ribbon on his uniform. This was the conclusive piece of evidence which helped identify him by name.

2Lt Alick Aylmore

A representative from the British Embassy in Paris lays a wreath at the grave of 2Lt Aylmore. Crown Copyright.

Alick Guyer Aylmer Aylmore was born in 1889 in Ilford, Essex. He was one of the seven children born to George Walter Aylmore and Clara Amelia Hoddy. Alick enlisted into the 15th London Regiment as a Private and first went to France on 17 March 1915 during World War 1. He was commissioned as an officer into the regiment on 28 February 1917.

Alick Aylmore

According to a letter sent by a prisoner of war to 2Lt Aylmore’s father, Alick ‘was killed by an explosive bullet at Metz near Perone on 23rd March 1918’. The war diary of 15th London Regiment tells how on the day of 2Lt Aylmore’s death, the battalion formed part of the front line and casualties were heavy. By the end of that day two men were confirmed dead, 78 wounded and 216, including 2Lt Aylmore, missing.

Pte Douglas Dickson

The padre, Embassy representatives and members of 2 Rifles stand by the grave of Pte Donald Dickson. Crown copyright.

Douglas Henry Dickson was born in 1923 in Edmonton, Middlesex, to James Dickson and Olive Elson; one of nine children.

He was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment during World War 2 when he was killed on 3 September 1944. The battalion reached Genech very late in the evening and found American troops there. They had laid mines for their own protection but lifted them to let the British through. Unfortunately, a wire attached to one of the mines caught in the wheel of one of the troop-carrying vehicles and exploded killing 3 people, including Pte Dickson, and causing multiple injuries.

The Reverend Kevin Jones, Chaplain to 11 Explosive Ordinance Disposal and Search (EOD&S) Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC), conducted the three ceremonies. He said:

To be able to give a name and identity to a previously unknown soldier, and to honour their memory in a rededication service is significant. The words “Their name liveth for evermore” are inscribed on many war memorials, so as we name a fallen soldier at their grave, we value who they were, and we honour what they have done, into the future.

The headstones over their graves have been replaced by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Xavier Puppinck, Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) France Area Director said:

It is a privilege to rededicate the graves of Lt Cecil William Charles Shelley, 2Lt Alick Aylmore and Pte Douglas Dickson. The CWGC is proud to uphold our commitment to equality, as we honour and commemorate both officers and privates in the same way and we continue to care for their graves in perpetuity, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten."

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/soldiers-who-fell-in-france-a-generation-apart-honoured-in-graveside-ceremonies

News story

Graves of two soldiers of the Great War rededicated in France

The final resting places of Private (Pte) James McCaffrey of the 5th Battalion, Tank Corps and Corporal (Cpl) Thomas Stannage of the 10th (Prince of Wales Own Royal) Hussars have been rededicated more than a century after they were killed in the Great War.

From:

Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK

Published

20 April 2023

 

 

The service for Pte McCaffrey took place at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension in France. The service for Cpl Stannage took place in the Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau, France.

The ceremonies were, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives.’

Louise Dorr, JCCC said:

It has been a pleasure to have both men’s families with us today as we rededicate their graves with named headstones. It is a great comfort to know that their bravery and sacrifice will always be remembered.

Details of the soldiers identified are as follows:

Pte James McCaffrey (served as McCafferty)

James McCaffrey was born in Tullylish County Down, Northern Ireland. His date of birth is unknown but according to the official record: Soldiers Died in the Great War, he previously served in the 5th Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

Pte McCaffrey's great nephews touch his new headstone. Crown copyright.

At the time of his death, he was serving with the 5th Battalion of the Tank Corps. James was found buried – as an unknown British Soldier of the Tank Corps – near Retheuil Farm – northeast of the village of Sebancourt. This area only saw tank action very briefly on 11 October 1918 (his date of death), when two tanks and crews from 5th Battalion Tank Corps were sent to assist a French unit in clearing the area round Retheuil Farm. Both tanks were hit, and three men were killed. James was one of them. Two had known graves, leaving Pte McCaffrey as the only possible casualty to be buried in this grave in Busigny Communal Cemetery.

Pte James McCaffrey's named grave. Crown copyright.

The Byrne family said:

The relatives of James McCaffrey would like to express their gratitude to the MOD and the CWGC for their work in rededicating our Great Uncle’s grave in Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France. We have grown up knowing that our Great Uncle died in WW1. We attempted to find out what had happened in 1998 and we were told he had more than likely been killed and his body unaccounted for. It was heartwarming for us all to see the work the MOD and the CWGC completed in identifying where his remains lay. We now have somewhere our future generations can go to remember James. We’re grateful for everybody’s hard work in bringing the story of James McCaffrey back to his family.

The great nephews of Pte James McCaffrey stand at his grave with representatives from the military and the Royal British Legion. Crown copyright.

Cpl Thomas Stannage

Cpl Thomas Stannage (left), pictured with his brothers, Jim (centre) and George (right). Courtesy of the Stannage family.

Thomas Stannage was born in 1892 in Rathdowney, County Laois, Ireland, to Thomas and Mary Jane Stannage. He had four sisters (Annie, Susan, Pollie and Mary Jane) and three brothers (James, George and William). James became a vicar and he and his wife, Helen, had two children, Miriam, and Charles Thomas (known as Tom) after his uncle Thomas. Tom’s son Chris, (Cpl Stannage’s great nephew) and his family, attended today’s service after travelling from their home in New South Wales, Australia.

Great nephew, Chris Stannage, together with representative from the King's Royal Hussars, stand at Cpl Thomas Stannage's grave. Crown copyright.

A set of remains of an unknown corporal of the 10th Hussars was found originally buried to the east of the village of Honnechy. The battalion’s war diary places the 10th in the area of Honnechy on the date of Cpl Stannage’s death (9 October 1918). There are only nine corporals of the 10th Hussars without a known grave and eight of them can be excluded by virtue of the battalion’s distance from Honnechy on the date of each of their deaths. This leaves Thomas Stannage as the only possible casualty buried in this grave in Highland Cemetery.

Chris Stannage, Cpl Stannage’s great nephew said:

On behalf of the Stannage Family, I would like to say how delighted we are that this day has finally come, and how grateful we are for those quietly determined researchers and historians who ‘found’ Thomas after all those years. Thomas’ service and sacrifice was never forgotten, and his name lived on through his brother The Reverend James Stannage’s son, the late Professor CT (Tom) Stannage, my father. We would have all liked to have met Thomas, but now we at least have a beautiful place for our family to come and spend time with him, and to pay our respects. We are deeply moved by the professionalism and dedication shown by the MoD and Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and thank them for their endless and tireless work. Rest easy Tommy … we know where you are, and will never lose you again.

Chris Stannage lays a wreath at his great uncle's grave. Crown copyright,

The Revd Kevin Jones Chaplain to 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search (EOD&S) Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps (RLC) conducted the two ceremonies. He said:

It is of great importance that we continue to remember the fallen from the World Wars. To now give each of these previously unknown soldiers an individual graveside service is a real sign of dignity and our respect for them..

Xavier Puppinck, Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) France Area Director said

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is honoured to be able to rededicate the graves of Private James McCaffrey and Corporal Thomas Stannage. We hope their new headstones engraved by the CWGC in France, bearing their names and regimental insignia, offer peace and comfort for both the families who attended the special services. The CWGC will continue to care for their graves in perpetuity, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten."

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/graves-of-two-soldiers-of-the-great-war-rededicated-in-france

[MelPack]

News story

Remains of World War 1 airman finally identified

More than a century after the end of World War 1, an unmarked headstone of a Commonwealth war grave finally carries the name of the young airman who rests there.

From:

Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK

Published

25 May 2023

 

2nd Lt William Wallace Hutton (Copyright unknown)

A ceremony was held in Belgium on Wednesday 24 May for World War 1 Royal Flying Corps (RFC) Officer, Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt) William Wallace Hutton, who was aged 24 when he was killed.

2nd Lt Hutton, from Cape Town, died in October 1917 after his plane left Dunkirk on a bombing raid to Saint Denjis Westrem in Belgium.

The ceremony at Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery, was held after evidence was presented that an unknown grave was his. It was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’.

Flowers and tributes at 2nd Lt Hutton’s grave

Tracey Bowers of JCCC said:

I am grateful to those who submitted this case. The evidence led to us to recognise the final resting place of 2nd Lt Hutton. For such a young man William had seen many years of service so far away from his home in South Africa and we can only imagine how difficult this must have been for him and his family, especially as his brother Albert had been killed in action just a month before William. We thank them for their sacrifice.

2nd Lt Hutton was flying as a crew member on Handley Page 3122 when he went missing on 28 October 1917. The Admiralty notified the War Office that, according to German sources, Hutton had been killed in the crash, and the two other crew members taken prisoner.

As an Officer with previous service in a different regiment when he joined the Royal Flying Corps, he was permitted to wear his earlier uniform along with a Royal Flying Corps insignia. This explains why those who originally tried to identify his remains thought he was with 7th London Regiment but could not link that to a name.

RAF representatives attended the service

Reverend (Flight Lieutenant) Robert Hadfield, Chaplain at RAF Lossiemouth, led the service. He said:

It’s an enormous privilege for me to have played a part in this rededication ceremony for Second Lieutenant William Wallace Hutton, whose name is at last etched into stone as an ongoing testament to the ultimate sacrifice he made.

Mel Donnelly, CWGC Head of Commemorations said:

We are honoured to rededicate the grave of Second Lieutenant William Wallace Hutton today. Marking his last resting place with a new headstone which can now bear his name is especially poignant in War Graves Week. It enables the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to renew our commitment to care for the graves and memorials of all those who made the ultimate sacrifice, in perpetuity.

[MelPack]

UK Royal Army Doctor's Grave Rededicated in France

The grave of Captain (Capt) Frederick Arthur John Robertson Brooke, a doctor killed aged 55 during World War One whilst serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), has finally been located in the Champagne region of France, more than 105 years after his death.

A rededication service, which was organised by the MOD's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the 'MOD War Detectives', was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC) La Ville-aux-Bois British Cemetery near Reims earlier today (6 September).

The rededication service was attended by three generations of Capt Brooke's family, including his great granddaughter, Ana Retallack, who had travelled from the state of Victoria, Australia, with her husband and children to attend the service.

Mrs Ana Retallack said:

Our family is so very grateful to everyone involved in locating the grave of Captain Frederick Brooke, RAMC. We thank Rosie Barron (Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre) for making the initial contact and being so helpful in rearranging the service to coincide with our visit from Australia. We give special thanks to researcher, David Tattersfield (The Western Front Association), for bringing together his extensive knowledge of the First World War and his relentless detective work to present the case to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for verification.

The Rededication Service will bring together three generations of our family from the UK and Australia to honour not only the service of Frederick but that of the 1st Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment, too. We know how incredibly privileged we are to be able to pay respects to our grandfather, great grandfather, and great, great grandfather. It will no doubt be a very moving occasion.

The grave of Capt Brooke was found after a researcher submitted evidence suggesting that his grave could be identified. Further research conducted by the National Army Museum and JCCC before final assessment by the MOD team, confirmed their findings. Rosie Barron, JCCC caseworker, then set about tracing Capt Brooke's family who were in both Dorset and Australia.

 

Rosie Barron, JCCC case lead, said:

It has been a privilege to work with the RAMC and The Royal Regiment of Scotland to organise the rededication service for Capt Brooke and to have his family present made it even more poignant.

The contribution of medical personnel was crucial to the war effort and the survival of many of the wounded depended on their work. Capt Brooke was killed in action having put himself in harm's way to save others. It is important that his sacrifice is not forgotten.

The service was conducted by the Reverend Tim Clarke-Wood CF, Chaplain to 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland and was attended by serving soldiers of the RAMC.

The service conducted by Reverend Tim Clarke-Wood

The Reverend Clarke-Wood said:

There is sense that when a body is successfully identified we are correcting a past wrong. That to ascertain who is buried in a particular place somehow creates a distinct moment of historical reconciliation - where the story of the person is finally connected permanently with their resting place. Capt Brooke's story is significant in that he served at a more advanced age than most - at 55 he was experienced in life and no doubt brought that wisdom into his role as a Medical Officer. As a Padre these moments are precious as you take opportunity to participate in a person's story that started in the 19th Century. It is my great privilege to have rededicated Capt Brooke's grave and to do so with so many of his family present. I hope that this marks a special moment within the Brooke family history.

The headstones over their graves have been replaced by the CWGC.

CWGC Director for France, Xavier Puppinck, said:

We are grateful to all involved for enabling us to formally recognise this brave man with a CWGC headstone at our cemetery today. It's even more special that members of his family were able to be present for this ceremony. It is our honour to care for his grave, and that of his comrades, in perpetuity.

[MelPack]

News story

Graves of Two Scottish Soldiers Rededicated in France

The graves of Second Lieutenant (2ndLt) Reginald Russell Boyd and Private (Pte) Frederick Little, who were killed on the Western Front during World War One, have finally been marked with headstones bearing their names more than a hundred years after they were killed.

From:

Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK

Published

7 September 2023

 

Second Lieutenant Reginald Russell Boyd (Copyright Unknown)

The services, which were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, were held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Etaples Military Cemetery on the northern French coast and at Raperie British Cemetery near Soissons, on 5 and 6 September respectively.

Rosie Barron, JCCC Case Lead said:

Both 2ndLt Boyd and Pte Little paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country, but their graves were lost in the fog of war. It has been an honour to play a part in rectifying this and to work with The Royal Regiment of Scotland to organise their rededication services.

It is just as important today that men such as 2ndLt Boyd and Pte Little are not forgotten and fitting that their memory is still honoured by their regimental family.

Lieutenant Harry Eaton lays a wreath at the grave of Second Lieutenant Boyd (Crown Copyright)

The rededication services were conducted by the Reverend Tim Clarke-Wood CF, Chaplain to 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland and attended by serving soldiers of the battalion.

The Reverend Clarke-Wood said:

2ndLt Boyd and Pte Little were 20 and 19 years old respectively. The reminder that so many of our British Troops who died during WW1 were very young. It’s a stark thought the cost of war far outweighs any erroneous concepts of glory. That so often what is accomplished is bought with the lives of those who will never have the opportunity to fulfil all that they could otherwise. For me there is an emotional connection with these two soldiers because in my role as a Padre I often interact with young soldiers and officers. It is an honour to be able to spend time recognising 2ndLt Boyd and Pte Little and to declare within the presence of others that their lives mattered and for us today, still do.

The grave of 2ndLt Boyd was found after a researcher provided the CWGC with evidence suggesting that his grave could be identified. Further research conducted by the National Army Museum and JCCC confirmed their findings and similarly, it was CWGC who identified the grave of Pte Little in a separate investigation, again verified by the JCCC.

4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland at the graveside (Crown Copyright)

The headstones over their graves have been replaced with named inscriptions by the CWGC.

CWGC Director for France, Xavier Puppinck, said:

It is a special duty of ours to welcome people to our cemeteries, and to be able to mark the sacrifice of these two brave soldiers with a new headstone more than a century after they fell, is an honour. These services of rededication give us an opportunity to renew our commitment to care for their graves, and those of their comrades, forever.

[MelPack]

Two Glasgow Soldiers' Graves Identified in Belgium

The rededication services, organised by the MOD's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the 'MOD War Detectives', were held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC) Dadizeele New British Cemetery, yesterday (25 October 2023) and Tyne Cot Cemetery, today (26 October 2023).

JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron said:

It has been a privilege to work with The Royal Regiment of Scotland to organise the rededication service for Pte Keill and to have his niece present. Pte Keill was a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He is still fondly remembered by his family and this service marked the end of their quest to establish what happened to him.

Pte Peter Keill

By October 1918 the static fighting associated with the Western Front, which had kept the British Army in Belgium within the Ypres Salient since 1914, had lifted, and Allied forces were advancing. On 1 October 1918, 7th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders were in assembly positions in front of the village of Slypskapelle. After a brief barrage, they attacked at 6.15am and reached their first objective, the Menin to Roulers railway line north of Ledeghem.

After further fighting they consolidated in positions along the railway line. The battalion had suffered casualties of 23 killed in action or died of wounds, four missing and 73 wounded. Pte Peter Keill was among these casualties. The location of Pte Keill's grave was lost and as he was missing, he was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

 

Pte Keill's niece, Mary Lloyd-Jones was in attendance at the service and said:

My mother always talked about her brother Peter, even though she was born two months after his death he was always part of her life and he has been part of mine too. We're so pleased to see his final resting place recognised, and it's been an honour for me to be here to see that happen today with my daughter Sian and my sister in law Margaret representing Peter's wider family. We're so grateful to Rosie from JCCC and Catherine from CWGC for making this happen.

2ndLt James Ferris

2ndLt Ferris died in December 1917 while driving the enemy from the Passchendale Ridge. He had no known grave so, following the war, his name was placed on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

In 1920 the remains of an unknown British Officer, a Second Lieutenant of The Highland Light Infantry were buried nearby in the Tyne Cot Cemetery. The regiment and rank were identified from the insignia found on the casualty's uniform, but there were no other artefacts to indicate his name. Further investigation of each case uncovered new information which led to the identification.

Research has now revealed that Ferris was that unknown British Officer, and a new headstone has been installed above his grave at a ceremony attended by his descendants.

 

James Ferris' great-nephew, Ewan, who attended the service said:

Although I never knew Uncle James I know that he was an upstanding man: he had a good job and was a Captain in the Boys Brigade - presumably this led him to join a regiment with direct ties to the Boys Brigade in his home town of Glasgow. I am pleased that we are now able to mark his final resting place and honour his memory.

Ewan Ferris, Great Nephew of 2Lt Ferris with members of 2Scots

JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark said:

I am grateful to the researcher who submitted this case. Their work has led us to recognise the final resting place of James Ferris and restore his name to him. It has been a privilege for me to have contributed to this case and to have organised the service for the rededication of his grave today.

The services were conducted by the Reverend (Captain) David Jeal, Chaplain to 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland and were attended by serving soldiers of the battalion.

Wreaths laid for 2Lt James Ferris

The Reverend Jeal said:

It was a great honour and immensely important for us to remember and rededicate the graves of 2ndLt Ferris and Pte Keill, and to give them a place to rest where their names are written and recorded, so that they may be honoured by this generation and all who follow. We owe so much to their selfless sacrifice for our freedom.

The headstones over both graves were replaced by CWGC who will care for them in perpetuity.

Geert Bekaert, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Area Director said:

It is a privilege to now care for the graves of Private Peter Keill and Second Lieutenant James Ferris. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is dedicated to ensuring that these servicemen, who made the ultimate sacrifice, are remembered with the dignity and respect they deserve. Their sacrifice will continue to be honoured by future generations as their names are eternally recorded on their headstones.