Exhumation Reports

[andrew pugh]

Good Evening All

I have just looked at the casualty report of Pte 52427 Witney O T 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He was killed on the 25/03/1918, and he has 7 Exhumation reports. Some say he had black hair some say Brown, he has good teeth and bad teeth, even the Hight of the man varies. Your thoughts on this would be most welcome.

Regards

Andy

[thetrenchrat22]

8 hours ago, andrew pugh said:

Good Evening All

I have just looked at the casualty report of Pte 52427 Witney O T 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He was killed on the 25/03/1918, and he has 7 Exhumation reports. Some say he had black hair some say Brown, he has good teeth and bad teeth, even the Hight of the man varies. Your thoughts on this would be most welcome.

Regards

Andy

Andy, 

if you look at the other six men in the same grave, they all have the same Exhumation Report attached to their CWGC records 

so I think as they could not pinpoint which Exhumation Report is for the correct man, so they attached all 7, to each man. 
 

Alan 

[TullochArd]

6 hours ago, thetrenchrat22 said:

so I think as they could not pinpoint which Exhumation Report is for the correct man, so they attached all 7, to each man. 

Alan identifies what's happened here Andy.  The seven bodies were exhumed and collectively identified beyond reasonable doubt but despite the best efforts of the "Special" exhumation team in 1925 individual identification was not possible.  Alan's observation is supported by the fact that just below ground stamped on each of the seven headstones is the identical "8E 1/7" which indicates that the body below the named memorial is one of the seven.  

Edited 17 February by TullochArd

[andrew pugh]

Hi

Sorry about the late reply. Thank you both for explaining this to me, I now see that it makes sense . Ounce again thank you.

Regards

Andy