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Loos Extension: Burial of Unknowns Report


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Posted (edited)

Unknown Scots soldiers given military burial in France

Two unknown Scottish soldiers killed in World War One have been laid to rest in France after their bodies were found during work to build a hospital.

War detectives from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) were called in to try and trace the identities of the two men, who were thought to have died during the Battle of Loos in 1915.

They were among more than 40 soldiers whose remains were interred during a ceremony in the town, near the city of Lille, on Wednesday.

Hundreds of people, including Princess Anne, attended the burial service, organised by the MoD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

The battle, which saw British, Indian and French troops attempt to break through German defences in Artois, was the largest British attack of that year.

However, the attack was contained and repelled by German forces.

More than 59,000 soldiers from Britain and India died between 25 September and 8 October - an estimated 7,000 of whom were Scottish.

Tracey Bowers’ official title is head of commemoration with the JCCC.

However, she told BBC Scotland News her role was better known as “war detective”.

She is part of a team using a number of methods - ranging from regimental shoulder patches on uniforms to DNA testing - to uncover the stories of those who fell in battle and then reunite them with their families.

Items of clothing show that one of the two soldiers was a member of the Black Watch.

But she said that, on this occasion, it was not possible to find enough of a sample to “cross-match” with any living family.

“So many were killed were in the Battle of Loos, and so many Scottish soldiers in particular,” she said.

“If we can get a good DNA profile from that casualty, we would then look to go to families and then hopefully get a comparable match from families.

"They could be cousins, second cousins, nephews, nieces, great-nephews or nieces, and we will compare them against the DNA that we got from the soldier and hopefully we can then give a name to that casualty.

“We just haven’t been able to narrow it down, even though we tried to use DNA, the DNA we extracted from those remains was of such poor quality, we weren’t able to use it to cross-match with any family.”

Tracey Bowers looking at the camera with war graves behind her
Image caption,

Tracey Bowers believes the work will never be finished

Ms Bowers said remains were being uncovered on a daily basis in Northern France and Belgium during construction projects.

The process of identifying the dead can take months, or even years.

The team start with the location their bodies were found, then look at any artefacts that have been found on them.

Ms Bowers said it could offer families “closure” if they were aware of their relatives’ efforts during the conflict, or open a new strand to their family history if they did not know about their involvement.

“We are looking for things like regimental shoulder titles, cap badges, bits of uniform, bits of kilt, boots to show they are British,” Ms Bowers said.

“All of that narrows it down to hopefully the correct regiment. Then we look through war diaries to see that we had a regiment in that location at that time and then working out how many were missing from that regiment.

“Families either knew about that soldier and they have grown up knowing that their great-great grandfather was missing and killed in the war, or thy knew absolutely nothing.

"But when they give us the DNA, they come on that journey with us for closure. I think they all become invested in the result.”

Dr Stephen Naji looking at the camera with war graves behind him
Image caption,

Dr Stephen Naji said public awareness of his team's work was growing

Dr Stephen Naji, head of recovery at the CWGC said about 80 sets of remains were found every year.

He said the number was increasing annually as more people become aware of their work.

Dr Naji said the “reflex” when remains are found at a construction site was to destroy them as it can slow down the project and add additional cost.

But he said retaining the bones could help his team extract and preserve them within a matter of hours.

He said: “We did major public awareness campaigns and now we are getting notifications on a regular basis.

“On a construction site, if they find bones, the reflex is to destroy them because it’s going to stop the construction site and that is going to cost money, they don’t want that.

“So my goal is to reassure everyone, whether they are deminers, archaeologists, construction workers; if you call us, we are on site within two hours and we clear the site by the end of the day.”

Major Paddy Marshall, who took part in the ceremony for the two unknown Scots soldiers in Loos, France.
Image caption,

Major Paddy Marshall said it was "humbling"' to be part of the service.

Major Paddy Marshall, from the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, took part in the ceremony.

“It’s very humbling to be part of the service, but it is also very reassuring,” he said.

“As a long-term serving soldier, you can rest assured that if we fall anywhere in the world, at any time, someone will be there to remember you and that’s quite poignant.

“There is always the regimental family.”

War graves and flowers at the cemetery in Loos
Image caption,

Dozens of unidentified remains have been interred, but DNA testing to trace the families of others is under way

Further remains discovered at the same site have been identified and DNA testing is under way to trace families.

All are interred with full military honours in ceremonies featuring a rifle salute and current soldiers from Scottish regiments.

Ms Bowers said the work would never stop until all the soldiers were accounted for.

“I don’t think this work will ever stop," she said. "There are still half a million missing from the Second World War that are being recovered on a daily basis from Northern France and Belgium,” she said.

“We go all the way through to the end result where we work with current regiments to bring together a fantastic, poignant ceremony where they are laid to rest with full military honours.”

Edited by MelPack
Posted
News story

HRH The Princess Royal remembers fallen Scottish soldiers

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal pays her respects to fallen soldiers from the Scottish regiments in northern France.

From:
Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK
Published
27 September 2024
 
s300_Photo_1_HRH.jpg

CWGC Vice Chairman Vice Admiral Peter Hudson CBE CB with Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal during her visit to Loos British Cemetery Extension. Copyright CWGC.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal paid her respects today (26 September 2024) as dozens of soldiers killed during World War One, many from Scottish regiments, were commemorated at a specially built cemetery extension in northern France.

The event, held under autumn skies, was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives’, and was held at the newly built Loos British Cemetery Extension. It is only the second time the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has built a new cemetery since the end of World War 2.

HRH The Princess Royal, President of the CWGC, formally inaugurated the new cemetery as she honoured the soldiers who were laid to rest.

The new cemetery was commissioned and built after nearby hospital construction works discovered a large number of World War 1 remains. The CWGC wanted to ensure that, on reburial, all of the fallen would remain side by side.

Photo_3_ceremony.jpg

Soldiers of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland bear the coffin of an unknown Scottish soldier. Picture by Corporal Daryll Knott Crown Copyright.

The JCCC identification process established 48 separate sets of remains from the site. Although many Scottish Regimental artefacts were found, among them kilt pins, regimental buttons and shoulder titles, individual casualties could not be accurately identified by name.

With so many remains recovered, it was impossible for the CWGC to bury them all in one public ceremony, so 46 were buried privately at Loos British Cemetery Extension earlier this summer.

Today, one unknown soldier of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) and a second unknown Scottish soldier were laid to rest by serving soldiers of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

The service, which included a firing party and a piper, commemorated all 48 fallen soldiers.

Although none could be identified by name, JCCC continues efforts to identify several other casualties recovered at the same location, with the aim of burying them at Loos British Cemetery Extension.

The War Detectives attempt to find any living relatives when the remains of British personnel from historic conflicts are recovered. If identified, relatives are invited to the re-interment and memorial service. The CWGC is a world leader in commemoration which cares for war graves at 23,000 locations in more than 150 countries.

After today’s cemetery service, HRH The Princess Royal met with community representatives at Loos-en-Gohelle’s City Hall.

Tracey Bowers, MOD War Detective, said: “This was an incredibly important ceremony. It is a privilege to be here with Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal as we bury these last two soldiers from, what was, a huge recovery of remains. They will now rest in the presence of their regimental family.”

Padre David Anderson, Senior Chaplain 51st Infantry Brigade and HQ Scotland, said: “It is a tremendous honour and privilege to be here having served with The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and toured Afghanistan with them, it has tremendous poignancy for me to be here to reinter the remains of two unknown soldiers one, known to be of the Black Watch, and another known only to be Scottish. It’s good that the soldiers of the Royal Regiment of Scotland are here today to bury their comrades in arms.”

Director General of the CWGC, Claire Horton CBE, said: “We are truly grateful and deeply honoured to have welcomed our President, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, to inaugurate our new cemetery and pay her respects to the brave men who have now been laid to rest here.

“This occasion marks a significant milestone for the Commission, reflecting our unwavering commitment to honouring the sacrifices made by those who served. It also emphasises that our vital work to care for the fallen all around the world is very much ongoing.

“As we gather here today, we reaffirm our promise to maintain the graves of those interred in Loos British Cemetery Extension, and of their comrades, ensuring that their legacy will endure in perpetuity.”

Posted

Thank you for sharing, the efforts that continue to be made are humbling. 

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