Burying the dead

[Gunboat]

My friend is trying to find her relatives war service. The only thing that was known about his service was that his unit was responsible for clearing the bodies and burying them.

what is interesting it was said that he did the same in the second world war as well?

I have absolutely no idea whether this was a task for a specific corps in the army (I was thinking labour corps in the great war) or whether every frontline unit had a detachment responsible for clearing the dead.

Any ideas would be useful.

BY the way she tried an MIC check but the name was too common and she wants to narrow it down.

[delta]

Battlefield clearance could be the task of any unit; if they happened to be at the right place at the wrong time.

Units would attemtp to redover their own dead, if the enemy would let them; this was a harrowing task but one often undertaken by individuals to ensure that their friend's bodies (or parts of bodies) were properly recovered and bured properly. All too often this was not possible and the rats assisted in the task.

It was not unknown for attacking units to clear the battlefields of their own dead and also those of units who failed to secre the enemy's postion; at Beaument Hamel (in Novemeberr 1916) 51st Divison not only buried their own dead but also cleared those of 29th Divison who were still there from 1st July. I have also read a extract from a US soldeirs leter who states that his (unblooded) unit was tasked to clear up as a means of "de-sensitizing" the inexperieced troops.

[John_Hartley]

(I was thinking labour corps in the great war) or whether every frontline unit had a detachment responsible for clearing the dead.

Both, I'm afraid.

Labour Corps was certainly extensively employed.

However, infantry battalions would also be used for battlefield clearance. For example, in 90th Brigade, 18/Manchester was the reserve unit for the 1 July 1916 attack and suffered relatively few casualties. Between the 4th & 7th, the whole Battalion was employed on clearance and burial work.

John

[roger]

Just by coincidence I read this earlier, it is from The War in a Different Light website and is a quote from The War Illustrated 6th March 1915

"Best of all I fancy the story, which I trust is not apocryphal, of the sergeant who had given orders for a trenchful of Germans to be buried. A Tommy reported, "If you please, sir, one of 'em says 'e ain't dead ! "Oh, get on with your work," said the sergeant. " They're such liars you can't believe 'em."

Roger.

[Gunboat]

Thanks chums...any idea why he would have continued with the grisly occupation in the second war...did the same apply then? Apparrently he cleared beaches at Normandy..would it be because of his age he probably wouldnt be fit for a combat unit...

[themonsstar]

Hi

If he was to old for front line service he may have been in the Pioneer Corps in WW2, this was the unit that had the War Graves units in it. I did the same job in the 1st Gulf War 1991, as part of the Army War Graves Unit. Its the most s***** job in the world

[the gunners dream]

Hi there,

There is an excellent CD-Rom/Video that you can order from the CWGC site that details the work carried out by Grave Registration Units in WWII.

I can't find any link on their site, but I have seen the program and it's a very moving tribute to, as themonstar states, a s***** job.

However, it's probably one of the most important jobs in the world.

Steve

[Pete1052]

In the U.S. Army there are a few military occupational specialties in which it is is possible to have a psychological or mental disorder and still be in the Army. One is in Mortuary Affairs, the former Graves Registration Specialist, and the others have to do with vehicle maintenance--Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic or Tracked Vehicle Mechanic, etc. I believe it has something to do with how hard it is to find guys with those skills.