Lieutenant Noel Goodricke Addison, King Edward’s Horse – your assistan

[Phil Tomaselli]

Lieutenant Noel Goodricke Addison of King Edward’s Horse was killed on or around 11th April 1918 during the Battle of the Lys. He fought for three days gathering stragglers and mounting rearguard actions and was awarded a posthumous MC (I suspect he deserved a VC). His body was recovered in August 1918 but seems to have been lost again (or more likely the paperwork was mislaid by the Imperial War Graves Commission) so that he is recorded on the Loos Memorial to the Missing.

The CWGC do not, unfortunately, have a register of unidentified bodies so that it is possible that Addison lies in a grave marked “An Unknown Lieutenant, King Edward’s Horse” or “An unknown officer, King Edward’s Horse” in one of the cemeteries in the southern part of the Lys battlefield. He is not, as far as CWGC are aware, in the cemetery at Vieille Chapelle.

The CWGC have promised, if I can find such a grave, that they will review their records to see if it is Addison’s. Unfortunately I am unable to get to France for some months.

May I ask, if you are going to this part of France and visiting any cemeteries and come across a grave so marked you let me know, so that the CWHC and I can see what cane be done to have this brave officer’s burial place formally recognised.

Very many thanks.

Phil Tomaselli

[Guest MLADDISON]

Lieutenant Noel Goodricke Addison of King Edward's Horse was killed on or around 11th April 1918 during the Battle of the Lys. He fought for three days gathering stragglers and mounting rearguard actions and was awarded a posthumous MC (I suspect he deserved a VC). His body was recovered in August 1918 but seems to have been lost again (or more likely the paperwork was mislaid by the Imperial War Graves Commission) so that he is recorded on the Loos Memorial to the Missing.

The CWGC do not, unfortunately, have a register of unidentified bodies so that it is possible that Addison lies in a grave marked "An Unknown Lieutenant, King Edward's Horse" or "An unknown officer, King Edward's Horse" in one of the cemeteries in the southern part of the Lys battlefield. He is not, as far as CWGC are aware, in the cemetery at Vieille Chapelle.

The CWGC have promised, if I can find such a grave, that they will review their records to see if it is Addison's. Unfortunately I am unable to get to France for some months.

May I ask, if you are going to this part of France and visiting any cemeteries and come across a grave so marked you let me know, so that the CWHC and I can see what cane be done to have this brave officer's burial place formally recognised.

Very many thanks.

Phil Tomaselli

Noel Addison was my grandfathers brother and was wondering if any progress was made in finding his grave. My grandfather from South Africa searched for his grave in 1921 without any success.