KONDOA Posted 18 October , 2004 Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Most probably everyone already knows this but here goes. It may also be duplicating a thread but I cant find that either. recieved by email so exact source unknown but attributed to Western Front Association. The remains of a soldier from the 6th Cameron Highlanders have been identified following close co-operation between two members of our association, Francis Roger and Isabelle Pilarowski, and our good friend, and Western Front Association member, Peter Last. The soldier will be re-buried, with full military honours, at Loos British Cemetery at 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday 20th October, in the presence of four members of the soldier’s family, including his only brother’s two daughters. A detachment from The Highlanders Regiment will provide the Bearer Party, a piper and a bugler. The soldier’s remains, together with another as yet unidentified, were discovered by Francis Roger, a local amateur archaeologist, in July 2001, at roadworks at the junction on the Lens/La Bassee Road, between Chalet Wood and Puits 14bis. On 26th September 1915, this area was the scene of the 6th Camerons first action, when they gallantly stemmed the advance of superior enemy forces determined to regain the ground lost to the British on the first day of the battle. The battalion commander, 54 year-old Lt.Colonel Angus Douglas-Hamilton, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, repeatedly led counter-attacks against overwhelming odds until he and a hundred of his men were killed and all of their bodies lost – until July 2001. When Francis Roger discovered the remains, he carefully listed the items found with each man and Isabelle forwarded this, together with digital photos she took of the artefacts, to Peter in Essex, England. Thus began a search through archives in England and Scotland, appeals were made in Scottish newspapers and the WFA magazine, and experts were consulted. The breakthrough came via the fountain-pen, found on one of the soldiers. This was embossed with the words ‘Postman’s Gazette Pen’, which prompted Peter to contact Peter Boalch, a member of both associations, who held a senior position at the Post Office headquarters in London. He passed the enquiry to their excellent Heritage Unit, who confirmed that their had been a magazine called ‘The Postman’s Gazette’ and, when they compared their records of employees who had served in The Great War, with the names of 6th Cameron men who had fallen on the 26th September, they found just one name on both! The Heritage Unit also volunteered that the soldier’s surname was the same as the man who had been Editor of the Postman’s Gazette for twenty years, until June1915. A visit to the PRO at Kew yielded the soldier’s papers, which revealed that his address was the same as that of someone who had made a poignant appeal in the magazine for news of the missing soldier. The address was that of the retired editor. At this stage, the C.W.G.C., who had been kept informed of progress, asked for the research to be passed to the Ministry of Defence department responsible for casualty identification who, in the meantime, had received the forensic report on the two bodies, which included estimates of the soldier’s age and height. The private research continued with a visit to the soldier’s village, and house-to-house enquiries and referrals provided further Post Office connections with the soldier. It also led, eventually, to locating the soldier’s living relatives, who had been well aware of the lost uncle and had even previously visited the Memorial Wall to the Missing at Dud Corner. After careful consideration of all the evidence presented to them, the Ministry of Defence finally decided that the soldier was S/12807 Lance-Corporal John Young Brown. He had volunteered on 8th September 1914, the day of the formation of the 6th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders. He had written his age as ‘19’ on his Attestation Papers, whereas he was, in fact, still 18. He died on 26th September 1915 -- exactly twenty years from the day he was born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 18 October , 2004 Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Hi Rupert, Peter is also attending the burial of this soldier having followed all the leads to the family. He visited all the area under the pretext of doing family research. Originally the thing that sparked the research up was that on the soldier a Bakerlite pen was found, a type that was presented to Post Office workers of the time. Peter followed this up by contacting pen manufacturers etc etc and the Post Office museum. The editor of The Post Mans Gazette of the time was a relation of the soldier and printed "information wanted" articles in the Gazette, it turns out that the address given by the soldier as his home address was the Post Office in his village and the address of the editor. Peter has shown me some of the photographs taken and the details he went to try and help indentify this soldier, many files of research. The time he has taken on this project is quite amazing. Alrhough he has been a little coy on this subject for obvious reasons, I for one think he should be very proud of what he and the other members of the team have accomplished. As you say, the other soldier found has not been identified unfortunately, they are the only two, to date, of this action that have been located. Peter is a recent new member to this forum, and i hope that he will,in due time relate a little more of this incredible story. Peter, I take my hat off to you and the other members involved, you should be proud of your achievement in this matter, many many congratulations and heartfelt thanks for your efforts to bring another missing son in from the cold. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 18 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Yes a wonderful effort with a very satisfying outcome, something of which he should be very proud . I recieved this information secondhand as such and posted it for general consumption without knowing much of the background. On reading, it is evident the dedication he showed in this and in recognising such detail has made the result so rewarding and interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 18 October , 2004 Share Posted 18 October , 2004 Hi Rupert, To the best of my knowledge it has taken nearly three years to reach this marvelous outcome. The dedication alone is admirable, the detail gone to has been done so thoroughly. Peter and team, take a big pat on the back, well well done. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 18 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2004 As you say he will perhaps share his tale with us on the forum and perhaps give us a clue on what his next miracle will entail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 19 October , 2004 Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Sorry, not my intention to hijack this thread. Only a reminder of another reburial of an identified British soldier near Ypres next Thursday 21 Oct. http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=20618 Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 19 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Another worthy effort. Thanks for the heads up from anyone who missed this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 19 October , 2004 Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Rupert Sorry. Aurel's link was the post I was referring to in our emails. Different casualty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 19 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 October , 2004 No probs Terry at least the two subjects are united by Aurels link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterySergeantMajor Posted 19 October , 2004 Share Posted 19 October , 2004 A bit late, but anyway... On Thursday 21th of October an identified Gordon Highlander and the remnants of two other unknown soldiers (probably also Gordons) will be buried at Polygon Wood with a ceremony. Soldiers of the regiment "The Highlanders" and the Ypres logistic unit (CCMP) of the Belgian Army will take part in a ceremony, which starts at 11.00 o'clock AM. Be early, because it will be impossible to go straight to the cemetery. there wil be almost no parking within 2 kilometer of it. You should drive to the Zonnebeke village centre, were shuttle busses wil be waiting for those interested. To learn about details or check latest information, contact Zonnebeke Tourist service or the new museum. The soldier found back was missing with the 7th Division attack on the 4th of oct 1917. There is also the burial of some German soldiers at Langemark on the 10th of November. I have no more details about that ceremony at the moment. Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 19 October , 2004 Share Posted 19 October , 2004 Erwin, As to Langemark (Deutsche Soldatenfriedhof). On Wednesday 10 November at 11 a.m. remains of 25 German soldiers (found at Boezinge since August 2003) will be reburied (added to the massgrave). None of them have been identified. Will be present : Generalmajor a.D. Manfred Würfel (Landesvorstand Nordrhein-Westfalen of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfürsorge e.V.), and students of the Gesamtschule Berger Feld from Gelsenkirchen and of the Technical School Heilige Familie (Ypres). Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looser Posted 1 November , 2004 Share Posted 1 November , 2004 Hello. This is my first venture into the forum, following encouragement from Andy. He thought I should write something about the funeral of the 2 Cameron Highlanders I attended in Loos on the 20th. I'm sorry for the delay, but with the work and worry of three years coming to a head in one emotional day, I was feeling a bit 'flat' last week. However, as I'm starting to catch up with all the thankyou letters I owed people, I thought it was about time I wrote something in response to the interest and kind words I've read here. Firstly, I should explain to Rupert that the announcement he circulated on the 18th emanated from the 'association sur les traces de la Grande Guerre', the group of local enthusiasts in Loos who are committed to researching and remembering the fighting which took place in their vicinity. Unfortunately, the news releases by the MoD for this and the Thomson burial could best be described as 'minimalist' but, by posting them on the WFA website, I thought they would reach plenty of people who would be interested in attending. However, when the association in Loos had not detected much interest, a more informative announcement was issued, but it was probably too late to give many enthusiasts the chance to be there. However, for those who couldn't attend, I'm pleased to say the ceremony was conducted with all the unobtrusive efficiency and dignity that we come to expect from the British Army at this kind of ceremony. Apart from the four members of the identified soldier's family, the main guests were the Mayor of Loos, the British Consul-General for Northern France and several high-ranking officers. Wreaths were also laid by representatives of the Post Office and their workers' union, who had all helped the research so much. I managed to realise a personal goal by sharing and laying a wreath with Francis Roger and Isabelle Pilarowski, without whose help and enthusiasm the search for the identities would have gone nowhere. Isabelle, who works for the association, has since arranged an excellent presentation at the WW1 museum in Loos which displays the photos and papers which led to the identification of one of the soldiers. There will also be a display of photos to give visitors some idea of what it was like to attend this occasion and to see these soldiers finally laid to rest after being lost for nearly 90 years. (As one spectator said to me "It wasn't a pleasure to be here - it was a privilege!) As regards your flattering 'miracle' comment it's probably not too far from the truth! The way that some of the pieces in this 'jigsaw' fell into place might suggest a higher involvement! As regards the next one (!) I haven't given up on the other man yet - I have several clues and a couple of possible 'suspects'. As I start to investigate the information I have already, there could well be an opportunity to call on the help of the members of the forum - as I don't think I could stand another three years like the last three! If anyone has any questions regarding my research into the first soldier, I'll do my best to answer them. Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 1 November , 2004 Share Posted 1 November , 2004 Hi Peter Welcome to the forum and thank you for the posting re this soldiers burial. I can understand the feeling flat after the work that you and others have put in but quite an achievement. As you gradually start further research on the unidentified soldier, I for one wish you the best of luck with it. Speak to you soon Peter. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bramley Posted 2 November , 2004 Share Posted 2 November , 2004 Hi Peter, What a marvelous story. Well done indeed, you should feel proud. Best Regards, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Reeves Posted 14 November , 2004 Share Posted 14 November , 2004 Truly an amazing story! Well done to all those involved - and good luck, Peter, with your search for the identity of the other man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 15 November , 2004 Share Posted 15 November , 2004 Well done to all involved. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Robertson Posted 15 November , 2004 Share Posted 15 November , 2004 Yes, well done indeed to all those involved, an absolutely absorbing story. Gone, but not forgotten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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