Why do some soldiers have their Company listed in GWC?

[Richards17]

My great grandfather's company is listed in Menin Gate memorial book, along with Battalion.  This seems unusual.  Anyone know why some soldiers have this and not others?

[Chris_Baker]

The details for an individual that appear in the cemetery and memorial registers depend to some extent on family confirmation. They were sent a "Final Verification Form" to confirm certain details (age, next of kin, etc). If this was not returned, those details would not be included in the register. This is why you see some men without anything except the military data. It may be that the company information came in this way. It may alternatively be that for some reason his regimental record office, or whichever source supplied the War Graves Commission with information for that man, included the detail. As you have seen, it is not generally the case for infantry soldiers.

[Richards17]

Thank you, interesting.  It's the company information, or lack of, that intrigues me.  There were a large number of his Battalion killed in one engagement (4th Middlesex, at Ypres on 31 July 1917), at least 72 according to the War Diaries on the day, and of his Company ('C') it says they were all killed or wounded.  The GWC names 65 men killed from the 4th on 31 July, of whom 4 have a Company mentioned, and only one for 'C', my great grandfather.  A quick  not-very-scientific 'test' of GWC information and it looks like everyone with a 'Coy' also has additional information, supporting the notion this was confirmed and/or supplied by the relative - my great grandfather has next of kin named, parents and wife.  However, not everyone with additional information has a Company.

[Chris_Baker]

Intriguing, certainly.