The UK’s Ministry of Defence has successfully identified ten soldiers who died during the First World War, after analysis of DNA samples from relatives of the men.
The remains were discovered in 2009 during construction work near the French village of Beaucamps-Ligny.
All ten men belonged to the 2nd Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment and were killed in battle on the 18th October 1914.
Relatives of the men were informed of the successful identifications this week and many are expected to attend the reburials of the men in October 2014.
They will be interred at a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery with full military honours.
Work to identify a further five sets of remains is continuing.
Defence Minister, Lord Astor, said:
“Our thoughts remain with all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. Although these soldiers fell almost a century ago, the Ministry of Defence still takes its responsibility extremely seriously to identify any remains found, trace and inform surviving relatives, and to provide a fitting and dignified funeral so they rest in peace”.
Commodore Ian Bisson, from the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, which identified the soldiers, said that the identification process had been “difficult but very successful”.
“We have identified far more of the fallen than we first hoped. We can still identify some of the remaining five sets of remains and would appeal to those who think they may be family members to get in touch with us”.
The Ministry of Defence will release further information about the remaining five sets of remains as the identification process continues.
Source: Ministry of Defence press release
Date of press release publication: 22/03/2014
Images cortuesy of Daniel Barry, Centenary News
Posted by: Daniel Barry, Centenary News