In a poignant ceremony, the graves of six soldiers from Welsh regiments who went missing during World War I have been officially marked more than a century after their deaths. These brave men, whose names had been lost over time, were finally identified through meticulous research and collaboration.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) played a crucial role in this effort. Researchers submitted cases to the CWGC, leading to the discovery of the soldiers’ resting places. Further investigation by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), affectionately known as the “MOD War Detectives,” involved analysing war diaries, service records, and grave registration reports. The findings were confirmed, allowing each soldier to be commemorated by name.
The rededication services took place at various cemeteries in France and Belgium. Named headstones were provided for the following soldiers:
- Second Lieutenant (2/Lt) Noel Osbourne Jones
- Second Lieutenant (2/Lt) Herbert Taggart
- Private (Pte) Lionel Grove
- Captain (Capt) Clifford Nichols
- Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Arthur Dowding
- Private (Pte) George Price
All six soldiers served in Welsh regiments, including the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and the Monmouthshire Regiment. The emotional ceremonies were attended by serving soldiers and representatives of The Royal Welsh.
JCCC Caseworker Alexia Clark expressed her sentiments: “Researching these six men and getting to know their individual war stories has been a fascinating journey. It has been a privilege to have played a part in the conclusion of those stories and to know that their families finally have answers to what happened to them.”
The soldiers’ stories are as follows:
- 2/Lt Noel Osborne-Jones, 2/Lt Herbert Taggart, and Pte Lionel Grove were killed during a trench raid on May 8, 1916. Their bodies were initially buried by the Germans at Fournes and later moved to Cabaret Rouge Cemetery. Unfortunately, the Germans did not know their names, identifying them only by rank and regiment. After the war, they were named on the Memorial to the Missing at Loos.
- L/Cpl Arthur Dowding lost his life near Ramicourt in October 1918, just weeks before the war’s end. Although he was buried at the time, critical information about his grave was lost in the chaos of conflict. His name is now inscribed on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
- Captain Clifford Nichols fell during the Battle of Passchendaele on July 31, 1917. His body was recovered from an unmarked field grave near Spree Farm in 1923. Despite being buried as an unknown officer, his rank and regiment were identified by buttons and badges. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres.
- Private George Price was killed near Hill 60, Belgium, in October 1917. Although originally buried in a field grave, all records of his name were lost by the war’s end. His memory lives on at the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.
These long-overdue tributes honour the sacrifice of these soldiers and provide closure to their families after a century of uncertainty.
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