Two young World War 2 tank crewmen, Guardsman William Bayliss and Guardsman David Blyth, who went missing in Normandy in 1944, have finally been laid to rest in an emotional ceremony. The heartfelt occasion, organised by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), paid tribute to their sacrifice and brought closure to their families after nearly eight decades of uncertainty.

Guardsman William Bayliss, aged 22, and Guardsman David Blyth, aged 25, were serving with the 1st (Armoured) Battalion The Coldstream Guards in Normandy when their tank was tragically destroyed. Their remains were discovered by a farmer ploughing a field in the hamlet of La Marvindière, near St Charles-de-Percy, in Normandy. Remarkably, the ground had remained untouched since World War 2 when a pair of Sherman tanks, operated by soldiers of the Guards Armoured Division, were destroyed there on August 4, 1944. A Coldstream Guards cap badge was also found nearby.

The identification process began with the assistance of relatives. Gdsm Bayliss’s nephew agreed to DNA testing, leading to a positive match with some of the remains. Subsequently, further testing established a match with the son of Gdsm Blyth.

The burial services, held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s St Charles-de-Percy War Cemetery in France, were attended by both families, including Gdsm Bayliss’s grandson, Dean Taylor, and Peter Blyth, the son of Gdsm Blyth. Serving soldiers of The Coldstream Guards also joined the ceremonies.

Rosie Barron, JCCC case lead, spoke of the complexity of the case and its rewarding outcome, saying, “Gdsm Bayliss was a young man with an exciting future ahead of him. He was recently married and had just discovered he was to become a father. Gdsm Blyth had a wife and young son who grew up not knowing what had happened to his father and spent nearly 50 years searching for answers.”

Dean Taylor, grandson of Gdsm Bayliss, expressed his pride in his grandfather’s sacrifice and the joy of reconnecting with distant relatives due to this discovery.

Peter Blyth, Gdsm Blyth’s son, conveyed his gratitude for the dedication of the JCCC War Detectives and the privilege of finally laying his father to rest.

The ceremonies were conducted by the Reverend Martin Robbins, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Coldstream Guards, who highlighted the importance of honouring the sacrifice of these young men who left their loved ones to serve and protect. He acknowledged the enduring legacy of their sacrifice throughout western Europe.

The headstones of Guardsman William Bayliss and Guardsman David Blyth will be maintained in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as a lasting tribute to their service and sacrifice.

Iain Lower, Director of Global Strategy & Commonwealth Relations and Communications, expressed the Commission’s deep honour in caring for their final resting places, emphasising that their memory shall endure eternally under the Commission’s watchful care and commitment.