Unknown War Graves

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1922, Page 1

Unknown War Graves

SEARCH OF BATTLEFIELDS. LONDON, Nov 18. It has now been decided that- the work of searching for bodies over the battlefields of France and Flanders should cease. A statement to this effect was made last week in the House bv Sir L. Worthington-Evang, Secretary of State for War, in replying to a question. Since the armistice, he said, the whole battlefield area had been systematically searched at least six times. Some areas in which the fighting had been particularly heavy were searched as many as twenty times. In the spring of 1920 the work was easy and rapid, owing to the number of surface indications, but since then in approximately 90 per cent, of the bodies found there was no surface indication. These invisible graves bad not yet been found, and were likely to be brought to light during the work of reconstruction,, and in the opening up of areas at present inaccessible, owing to the thickness of undergrowth, the mar,shines of the land. etc. The searching, however, was most thorough, as the whole of the battlefield, area was divided up into map squares, to which al platoon under a subaltern was allotted. The actual search partv usually consisted of about 12 men under al senior non-com-missioned officer. These parties systematically searched the whole of the surface of the areas.

In, view of the thoroughness of the search, the Army Council had com© to the conclusion that the time had now arrived when this work should cease, and consequently they had issued instructions for the withdrawal of the military exhumation parties which were employed by them. It was practically certain that in the course of reconstruction and drainage operations and clearing debris, bodies hitherto unsuspected would he found, and that this would continue for years to come. The owners and inhabitants were now! resuming possession of their houses, fields, and gardens, and reports of discovery of bodies by such owners! and occupiers must be awaited before exhumation and reinterment in an approved cemetery could be undertaken. Any liodies so discovered would, in accordance with agreement already arrived at with the French and Belgian civil authorities, ho reported to local representatives, of the Imperial War Graves Commission, by whom arrangements would he made for the re-interment of the bodies in the existing military cemeteries.