AFTER TEN YEARS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 May 1926, Page 4

AFTER TEN YEARS

REMAINS OF SOLDIER FOUND. WORK OF THE AVAR GRAVES COAIMISSION. AYEI7LINGTON, Alay 4. Unhappily, there are many next-of-kin of New Zealand soldiers who fought in the Great War in whose minds still exists some uncertainty as to the fate of their boys who were reported missing. and many live in the hope that some day definite tidings will reach them of their loved ones. The remains of another New Zealand soldier, for ten years reported missing, have lieen recovered in France by the officers of the cver-vigihuit Imperial AYar Graves Commission, and the relics found in the dead soldier’s unorthodox grave (from which his identification was established) have been received by the .Minister of Internal Affairs (the 11011 R. F. Bollard) for presentation to Hie next-of-kin. During the past twelve months the remains of some forty-six New Zealand soldiers reported missing have been similarly discovered. 011 September 15, 19115, the soldier whose remains have now been recovered . a member of A Company, Ist Battalion, 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade was killed in the memorable engagement in the neighbourhood of h'lers, in which area the bodies of some 1271 New Zealanders wore not recovered. The original report concerning the soldier referred to stated that his Intrial took place in the field in Grove Alley trench. A careful search failed to locate the grave. Arrangements were then made to have the soldier’s name placed on a memornl to the missing to he erected in Caterpillar Valiev cometrey. In the meantime the search was continued, and it was finally rewarded by the recovery of the hotly, some slight error in the original record being resopnsible for the mistake as to location.

In accordance with the established custom the personal effects found on the body were forwarded to New Zealand to he handed over to the next-ol-kin. The pathetic relies in the case under notice consisted of a stiver pocket compass, an identity disc, two shiny sovereigns dated 1913, and a ten

piastre piece. “Thus after ten years of uncertainty.” saiti Air Bollard, in referring to the matter to-day, “ the next-of-kin have received definite information that the remains of the missing soldier have been located, re-interred in Heath Cemetery, Unrbonnicres, about nine miles south-east of Corbie, and two miles east of Guillaneourt. The new grave has now been marked with a

wooden cross, and in due course a mil: tarv headstone will be erected.”

Air .Bollard said that the example he had quoted of the good work being effectively and unostentatiously performed by the AYar Graves Division of the Department of Internal Affairs in conjunction with the Imperial AYar Braves Comm,isssion, showed that every effort possible was made to recover the remains of <mr missing soldiers. Although the ease referred to was one of many, it illustrated well the amount of time and patient research necessary in the work of identifying the last resting places of New Zealanders who fell in the Great War. That the work hail not been fruitless was shown by the fact that (hiring the past twelve months the remains of forty-live New Zealanders had he'en recovered in the manner mentioned and finally laid to rest in the well-kept central cemeteries.