Medal Identifies Unknown Soldier

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 412, 21 July 1928, Page 13

Medal Identifies Unknown Soldier

CLUE LEADS TO FURTHER DISCOVERIES Press Association. WELLINGTON, To-day. The publication of the photograph of a small gold medal recovered from the remains of an unknown soldier in France has led to the probable identification of three New Zealanders who fell in action in Flanders in 1916. Mrs. Taylor, of Hamilton, has advised tho War Graves Department that the medal in question was won by her, and she gave it to Lance-Corporal Fergus Ferguson, a friend of the family, on his embarkation for service overseas. After this it was learned that in all probability one of the bodies was that of Ferguson. It was considered that if a thorough search of the records showed that if two other members only of the Second Auckland Regiment were found to have been buried with exactly the same map reference, it would establish the identity of the whole three. A search was made, and this disclosed that the only other soldiers buried at exactly the same spot were Private E. J. Macdonald, Auckland Regiment, killed in action on September 20, 1916, and Private A. Sherman, killed in action on September 19, 1916. As a badge of the 15th Company of the Auckland Regiment was found on «.ne of the bodies, it would appear that the remains are those of Privates Sherman and Macdonald. “All the particulars that have been gathered are being forwarded immediately to the War Graves Commission,” said Sir Maui Ppmare to-day, “and if the commission finds that the three bodies were located at the same map reference, then identification will be established.”