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Dozens of English and commonwealth War hero, whose identity has remained a mystery for decades, has finally been identified Ministry of Defence ,Ministry of Defence) “war spy” forward remembrance sunday.
A total of 52 personnel killed in action during the First and Second World Wars have been named through careful historical research and advanced DNA testing.
Additionally, 33 previously unknown individuals were rediscovered and laid to rest.
This important work by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassion Center (JCCC) recognizes people who have served in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force.
While some were given formal burials as unknown soldiers, others remained lying unmarked for much of the last century.
Of the 85 soldiers commemorated through funeral and rededication services this year, 74 fought in World War I and 11 in World War II.
The youngest of the identified casualties was Trooper Francis Dominic, only 19 when he was killed in Normandy in August 1944.
The oldest was Sergeant Henry Ashton, a career soldier and former railway employee from Derby, who died aged 44 in Lens, France in 1917.
The British Army used sergeant as the spelling of the rank until the mid-1950s.
Dedication services in honor of the rediscovered casualties will take place at the Saint Symphorian Military Cemetery in Mons, Belgium, on 12 and 13 November.
A rededication service will be held for Sergeant William Augustus Fritz, of the 4th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in the first action of the First World War on 13 November.
On the morning of 23 August 1914, Sergeant Fritz’s battalion was located north of Mons, manning posts along the canal at Nimes.
German forces attacked and his battalion suffered heavy losses of about 150 men, including Sergeant Fritz, who was only 34 years old at the time of his death.
He leaves behind a wife and children who will never know what happened to him.
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and 5th Battalion of The Rifles and personnel from NATO’s nearby European Headquarters will take part in the service.
JCCC commemoration case worker Rosemary Barron said it was a “privilege” to help identify the workers.
Ms Barron said: “As the nation pauses this week to remember service personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in war, it is a poignant time to rededicate the graves of these brave men.
“All of these people left behind families who will mourn their loss and who will be left with unanswered questions about their exact fate.
“It’s a privilege to be able to do the work we do and bring these soldiers’ stories to a proper conclusion.”
Additional rededication services for Lieutenant Norman Frederick Hunter, Sergeant George Goodson Moore DCM and Private George Hall will be held in Belgium on 12 November. All three of them died in the First World War.
Lieutenant Hunter, a keen golfer from Edinburgh, died at the age of 36 when he was seriously wounded in an attack on Lake Bellewaarde, near Hooge.
Sergeant Moore, 21, of Southwark, central London, was a brass musical instrument maker who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for leading a bombing attack near Hennenel during the Battle of Arras on 11 April 1917. His remains were discovered near Polygon Wood, Belgium.
Pte Hall, of Stratford, Essex, died on 27 October 1918, aged 31, when his battalion was heavily shelled just two weeks before the Armistice of 11 November.
Defense Minister Lord Coker said: “We must always remember those who gave their lives for peace and freedom, and the soldiers of our modern armed forces who protect that precious heritage.
“The work of the Ministry of Defense’s war spies is an important part of keeping the memory of our fallen heroes alive.
“Every November, our armed forces take inspiration from their predecessors and commit to safeguarding our peace, freedom and way of life.”
The JCCC was investigated in collaboration with the Armed Forces, the National Army Museum and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.