As promised I am going to show how De Diggers recoverred this soldier.

Normally we don't publish any photo's of any soldiers we find. We don't think it is in good taste and secondly we only have a duty to recover, not a duty of identification. We therefore chose not to interfere in the ID process in anyway and let the respective authorities do their work.

The procedure regarding the ID process has been finished by the MOD/CWGC and we are waiting for the regiment to come and put this soldier to rest in his new place at Cement House Cemetery.

The images are not meant to shock, afterall it was a human being. I look at them taking account this was a young man doing his duty and paid the highest price.

Nearly all the soldiers we find are in and around no mans land and will have died on the spot they are found.

The Kings soldier was found 25.02.2006 10 meters away from the main road in Langemark next to the entrance of the football club FC Langemark. We were asked by the mayor of Langemark to screen the ground because they were going to build a sportinghall on the site.

The red arrow is of the Enlish monument of the 20th light division. The road from the bottom left is the road from Boezinge. The red dotted area is where the soldiers was found.

German army map showing the area in 1917.
Red dot is the position where the soldier was found.

While detecting the week before we had good reason to think there could be a soldier burried in this area.
We had located some bones. These are covered up again and the procedure is started to recover the remains with the police present. The police first look if it is not a crime scene and when this is done we can proceed.

Most soldiers will carry some kind of metal on them that is why we can find soldiers using metalldetecting.

The first photo show a couple of rifle grenades only six inches under the surface.


Rifle grenades close up.

Just above Gaby's right knee are the rifle grenades.


Now for the first time it is clear that we have found the remains of a soldier.
If you look closely you will see the teeth.

The area to be uncovered is increased. The main road from Langemark to Boezinge is in the background.

These photo's are taken after about one and a half hours of digging.
The soldier appears slowly and we get our first clue the regiment of the soldier.
On the top of the left shoulder is the badge of the Kings regiment.


Clise up from the other direction.


Blown up in size.

More and more gets uncovered.
Clear to see are the two rifle grenades from the first photo's.


The remains are pritty complete, the only thing mssing is the soldiers right leg.
It looks like the soldier was blown away with a big explosion.
He will have stood about around six meters from the impacrt, if he would have stood closer we would have found nothing of him.
The bag he carried with the rifle grenades has shot up to head hight.

Where one of the top pockits would have been we found this cap badge.
Although we understand that this soldier died most likely around half of august 1917 in the third battle of Ieper he must have kept his old cap badge as momento as by now the steel helmit was standard issue.

Another item that was found is this penknife.
All the items you see and the remains are removed by the police and kept in a secure room at the Houthulst barracks.

This was found, a small oil cannister.

Frans.

All I can say is thankyou for finding him. Another lost soul brought in from the cold soil he has lain in all these years. I hope and pray that his remains will be laid to rest in a nearby cemetary, among his comrades in arms.


God rest him.


A Soldier Remembered With Honour.



Terry W.

Frans,

I have watched De Diggers from afar and am amazed at their discoveries; clearly the best thread on this forum.

I find this thread absolutely fascinating, and would love to see more of it. What a wonderful job the Diggers do,
one that many on this forum would love to do, or even assist.

You are providing an excellent service to these men who paid their sacrifice, so that we may live.

Dave

Frans,
That we could treat each one with dignity and the care you show them
It is tough looking and very sad, but he will be remembered and we trust at peace
Shirley

A very informative post.
And a job well done, Frans.
As always.

Roel

Frans - you and the Diggers hold my greatest respect.
Thank you for what you do and the caring way it which it is done

Stephen

A great piece of work. I'm wondering if the cap badge, when cleaned up, shows signs that it had been blackened (it looks like it from the photo) - I'm fairly sure that this might help identify the battalion of King's Regiment. The 5th battalion had black cap badges and were in that area in July/ August 1917.

Thankyou, very moving. May he rest in peace. Frans I think a more likely explanation for the cap badge is that he removed it from his soft cap which may have been left with his large pack behind the lines (common practice) perhaps with batalion transport. He probably did not want someone to pilfer his kit whilst he was in the trenches, again a common practice.

Thankyou again

TT

Frans
Absolutely fascinating stuff, many thanks for posting.
Take care mate
Glyn

Frans,
Thank you very much for posting these photographs and for bringing another one in from the cold. Keep up the good work.

Andy

Thank you Frans for posting this thread and thanks to all the De Diggers for their great work.


identify the battalion of King's Regiment


Ian from the location, I would think he was 12/King's but it would be hard to know for sure.

Annette

Hi Frans - most interesting. Do you keep records like this on each soldier found, and are they deposited with IFF, Document centre, MMP, or somewhere similar?

Frans

Although I have been a member of this forum for several months now and kept up with your diggers thread with great interest, with one thing and another I have not posted any reply or comment. But I was very moved by this series of pictures, which really brings home the fact how war affects human beings like ourselves, and is not just maps, materiel and politics.

Thank you very much for your efforts on behalf of these men.

cheers Martin B

What Martin has said goes for me too, every word.

Frans, and all De Diggers,

Excellent work and another excellent set of posts. I will wear my De diggers badge with pride! (Trust everyone's got one?)

Steve

Well done Frans and all De Diggers. As always an interesting set of photos to explain your work.
I do not have the De Diggers badge but wear my cap everywhere and am often asked - who are they then.
stevem

Hi Paul,

The documentation center made a map where each soldier which was found is marked. They are still working to make a complete documentation of all the soldiers found on the boezinge area.

Regarding the 6 soldiers who have been found in Langemark we hold the documentation.

Each area is counted apart with 209 soldiers found on the boezinge site and 6 in Langemark.

We hold material for all of the soldiers and are working to make a complete single set of these.
When regiments have been identified the material has been forwarded to the regiments.

For the Kings soldier the museum in Liverpool received a full set of photographs immediately and with the help of Simon Jones the museum and severall others we received the correct information within a few days which would have taken us a long time to find out ourselves.

For any person wanting information regarding soldiers we recovered we are only too pleased to help where we can.

Frans

Thanks for that Frans - good to see it is being recorded and that it is being preserved by institutions in Flanders and passed on to those interested elsewhere. Thanks for taking the time to post this material here; I know from personal experience it is of great interest to many people.

Frans

Once again the Diggers have excelled themselves, bringing another one in from the cold. Congratulations to the De-Diggers team.


John

Three more photo's of items found on the Kings soldier.




This item contained a small mirror.


Each item we find is documented by ourselves and a document is made with all the items by the police.
When the police hand over to the home office this list is used, and once again by the handover to the country the soldier belonges too.

Amazing. Really wonderful. This is why I have belatedly joined this forum. I certainly understand the need for respect and good taste. Dignity is so important - believe me I know this from the struggle to get such treatment for a living octagenerian aunt with Alzheimers. But I think it is important to see the superb work you and your friends are doing, Frans. This has made my day.

Always fascinating Frans.

My thanks and regards as usual.

Good to see your work and the process. Was there anything found that might lead to an identity?

Best

Martin

Frans

Having been with the Diggers on a day when they recovered the remains of a soldier on the Boezinge site I will always remember the absolute respect with which those remains were uncovered. Considering that he was well over the 200th soldier found by yourselves, one could have expected that there might have been a certain amount of familiarity and coldness, in the excavation. However, that was very far from the reality, I certainly wasn't the only one feeling a great deal of emotion at that time.

Having spoken with the Diggers 'on-site' and at the subsequent re-burials I believe that they should be extremely proud of what they do and the professional way in which they do it.

regards

John

Frans and De Diggers
Another soul to be laid to rest with the dignity and respect he so deserves.
May he now rest in peace with his pals - and thank you for the informative identification process that occurs.
With respect to you all

Susan.

Frans, just found this, must have missed it before.

good job you are more observant, thanks for all your hard work.

Geachte

Ter informatie laten wij u hierbij weten dat de stoffeljjke resten van een onbekende Britse soldaat van het King's Liverpool Regiment op donderdag, 13 september 2007, om 14.00u op de begraafplaats Cement House te Langemark zullen bijgezet worden. Deze soldaat werd gevonden in de Boezingestraat te Langemark.

Hoogachtend


Christine Connerty-Ketels
Administration Supervisor
Commonwealth War Graves CommissionElverdingsestraat 82
B - 8900 IeperTel: 003257223644



I received this email from the CWGC informing De Diggers that the remains of the Kings Liverpool soldiers will be burried at Cement House Cementery on the 13th of september 2007 at 2 o'clock.

I know this is with very short notice but I understand that the CWGC only knew themselves midway last week. They have been waiting for the present day regiment to return from foreign duties.

I understand from the CWGC that the regiment are sending a delegation to attend the funeral.


Frans

Great news Frans

So pleased that thanks to De Diggers he is finaly getting the resting place he deserves.

Andy

yet another job well done frans
tafski

may he forever rest in peace

Bob

In my capacity of the "Northern Ireland Veterans Association" official representative. I will be attending these burials and laying a poppy tribute on behalf of the members of NIVA! I'm sure Frans will post some pictures, but if not, I will post some as soon as possible. As a matter of interest, since march this year, I have attended 9 soldiers burials, 8 x unknowns and 1 x known in the "Ypres Salient". There are others that have been buried with honours in France that I could not attend, so they seem to be popping up all over the place at the moment! It is becoming very busy over here with findings by "The Diggers" and others. A lot of development is happening around Ieper at the moment also. The 4 x diggers burials on Oct 4th, will be quite special as they all are. Best wishes, Chris.

What would we do without Frans and the Diggers whom are dedicated to the job they do so proffessionaly and with the upmost respect at all times. Well done guys keep up the great work you .

Dan

I was very lucky to attend the Burial of the Kings Soldier at Cement House Cemetery yesterday, the Forum was well represented. the ceremony was the conclusion of one episode of De-Diggers efforts, members of De-Diggers were in attendance. Please find my efforts in recording the event.

John



And more.

Still more.

And some more, in my previous post I forgot to say that the band in attendance was the West Yorkshire Police Band who played at the Last Post Ceremony on the 12 September.

John

Nice one John. It was great to meet you and put a face to a name!

Here are more photos including Pol from the De Diggers caught taking photographs.

John

More

And still more.

More

Every time this happens, I'm amazed...and uplifted by the effort made by so many to recognise the men, even when they are known unto God alone.

For the ones that can understand dutch a report was made by the Dutch national radio.
The people interviewed speak english and the reporter translates.

the link: http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/20...0907_ieper.html

Thank you so much for sharing your pictures with us John !

I too am amazed - at the caring of so many people - for our fallen soldiers !!

Thank you Frans - to you and your team for all that you do !

Annie

Have just found this thread, very moving and interesting, what a wonderful job you do


Barbara