Six British Great War soldiers found Ploegsteert - Wereldoorlog I in de Westhoek

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Six British Great War soldiers found - Ploegsteert - 11/11/2010

Belgian National Institute for Veterans and victims of War to transfer remains to Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

In late October 2010, the remains of six British First World War soldiers were recovered from a farmer’s field in the village of Komen-Waasten (Northwest Belgium). The recovery was
carried out by Patrick Roelens of the Comines historical society, under the supervision of the Belgian National Institute for Veterans and Victims of War.

In 2008, Mr. Roelens began exploratory excavations of this historic battlefield - which dates from the very earliest months of the First World War. Now, two years later, he has been able to successfully remove all of the remains.

Sergeant Didier Pontzeele of the Belgian National Institute for Veterans and Victims of War, the government agency which supervised the excavation said: "The remains were taken into custody by the local police and transferred to the Belgian National Institute for Veterans and Victims of War, which stores the remains at a local military base."

The soldiers’ remains will be officially transferred to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Ieper for safe keeping - pending a full investigation by the UK Ministry of Defence who are responsible for all matters relating to the identification and burial of British service personnel. When the UK MOD has concluded its investigations, the remains will be buried, with honours, in the closest Commonwealth war cemetery in which there is available space.

The archaeological research team continues to study the various items found at the site (buttons, pocket knives, watches, etc) which will also be transferred to the Belgian National Institute for Veterans and Victims of War, which in turn will hand them to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Information:
Instituut voor Veteranen
Nationaal Instituut voor Oorlogsinvaliden, Oud-
strijders en Oorlogsslachtoffers
Regentlaan 45-46
1000 Brussel
T: 02 227 63 12
www.vetera.be

www.deredactie.be/permalink/1.901794

British uniform and button - copyright warveterans.be

British uniform buttons found near the remains - copyright warveterans.be

Excavation of the remains at Comines-Warneton, Belgium on October 30th ---picture copyright warveterans.be

German rounds - probably taken as a war trophy by the British soldiers --copyright warveterans.be

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