Six Welsh soldiers' graves identified on the Western Front

Although all six soldiers were buried at the time of their deaths, their names have been lost. Their graves were only recently identified after researchers submitted records to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

Further research by the MOD's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the MOD War Detectives, the CWGC and the National Army Museum used sources including war diaries, service records, grave registration reports and other documents. As a result, the initial findings were confirmed, allowing each soldier to be commemorated by name.

The re-dedication ceremonies were organised by the JCCC, and headstones were laid in the names of Second Lieutenant (2/Lt) Noel Osbourne Jones; 2/Lt Herbert Taggart; Private (Pte) Lionel Grove and Captain (Capt) Clifford Nichols, all members of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, as well as Corporal (L/Cpl) Arthur Dowding of the Monmouthshire Regiment and Private George Price of the South Wales Borderers. The ceremonies were attended by serving soldiers and representatives of the Royal Welsh.

The funeral took place in France on 2 July at Bellicourt British Cemetery and the CWGC Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, and in Belgium on 3 July at Bedford House Cemetery and Chester Farm Cemetery. Captain Nichols' family were present.

Alexia Clark, JCCC social worker, said:

Researching these six men and learning their individual war stories has been a fascinating journey. It has been a privilege to have played a part in bringing these stories to a close and knowing that their families finally have answers to what happened to them.

Lieutenant Noel Osborne-Jones, Lieutenant Herbert Taggart and Private Lionel Grove were all killed on 8th May 1916 during a trench raid. Their bodies were recovered by the Germans and buried by them at Fournes, before being transferred to Cabaret Rouge Cemetery after the war. Unfortunately, the Germans did not know their names and identified their bodies only by rank and regiment. After the war, the names of all three men were inscribed on the Loos Missing Memorial.

Lance Corporal Dowding was killed in action near Ramicourt in October 1918, just weeks before the end of the war. Although he was buried at the time of his death, key information about his grave was lost in the chaos of the conflict and after the war his name was inscribed on the Vis-en-Artois memorial.

Captain Nichols was killed at the Battle of Passchendaele on 31 July 1917. At the time of his death he was listed as a member of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who had been attached to the 164th Machine Gun Company. His body was found in an unmarked grave near Spree Farm in 1923, and his rank and regiment were identified by his buttons and badges. Unfortunately there was no record of his name at the time, and he was buried as an unknown officer. After the war Captain Nichols was commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres.

Private Price was killed in action near Hill 60, Belgium, in October 1917. He was initially buried in a field grave, but by the end of the war all records of his name had been lost. He was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.

The services were conducted by Reverend Richard Mutter CF, Chaplain to the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh.

Rev. Richard Mutter CF said:

To honor these young men and to honour their sacrifice here in this place is a very special thing. I am pleased to have presided over these rededication ceremonies and to have helped close the final chapter in these men's stories.

The headstones above the graves have been replaced by CWGC. Xavier Puppinck, CWGC France Area Director, said:

It is an honour for the CWGC to care for the graves of these six gallant soldiers from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the Monmouthshire Regiment and the South Wales Borderers who went missing in France and Belgium during the First World War. They paid the ultimate price fighting on the Western Front over 100 years ago. And now it is our privilege and duty to care for their graves in perpetuity.