During a visit to Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) Innsworth in 2024, members of our Squadron were given a presentation by “The War Detectives” section, detailing the role they play with the identification of fallen soldiers from WW1 and WW2, using methods including searching through personal artefacts, war records and DNA testing. We were informed that they had recently identified the body of Signalman Edmund Roberts at an unknown soldier’s grave at Le Grand Luce war cemetery near le Mans in France and that they would be conducting a rededication service for members of his family. SSgt J Pye enquired if they had any representatives from the Royal Corps of Signals attending the service, of which there was not and so expressed an interest in helping to source some volunteers from his own Squadron.
On the 22nd of June 2025, SSgt J Pye, Cpl M Gurung and Signaller J Wood began the journey to Le Mans accompanied by the Padre Rev G Anson and CSgt A Jones from the band of the Royal Welsh, with 3 members of the JCCC team, R Baron, J Woodhall and R Warren.
There were services for 4 fallen soldiers at Le Grand Luce on the 23rd June; a small cemetery, where the local hospital buried the soldiers who were unable to return to England after the Dunkirk evacuation due to their injuries. These were the last 4 unknown soldiers’ graves to be identified, and it is thanks to the family of Signalman Roberts that they have been identified. The husband of his Granddaughter had painstakingly searched through letters from the hospital for records to try and find his location. JCCC were then able to identify him, Private William Falconer (Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders), Gunner Joseph Humphries (RRA) and Major Richard White-Cooper (Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment) in collaboration with their families so that they were also able to pay their last respects.
The 3 members of 233 Sig Sqn were able to play key roles within all of the services. Signaller Wood and SSgt Pye gave readings from the Gospel, the last post, laid out the wreaths and presented the families with the Union Flags as a symbol of the gratitude and remembrance of our nation for the sacrifice of their family. Cpl Gurung (Corps photographer) captured the event for the benefit of the families, some of whom had travelled from as far as Houston Texas to re-unite with their families for the shared respect of their fallen Grand Father.
Following the services, we were invited to Le Grand Luce Town Hall by the local Mayor, who was in attendance, along with the family members and the Military attache, Colonel S Cuniff, where we had lunch and spoke to the families to find out more about the soldiers and their lives prior to the war.
The team then moved North to Bayeaux, in preparation for the other 3 services at Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery. These were all soldiers who had died during Operation Goodwood between 18th and 20th July 1944. This cemetery was of a significantly larger scale than that of Le Grand Luce. The appreciation for that of the Allied forces in France is clear to see in this area of the country with most of the homes brandishing UK and US flags alongside the French flag. We were joined by the Defence attache Brigadier Al Veitch, members of the War Graves Commission, a group of Army Veteran bikers and members of the public.
The trip was made more poignant for Signaller J Wood as she had informed Mrs J Woodhall, JCCC, of a Great Uncle who had died in Normandy, of which none of her family knew of his location. After a bit of fast investigation, his grave was found at a nearby cemetery and so the Padre was able to conduct a service in memory of him also.
Truly amazing work carried out by JCCC, the wargraves commission and all other parties involved in laying victims of war to rest with the respect of the nation.
