Two Tommies and three British soldiers were given proper burials with complete military honors last August 27 and 28, 2014.
Two of the three remains of the British soldiers killed during WWII were initially believed to be Germans. These two were given proper burials individually in Fontenay Le Plesnel War Cemetery last Wednesday, August 27th. the third remains of a WII British soldier, believed to have been killed from June to August 1944 at the Battle for Caen, was laid to rest in La Delivrande War Cemetery on the same day.
On the other hand, the two remains of Tommies unearthed on different occasions in areas near Somme, France, were granted proper burials in different cemeteries. One was laid to rest in the Bouzincourt Communal Cemetery Extension while the other was interred at Adelaide Cemetery in Villers Bretonneux. However, the internment ceremonies for the two Tommies happened on the same day – Friday, 28th of August.
History
According to reports, the first human remains of two British soldiers killed during the Second World War were handed to the German authorities as they were initially believed to be WWII German soldiers. Nevertheless, the latter handed them back to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission after further investigation revealed that they were British or Canadians. Another round of examination was made and confirmed that the two human corpses were, indeed, of the British forces.
These two remains were found within the vicinity of Cheux in the western part of Caen, Normandy in 2008. Proper burials were accorded.
The third remains of a British soldier killed during the Second World war was discovered by a hunter and was believed to have died during the Battle for Caen. Canadian authorities were also brought in to examine the corpse as there was a strong indication that the remains was of Canadian soldier. However, after further examination, examiners confirmed that the soldier was of British nationality. The remains were laid to rest accordingly.
Both the remains of the two Tommies were discovered in differing locations. One was discovered by a local landowner in his cultivated field just outside of Bouzincourt in October 2013. Believed to have been killed during the Battle of Albert which raged on from July 1 to 13, 1916, the found remains of this particular Tommy had various regimental badges in his person.
The second corpse of a Tommy soldier was found last August 2013 during a trench work for a gas pipeline just outside Villers Bretonneux. Artifacts found with the discovered remains that time strongly indicated that he was one of the British soldiers who fought alongside the Australians in the area at around 1918.
Proper burials were given proportionately to the two Tommies.