First World War soldiers found on former battlefields to be buried

Four Canadian First World War soldiers found on former battlefields in France will be buried in CWGC cemeteries this week.

The first burial ceremony in honour of an unknown soldier of the Canadian Expeditionary Force will take place tomorrow at the Canadian Cemetery No.2 in Neuville-St. Vaast, France.

The soldier was discovered on 27 September 2012, during an excavation prior to the construction of an industrial estate.

Found without personal or unit identifiers, but with a metal “CANADA” insignia such as would be found on a military tunic, he cannot be identified except as one of 3,426 Canadian servicemen missing from the 10-month period of action at Vimy. He would have died between 1 November 1916 and the end of July 1917.

On Thursday (24 August), a burial ceremony in honour of two soldiers - Private Reginald Joseph Winfield Johnston and Sergeant Harold Wilfred Shaughnessy - will be held at CWGC Loos British Cemetery in Pas de Calais, France.

Private Johnston of Fairford, Manitoba, was a member of the 16th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, a unit perpetuated by The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) of Victoria, B.C.

He was a homesteader until he enlisted in Winnipeg on 19 January 1916, at the age of 20. He was killed on 15 or 16 August 1917, in the Battle of Hill 70, at the age of 22. His remains were discovered on 2 August 2011, during a munitions clearing process in advance of a construction project near the village of Vendin-le-Vieil, France.

Sergeant Harold Wilfred Shaughnessy of St. Stephen, New Brunswick, was a member of the 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), a unit perpetuated by The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, of Montreal.

He was a stenographer before enlisting in Montreal on 4 August 1915, at the age of 31. He was killed on 15 August 1917, in the Battle of Hill 70, at the age of 33. His remains were discovered on 6 June 2016, during a munitions clearing process in advance of a construction project near the village of Vendin-le-Vieil, France.

On Friday (25 August), a burial ceremony in honour of Sergeant James Alexander Milne, of 10th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, a unit perpetuated by The Royal Winnipeg Rifles and The Calgary Highlanders, will take place at CWGC Orchard Dump Cemetery in Arleux-en-Gohelle, France.

Sergeant Milne was born in Gellybrands, Cookney, Kincardineshire, Scotland, on 10 February 1883. Raised by his maternal grandmother, he immigrated to Canada at some time between 1905 and 1911. An unmarried labourer, he enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Calgary, Alberta, on 27 January 1915, at the age of 31. He was killed on 28 April 1917, in connection with an operation against a German position known as the Arleux-Loop, at the age of 34.

The remains of the four soldiers have been held at the CWGC facility in Beaurains while investigation work to establish their identities has been on-going. The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) identified three of the four soldiers, recently notifying the CWGC to make the necessary preparations for their burials.

Family members of the identified soldiers are expected to attend the ceremonies on Thursday and Friday.

Discover more WW1 battlefields to visit.