Graves of five Great War soldiers rededicated at CWGC cemeteries in France

Left: A piper and bugler prepare to play at the rededication service for Cpl Thayne, right: An officer salutes at the grave of CSM Bax (Photos: Crown Copyright)

The final resting places of five soldiers killed in World War One have been identified and Services of Rededication have taken place at their graves in northern France over the 22nd and 23rd March.

The services were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, and were held at various Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries in France. The services were conducted by The Reverend Andrew Grant, Chaplain to 4 Scots.

All five casualties were buried in graves which have been cared for by CWGC for 100 years, but until now only a few details were known about each of them. As a result of research, those details were matched to the names of men commemorated as ‘missing’. Confirmation that only one missing man had died in the same place and at the same time as the individual buried in the grave enabled JCCC to formally confirm their identity. The graves of all five men are now marked by CWGC headstones bearing their name, which can now be removed from the Memorial to the Missing on which they had been commemorated for so long.

CWGC Commemorations Officer, David Royle, said:
“It’s an honour to have hosted these Services of Rededication at our sites across France this week. We thank the dedicated efforts of many in helping us to identify these five brave men. It is our privilege to care for their graves in perpetuity.”

Louise Dorr, from MOD JCCC said:
“It’s wonderful that thanks to two of our regular researchers we have been able to confirm their findings and return these soldiers’ names to them.
“Although some of their families live overseas and have been unable to attend, each of them is well represented by their military family on behalf of a grateful nation. I’m honoured to have been able to be here to rededicate their final resting places.”

Corporal (Cpl) William Lionel Court

William was born in Pancras, London in November 1886 to William and Esther Court (nee Lawrence). He was their youngest child, his siblings being Alfred, Percy, Archibald and Clara.

The 1911 Census shows William at age 24 serving with the 1st Cavalry Brigade, 19th Hussars at Wellington Lines, Aldershot, Hampshire. He died on 8 August 1918 (aged 31) while serving with the 19th Royal Hussars (Queen Alexandra’s Own).

Cpl Court’s remains were originally found just south of a small wood to the east of Guillaucourt, although he was not identified at the time. He was buried as a “Soldier of the Great War – Unknown Corporal – 19th Royal Hussars”. He is now known to have been buried in CWGC’s A.I.F Burial Ground, Flers, France.

Cpl Alexander Mayes Thayne

Alexander was born in 1890 in South Leith, Midlothian to Alexander and Susan Thayne. He had a sister and three brothers.

Cpl Alexander Mayes Thayne was killed on 10 April 1917 (age 27) while serving with the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys). His battalion’s war diary tells us that early that morning the Royal Scots Greys arrived in the village of Wailly, near Arras, before joining up with other regiments of the 5th Cavalry Brigade to make contact with other British units in the vicinity. Early that evening, the Royal Scots Greys moved on toward Wancourt and took up positions in shell holes on low ground. They stayed there throughout the night, although they were subject to periodical German artillery fire. His grave is in CWGC’s London Cemetery, Neuville-Vitasse.

Second Lieutenant David Bell

David Bell was born in 1882 in Dalry, Ayrshire, to George and Agnes Bell (nee Armour). At the time of the 1901 census he was living with his widowed mother in New Stock Street, Paisley, and his occupation was recorded as an Engine Cleaner. He had six siblings.

Second Lieutenant David Bell was serving with the 13th (Scottish Horse) Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) when he was killed in action on 7 October 1918 (age 36). The war diary tells us that his battalion was in the vicinity of Gouy on the day he died, and it mentions his death specifically. The burial records tell us that the remains were originally recovered from the western slopes of Prospect Hill, close to the French village of Gouy. He is buried in CWGC’s Prospect Hill Cemetery, Gouy

Company Quartermaster Serjeant Charles John Niven

Charles Niven was born in 1889 in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire to Charles and Mary Ann Niven (nee Beattie). Charles was considered an exceptional athlete, especially at the high jump and the vault. He took part in many of the principal games in Scotland prior to the outbreak of war and his rivals said of him they “could not have wished for a finer sportsman or a more manly fellow than C J Niven”. He was posthumously mentioned in dispatches in May 1915 for gallant and distinguished service in the field.

Company Quartermaster Serjeant Charles John Niven was serving with the 6th Gordon Highlanders when he was killed in action near Neuve Chapelle on 13 March 1915 (age 27). We now know that he is the unknown Staff Sergeant of the 6th Gordon Highlanders buried in a grave at Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery.

Company Serjeant Major (CSM) William Henry Bax

CWGC Delsaux Farm Cemetery, Beugny

William Bax was born in about October 1888 in Deal, Kent, to James and Emma Bax. He had five siblings. He married Charlotte Beatrice Bailey in 1909 and they had four children.

CSM William Bax was a career soldier, having attested into the Regular Army on 1 July 1906 as a private soldier. He served with the 6th battalion and A Coy, 2nd battalion in France and Flanders. He died on 24 March 1918 (age 29) while serving with the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He is buried in CWGC’s Delsaux Farm Cemetery, Beugny