Summary
Construction workers in northern France discovered the remains of over 100 soldiers from World War One. Experts from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the UK Ministry of Defence identified two Scottish soldiers' remains through artifacts and DNA tests. The identification work, involving historical records and family connections, solved a century-old mystery related to the Battle of Loos.
Key Facts
- In northern France, construction workers found over 100 soldiers' remains at a hospital site.
- The site was part of the Western Front during World War One, notable for the Battle of Loos.
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission led the initial investigation of the remains and artifacts.
- Artifacts included badges and buttons, which helped identify the soldiers' regiments.
- Two Scottish regiments, the Gordon Highlanders and the Cameron Highlanders, were identified from the badges.
- A UK Ministry of Defence unit, the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, further investigated the remains in 2023.
- Nicola Nash, a case worker, used census records and unique buttons to help identify one soldier as Gordon McPherson.
- DNA tests with living relatives confirmed the soldiers' identities, finalizing the 100-year-old mystery.
