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MOD War Detectives, Gloucester (2026)

20/05/2026

This morning we rededicated the grave of Lieutenant Thomas Michael O'Neill, Royal Dublin Fusiliers att. ROYAL air Force, at Le Grand Beaumart Cemetery in France.

Thomas was born on 1 May 1892 in Westmeath, Ireland. He was the youngest of seven siblings, growing up on a farm in Reynella, Clonlost. Prior to 1914, he was working as a shop assistant in Dublin.

After war was declared, Thomas was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and joined the 9th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. He served the next seven months in the UK before going overseas in December 1915. In July 1916, Thomas journeyed to England to join the Royal Flying Corps at Oxford. He eventually graduated and went through a number of Home Defence squadrons. In March 1918, Thomas travelled to France to join 43 Squadron.

On 8 May 1918, Thomas was out on Offensive Patrol just after midday when his patrol was attacked by a group of German Triplanes. He was in Sopwith Camel C8298, and his Casualty Report related that he was last seen going down out of control , East of Bailleul, after being attacked. He was subsequently listed as missing and commemorated on the Arras Flying Service Memorial.

Research was submitted by a member of the public which suggested that Lt. O'Neill was actually buried at Le Grand Beaumart Cemetery. Further investigation was undertaken and it was agreed that Lt. O'Neill was the only candidate for the grave in question. The headstone has been changed accordingly and a rededication service was held today.

19/05/2026

Today at 13:30 hours we buried Squadron Leader George Morley Fidler Royal Air Force 86 years after he was killed in Northern France.

Squadron Leader Fidler, known to his family and friends as 'Morley', was born on 30 September 1912 in Great Ayton, North Yorkshire. As a young man he joined the family business for a few years, but his real passion was for flying, and in 1934 he joined the Royal Air Force.

He spent time in Egypt, Cyprus and India, being described as an 'exceptional' pilot by his superiors. Morley would often visit Great Ayton on leave, sometimes arriving by aircraft, looping-the-loop and landing in a field nearby much to the joy of the local children.

When war was declared in September 1939, Morley went to France as part of the Air Component of the British Expeditionary Force, sent to assist France to resist the German threat. In February 1940, he joined 607 Squadron. As the Germans pushed through Europe, the squadron found themselves in the middle of intense aerial combat. On 19 May 1940, Hurricanes from 607 Squadron were patrolling the skies above Cambrai when they encountered a Dornier bomber with an es**rt of Messerschmitts. In the ensuing air battle, Morley's Hurricane was shot down.

On the same day, another Hurricane pilot came down in the town of Bachy. This pilot was mistakenly identified as Squadron Leader Fidler. The grave was subsequently named for him and a personal inscription was supplied by Morley's mother.

However, in 2005 metal detectorists discovered pieces of plane wreckage from a site in Oisy-le-Verger, about 35km from Bachy. One piece had a serial number 'P3535' which suggested it came from the Hurricane flown by Morley. This prompted the Ministry of Defence to look at the grave in Bachy and determine it could not possibly belong to Morley. The headstone was changed to 'unknown airman' to reflect this.

But Morley's story did not end there. There is currently an extensive construction project ongoing in Northern France due to a major extension of the Seine-Nord Canal. In 2022, whilst undertaking some preliminary archaeological works in an area due for expansion, a crash site was discovered of a Second World War era airplane, believed to be a Hurricane. The pilot was also discovered at the same time. After extensive research and DNA testing, this pilot was positively identified as Squadron Leader George Morley Fidler and he was finally laid to rest today at Commonwealth War Graves Commission London Cemetery and Extension, Longueval, France.

The bearer party comprised of serving personnel from RAF Halton, and also present were representatives from 607 Squadron. The service was led by Padre Helene Grant RAF.

12/05/2026

This morning at 11am we held a service of rededication for Cpl Gilbert Nay Hamilton of 7th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders who died on 21 July 1943 during the Battle of Gerbini - part of the invasion of Sicily.

Cpl Hamilton received a hasty field burial with a unit cross with his rank and Regiment marking the spot, but when the recovery teams came through it was impossible to prove his personal identity due to an inconsistency in his date of death - he was reburied at Catania War Cemetery as an Unknown Corporal of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.

Recently, Cpl Hamilton's great-nephew submitted evidence suggesting that he was the unknown Cpl buried at Catania. Following review of this evidence by JCCC and NAM the identification was agreed.

The service today was led by Padre Tom Wilde of 4th Bn Royal Regiment of Scotland and supported by musicians and serving soldiers from both 4 Scots and 5 Scots.

06/05/2026

The following services will be taking place in France and Belgium in early June 26:

2 June 26 –

13:00 – A burial service for an unknown soldier at Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

3 June 26 –

11:00 – A burial service for 2 unknown Commonwealth soldiers at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.

9 June 26 –

15:00 – A rededication service for Serjeant Ernest Stevens and Lance Corporal John Springate, both of 11th Battalion The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, who were killed in action on 1-2 October 1918, at Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium.

10 June 26

10:30 – A burial service for Private Horace Cook, Private Frederick Martin, Private Thomas Whitaker, Private Courtney Hart, Private Joseph Turnley, and Private Charles Russell, all of 2/4th Battalion The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.

29/04/2026

Another two rededication services have taken place today near Ieper / Ypres in Belgium.

This morning we carried out a service for Captain Gordon Cuthbert of the 1/8 Battalion Middlesex Regiment at CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery. Capt. Cuthbert was killed in action on 25 April 1915. Gordon Cuthbert was born in Sunbury, Middlesex on 14 August 1876, and was educated at Clifton College. He was an oil broker by trade, and joined the London Rifle Brigade in 1894. In 1900 he received a commission to Second Lieutenant in the 2 Volunteer Brigade of the Middlesex Regiment and transferred to the Territorial reserve in 1908. He was made a captain in 1911. By the time war broke out in 1914, Gordon was married with three children, and also in poor health, but this did not stop him from re-enlisting immediately. Gordon arrived in France in February 1915, and was killed whilst leading a party attempting to recapture a previously lost trench around 11kms from Ypres. Following the war Gordon's body or burial place could not be found and his name was added to the list of the missing and carved onto the Menin Gate memorial. In 1920 the body of a captain of the Middlesex Regiment was recovered near the Ypres-Roulers railway line, but it was not possible to identify him so he was buried at Tyne Cot as an unknown captain. Research presented to the CWGC and then assessed and complemented by work by ourselves and the NAM has now connected that unknown captain to Gordon Cuthbert and today his grave was rededicated accordingly.

The second service, this afternoon at CWGC Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, was for Lt Leslie Harvey, also of the 1/8 Middlesex Regiment. Like Capt Cuthbert, Lt Harvey died on 25 April 1915 - he was leading his men in a Bayonet charge. Leslie Harvey was born in Windsor in 1884, and was educated at Eastbourne and Isleworth Schools. Following his education he trained as a solicitor and whilst at the Inns of Court he joined the Officer Training Corps. He too volunteered immediately on the outbreak of war, and was given a commission in the Middlesex Regiment on 28 August 1914. Like Capt Cuthbert, Harvey also arrived in France in February 1915, and by April had reached Belgium. Following Harvey's death, he was buried near a railway crossing by his men, but in the chaos of war his grave marker was lost, and so at the close of hostilities he was considered missing and named on the Menin Gate. In 1929 the body of an unknown Lt of the Middlesex Regiment was recovered just south of the Ypres-Roulers railway line, and reburied as an unknown officer at Sanctuary Wood. As in Captain Cuthbert's case research has now lined the unknown man with Lt Harvey and the grave has now been rededicated in his name.

28/04/2026

Two rededication services took place today near Ieper (Ypres) in Belgium.

The first service, this morning, at CWGC Bedford House Cemetery was for LCpl William Voice MM of the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment, who was killed in action on 1 August 1917. LCpl Voice was born in Horsham in 1886, and by the outbreak of war was married with four children. He joined the army on 28 June 1916, and was awarded the Military Medal in June 1917. At the end of July 1917 William found himself in trenches in Klein Zillebeke, his battalion suffering repeated shelling, and between 30 July and 1st August 35 men were listed killed, 164 wounded and 105 missing. William was one of the missing. Following the war his name was placed on the Menon Gate memorial to the missing. In the summer of 1921 the remains of an unknown soldier of the Queen's Royal West Regiment who was also an MM winner were recovered and reburied at Bedford House. Research suggesting the identity of this unknown man was passed to the CWGC from a private individual. The CWGC in turn sent it on to us at JCCC and the NAM in 2024. This research as well as additional work carried out by our team, allowed those remains to be connected with the last known movements of William Voice and today the grave was rededicated in his name. LCpl Voice's great grandson attended the service to pay tribute.

The second service was for LCpl Lionel Weller Sandell of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, and took place at CWGC Zantvoorde British Cemetery this afternoon. LCpl Sandell died on 29 September 1918 in the closing weeks of the war. LCpl Sandell was born in Worthing in 1899. He first tried to join the war effort in November 1914 when he was just 15 years old, he successfully enlisted in The Royal Sussex Regiment, but was reclaimed by his father in early 1916 when he provided a birth certificate proving his son was too young to serve. He re-enlisted in May 1917 and completed a period of home service before being sent abroad on 30 March 1918 with the East Surrey Regiment. By early April he'd been transferred to the Queen's Own Royal West Kents, and served with them for the rest of his war. On 29 September 1918 the battalion formed up to attack along the eastern edge of the Ypres-Comines canal. Whilst the day was initially successful they were forced to withdraw later on, and the day ended with 35 men killed, 97 wounded and 20 missing - Lionel being one of them. As in the case of LCpl Voice, a case was submitted to the CWGC suggesting that Lionel Sandell was the unknown LCpl of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment buried at Zantvoorde. After further research by JCCC and NAM, the case was agreed and today the grave was rededicated in the presence of Lionel's great-niece.

25/04/2026

This week four services were held in France. The first was a burial service for an unknown soldier found on the Somme. The burial service took place at Warlencourt British Cemetery on Tuesday. The second service was a burial service for Private Reginald Joseph Blake of 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment at Loos British Cemetery Extension on Wednesday morning. Private Blake was killed on 21 April 1917. His remains were found at the site of the new hospital being constructed at Lens. The third service was a burial service for an unknown soldier also at Loos British Cemetery Extension on Wednesday afternoon. The soldier was found at Tilly-les-Mofflaines near Arras. The final service took place at Croisilles British Cemetery on Thursday morning. This was a rededication service for Lieutenant George Kenneth Steinberg MC of 34th Battalion Machine Gun Corps. Lieutenant Steinberg was killed on 22 March 1918. The services were conducted by the Rev Joseph Roberts CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment and was supported by soldiers of that battalion as well as a musician from The Band of The Royal Yorkshire Regiment. Members of the machine Gun Corps Association were present as well as members of the Essex branch of the Western Front Association and Essex Branches of the Royal British Legion. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the services.

13/04/2026

The following services will be taking place in France and Italy during May 2026:

Tuesday 12 May:

11:00 – A rededication service for Corporal Gilbert Nay Hamilton, 7th Battaion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, killed in action on 21 July 1943. This service will take place at Catania War Cemetery, Sicily, Italy.

Tuesday 19 May:

13:30 – A burial service for Squadron Leader George M Fidler, 607 Sqn, Royal Air Force, who was killed in action on 19 May 1940. This service will take place at London Cemetery and Extension, Longueval, France.

Wednesday 20 May:

11.00 – A rededication service for Lieutenant Thomas Michael O'Neill, 43 Sqn, Royal Air Force and Royal Dublin Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 8 May 1918. This service will take place at Le Grand Beaumart Cemetery, Steenwerck, France.

26/03/2026

This afternoon, a rededication service was held for 2nd Lieutenant Ronald Douglas Elmer Speed, 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards at Warhem Communal Cemetery, France.

Ronald was the only child of Douglas Charles Leyland Speed and Myrtle Deering, both of Kent. He was born in St. Georges Square, Hanover, London. Ronald grew up on his family’s estate, Knowlton Court, which was near Goodnestone in Kent.

He was educated at St. Aubyn’s Preparatory School in Rottingdean, East Sussex before going up to Eton College. With both his father and Grandfather serving as British Army officers, it is no surprise that in June 1937, he successfully passed the Army Entrance Examination and entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. On 26 June 1939, Ronald was gazetted as a Second Lieutenant and was subsequently posted to his first choice of regiment, the Coldstream Guards. By December 1939, he had joined the 2nd Battalion and embarked for France to join the British Expeditionary Force.

On 1 June 1940, Ronald was serving with one of four companies that were holding the line of Hondschoote Canal, close to Warhem. During the morning, this position was subject to heavy enemy shell and mortar fire, and his company was forced to retire. During the engagement, a shell exploded close to the spot where Ronald was standing. He was later seen by his men lying mortally wounded, but sadly the intensity of the battle meant it was impossible for any members of his company to examine him. The location of Ronald’s body was never discovered, and he was subsequently listed as missing.

Recently, a case was submitted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission claiming that Second Lieutenant Speed was actually buried in Warhem Communal Cemetery in France. The grave in question was originally recorded as belonging to an unknown Second Lieutenant of the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Ronald was the only officer of this rank and regiment still missing from this particular action near Dunkirk. The battalion war diary and eyewitness accounts confirm that Ronald would have been close to Warhem when he died. Further research subsequently confirmed that this unknown grave belonged to Ronald and the headstone was changed accordingly.

Today we rededicated his grave accordingly, supported by serving members of the Coldstream Guards. The service was led by Padre David Jeal CF, and attended by many members of 2Lt Speed's family.

25/03/2026

This morning at 11am a rededication service was held for Trooper Fred Tingle of the 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards at Heverlee War Cemetery near Leuven.

Fred was born in Castleford, Yorkshire in 1920 – a twin brother to Fern, and one of 11 children born to William Tingle, a coal miner. Fred’s mother was Annie Hepples – William’s second wife.

In 1940 Fred was serving in Belgium with the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, which had operated since just before the outbreak of war as part of the newly formed Royal Armoured Corps. The Regiment was part of the British Expeditionary Force which was deployed to mainland Europe in a reconnaissance role shortly after the war broke out. When the Germans launched their invasion of the low-countries on 10 May 1940 they forced a retreat of the British forces, and the 5th fought a fierce rearguard action as they made their way back towards Dunkirk – which they reached on 29 May 1940.

Fred was killed in action on the 19 May 1940 during the retreat. His body was initially recovered and buried in Sint Antelinks by local people who documented the items found with him and sent his identification disc to Brussels for recording. Although those same people continued to care for Fred’s grave throughout the war, unfortunately, when his body was recovered by the British army in 1946 it proved impossible to reconcile all the records, and he was buried as an unknown soldier.

Recently, research by two Belgian nationals found the key documents which proved that the location that the unknown soldier had been recovered from (Hulgeveldestraat in Sint Antelinks) was identical to the original burial location of a soldier who had been carrying a disc marked with Fred's name and regimental number.

Further research revealed more details of the unknown soldier including a physical description, and information about letters and papers he was carrying which bore addresses in the West Yorkshire area. Ultimately, all of this information taken together, proved that the unnamed grave at Heverlee was that of Trooper Fred Tingle.

Today we rededicated his grave accordingly, supported by serving soldiers of the Royal Dragoon Guards and a musician from the Band of the British Army. The service was led by Padre David Jeal CF, and attended by the local researchers as well representatives of the Belgian Defence Forces, the CWGC and the Brussels branch of the RBL. Local standard bearers were also in attendance to pay their respects.

MOD War Detectives

20/05/2026

19/05/2026

12/05/2026

06/05/2026

29/04/2026

28/04/2026

25/04/2026

13/04/2026

26/03/2026

25/03/2026

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