Guidance

MOD War Detectives (the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre Commemorations team): our future services, current appeals and past cases

Find out about future services and what current appeals are ongoing.

From:
Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK
Published
26 September 2019
Last updated
30 May 2024 — See all updates

Our future services, current appeals and past cases

The following cases are planned to take place in June 2024:

12 June

  • 10am – A burial service for Sjt John Smith and Gnr Charles Lightfoot, both of the 29th Battery, Royal Field Artillery. The service will be held at Vendresse British Cemetery, France.

18 June

  • 2pm – A burial service for an unknown British soldier of an unknown regiment. The service will be held at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, France.

19 June

  • 10.30am – A burial service for an unknown British soldier of an unknown regiment. The service will be held at Serre Road Cemetery No. 2, France

20 June

  • 11am – A burial service for 12 unknown British soldiers and officers of the Suffolk Regiment, Royal Fusiliers and unknown regiments. The service will be held at Wancourt British Cemetery, France.

Funeral Service, Crown Copyright, all rights reserved

Appeals for family

There are no appeals outstanding at this time.

Our Past Cases

Details of some of the MOD War Detectives’ past cases can be found below:

Published 26 September 2019
Last updated 30 May 2024 + show all updates

  1. More detail has been added about the soldiers being buried on 20 June

  2. Details of the May services were removed as they have now passed. Details added of forthcoming services in June. Links to more past cases added.

  3. The service for Pte Birch on 23 May 2024 has been cancelled and therefore details were removed from this page.

  4. Details of April Services removed. Details of May services added. Links to past services updated.

  5. Details of March 2024 services removed, and April 2024 services added

  6. Details of March 2024 services have been added.

  7. Note added that no further services are planned in 2023

  8. Update to the services of 8th and 9th November.

  9. Addition of link to latest commemorative service

  10. Links added to news stories about services in Belgium on 25 & 26 October 2023

  11. Added details of services in November 2023

  12. Details of service on 31 October 2023 added.

  13. Updated page with details of past services

  14. Links added for details of past services

  15. Details of the September services were removed and details of forthcoming services in October were added.

  16. Details of an additional blessing service added

  17. Added details of services in late September.

  18. Added details of services planned for mid-September

  19. Details of early September 2023 services included

  20. Update for September services.

  21. Added a link to the service held on 21 June 2023 in France

  22. Derails of service for 20 June 2023 included.

  23. Included an update to provide details of the services for June 2023

  24. Links to the three May services included.

  25. Details of this week's services have been moved from "Forthcoming Services" to "Past Cases" with links to news releases

  26. Details of 3 more burial/rededication ceremonies added.

  27. Future services removed/updated and details of March Services included in 'Our Past Services'.

  28. Updated with details of two past services from March 2023.

  29. Details of services on 18 and 19 April have been added.

  30. Details of three new rededication services added.

  31. Details of an appeal for family have been added.

  32. Included details of the services to be held on 17 November 2022.

  33. Details of rededication of a Sheffield solider being laid to rest 105 years after his death added to past services.

  34. Details of an additional service have been added. Details of "forthcoming services" have now been added to "past cases".

  35. Details of "forthcoming service" deleted and link to report added to "past cases".

  36. Details of additional services have been added. "Forthcoming services" which have now passed have been deleted and links to news items added.

  37. Details of "forthcoming services" that have happened have been removed.

  38. Details of further 4 services added.

  39. Details of forthcoming services added.

  40. Details of "Forthcoming case" changed to "Past Case"

  41. Details of two "forthcoming services" changed to "past cases" with link to news item.

  42. Details of forthcoming services added.

  43. Details of "forthcoming" services moved to "past" cases with link to news release.

  44. Details of "forthcoming" services moved to "past cases".

  45. Details of two services removed from "forthcoming" and transferred to "past cases" with associated link.

  46. Details of forthcoming services changed to past cases with links to news reports.

  47. Additional information on the service to be held at New Irish Farm cemetery on 30 June 2022.

  48. Details of rededication service moved from "forthcoming events" to "past cases".

  49. Addition of 3 more Forthcoming Services.

  50. Details of 2 rededication services have been moved from "future" to "past" events.

  51. Details of two rededication services moved from "forthcoming" to "past" services.

  52. Details of another 5 rededication services added.

  53. A "Forthcoming Service" has now become a "Past Service". Updated accordingly.

  54. Details of a "Forthcoming Service" now changed to "Past Case".

  55. Details of recent ceremony removed from "Forthcoming Services". Link added to details of news release.

  56. Details of "Forthcoming Services" for May 2022 published.

  57. Details of ceremonies that have now taken place have been removed from "Forthcoming Ceremonies" and moved to "Past Cases".

  58. Details of services that have now taken place have been removed.

  59. Details of "Forthcoming Services" now changed to "Our Past Cases".

  60. Details of 3 x April 2022 rededication services

  61. Details of 4 additional rededication services in Belgium on 22 March 2022.

  62. Adding details of an additional 5 rededication services

  63. Addition of forthcoming events

  64. Update to appeals section

  65. New appeal for WW1 casualty's family launched.

  66. Details of today's service removed and link to news release about it added.

  67. Additional information on forthcoming service.

  68. Details of completed services now deleted from Forthcoming Services section. Links to recent service reports added.

  69. Details of additional military funeral November 2021.

  70. Details of 3 more commemorative funerals published. Link inserted to "previous cases" to news item about Royal Flying Corps casualty.

  71. Removed details of ceremonial services that have now taken place.

  72. Change to COVID restrictions in France.

  73. Details of additional service uploaded.

  74. Statement regarding ceremonial burials - Autumn 2021

  75. Family appeal deleted as appeal has been successful.

  76. New appeal for family added and previous one deleted.

  77. Inserting corrected email address; DBS-MODWarDetectives@mod.gov.uk

  78. Added an appeal for family under the 'current appeals' heading.

  79. Notification of cancellation of the rest of 2020 burial and rededication ceremonies.

  80. Notification of further cancellations

  81. Deleting details of services that have had to be posponed.

  82. Changing calendar of events

  83. Details of additional ceremonies added

  84. Change to dates of when services may resume.

  85. Cancellation of all scheduled services due to COVID-19

  86. Changes to details of appeals and services.

  87. We have added details of additional services and appeals

  88. To add details of future services

  89. Deleted details of services that have now taken place,

  90. First published.

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