British soldier killed during the Battle of Loos in 1915 is finally laid to rest more than a century after he died – after MOD ‘war detectives’ use great-great niece’s DNA to solve the mystery of his identity
- Private William Johnston and unidentified soldier were buried on Thursday at Loos British Cemetery in France
- The two British soldiers were killed on September 26, 1915, and their remains were not discovered until 2018
- Pte Johnston’s great-great niece, 48, said: ‘It really brings home that these people can never be forgotten’
- The Loos British Cemetery was begun by Canadian Corps in July 1917 for casualties from the Battle of Hill 70
A British soldier killed during in World War I has finally been laid to rest with full military honours more than a century after he died.
Private William Johnston, of the 7th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, died at the age of 39 in 1915 during the Battle of Loos. He was buried alongside an unidentified soldier who served in the East Yorkshire Regiment on Thursday at the Loos British Cemetery in France.
The service was led by the Reverend Dave Jeal, chaplain to 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, and bearer parties were provided by the Yorkshire Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The two soldiers were killed on September 26, 1915, during the largest British attack of the year, and their remains were not discovered until 2018.
An MoD unit known as the ‘war detectives’ solved the mystery of Pte Johnston’s identity after finding a spoon with his service number on it during routine First World War ordinance surveys at a hospital building site in Lens.
The team, who research military and historical records to name a casualty or previously unknown grave, then contacted his great-great-niece and asked for a DNA sample from her, which confirmed his identity.
A bearer party from the Royal Regiment of Scotland carry the coffin of Private William Johnston, 7th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers as he is buried with full military honours on Thursday at the Loos British Cemetery in France
Sharon Williamson, the great-great niece of Pte Johnston, is pictured during the service on Thursday. She was contacted by the MoD unit, known as the war detectives. They asked for a DNA sample from her, which confirmed his identity
A spoon and a pocket watch, which belonged to Pte Johnston (and bears his service number), was key to confirming the soldier’s identity
Nicola Nash, of the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, said: ‘We were lucky with Johnston because he was actually discovered with a spoon that had his service number on it.
‘So we were able to look at that service number and link it with Johnston. Looking through historical documents, it also confirmed that the regiment was in the area when he was killed.’
Records showed he was the only casualty with the number who did not have a known burial place.
Ms Williamson, of County Armagh, said: ‘It really brings ‘Lest we forget’ right into people’s faces, and that over a 100 years ago that these men are not forgotten about and they’re given the respect and the military burial that they deserve. It really brings home that these people can never be forgotten.’
The 48-year-old added she heard his name being read out every year as it is on a local war memorial in Richhill.
She said: ‘We knew of the name but we didn’t know of the story, we didn’t know where he died, we didn’t know when he died, we didn’t know what age he was.’
bearer party from the Royal Regiment of Scotland carry the coffin of Pte Johnston, 7th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers as he is buried with full military honours at the Loos British Cemetery in France
A bearer party from the Royal Regiment of Scotland lower the coffin of Pte Johnston. The service was led by the Reverend Dave Jeal, chaplain to 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland
The two soldiers were killed on September 26, 1915, during the largest British attack of the year, and their remains were not discovered until 2018. Pictured: the reburial ceremony for two British soldiers on Thursday
Rev Jeal, pictured left, reads the order of service during a reburial ceremony for World War One soldier Pte Johnston of the 7th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, at the Loos British Cemetery in France
The identity, and the story, of his fellow soldier in the East Yorkshire Regiment remains a mystery. He was found wearing two East Yorkshire Regiment shoulder titles.
The war diaries of his regiment confirm that on September 26, 1915, they were in the location where his remains were recovered.
On that day the regiment suffered heavy causalities from machine gun fire, having launched an attack the previous day.
Between September 25 and 27, the regiment lost 15 officers and 266 other ranks, making it impossible for the war detectives to identify the soldier by name.
The Loos British Cemetery was begun by the Canadian Corps in July 1917 for casualties from the Battle of Hill 70 in the same year. The remainder of the cemetery was formed after the Armistice in 1918.
A lone piper from the Royal Regiment of Scotland is seen at the funeral of Pte Johnston. The Loos British Cemetery was begun by the Canadian Corps in July 1917 for casualties from the Battle of Hill 70
Pallbearers from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, carry the coffin of World War One soldier Pte Johnston. His remains were found during routine First World War ordinance surveys at a hospital building site in Lens
Ms Williamson, Pte Johnston’s great-great-niece, holds the folded flag from his coffin during a re-burial service at Loos British Cemetery in Loos-en-Gohelle, France on Thursday
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