Two World War One soldiers, Sgt John Smith from Gloucestershire and Gunner Charles Lightfoot from Edinburgh, have been laid to rest with full military honours more than a century after their deaths during the Battle of Aisne in September 1914.
The burial took place at the Vendresse British War Cemetery in France and was attended by their families. The ceremony was organized by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, known as the “MoD War Detectives.”
The remains of Sgt Smith and Gunner Lightfoot were discovered in 2009 by French historian Jerome Buttet in a cave near Chassemy. An inscription in the cave led to the discovery of the remains of two soldiers, while two others, Gunner Adams and Gunner Blyth, remain missing.
The MoD War Detectives used research and DNA testing to identify Sgt Smith and Gunner Lightfoot, with the help of DNA provided by their relatives.
Alexia Clark, an MoD War Detective, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to give the soldiers a dignified burial and provide closure to their families. She also acknowledged the sacrifice of Gunners Adams and Blyth, who remain unfound, and their comrades.
