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
2713 FebruaryMarch 2023 — See all updates

Our future services, current appeals and past cases

The following services are planned for MarchMarch/April 2023:

22 March 2023

10:00am:10am at Perth Cemetery (China Wall) in Belgium: A rededication service for Serjeant William Clay Cubberley of 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment at Perth Cemetery (China Wall) in Belgium.Regiment.

23 March 2023

10:00am:10am at Ecoust Military Cemetery, France: A rededication service for Lieutenant Harold Rymer Smith of 2/6th Battalion The North Staffordshire RegimentRegiment.

2.30pm at EcoustCrucifix MilitaryCorner Cemetery, France.

2:30pm:Villers-Bretonneux, France: A rededication service for Second Lieutenant Wilfred John Massey-Lynch of 3rd Dragoon Guards.

18 April 2023

10am at Assevillers New British Cemetery, France: A rededication service for Second Lieutenant Alick Aylmore of 15th London Regiment (Prince of Wales’ Own) Civil Service Rifles.

11.45am at London Cemetery and Extension, Longueval, France: A rededication service for Private Douglas Dickson of the Devonshire Regiment.

3.30pm at Loos British Cemetery, France: A rededication service for Lieutenant Cecil Shelley of the Scots Guards .

19 April 2023

10.15am at CrucifixBusigny CornerCommunal Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux,France: France.A rededication service for Private James McCaffrey of the Tank Corps.

12.00pm at Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau, France: A rededication service for Corporal Thomas Stannage of 10th (Prince of Wales’ Own Royal) Hussars.

Funeral Service, Crown Copyright, all rights reserved

Appeals for family

Can you help us find surviving family of 305343 Pte James McCafferty, who was killed in action on 11 October 1918 whilst serving with 5th Battalion, Tank Corps?

Pte McCafferty had previously served with the 5th Royal Dublin Fusiliers (service number 30370).

He was born in about 1889 in Tullish Down, Ireland, to Hugh and Annie McCafferty. He married Elizabeth Downie in Glasgow on 14 July 1911.

Any help would be much appreciated; please email us at DBS-MODWarDetectives@mod.gov.uk.

Forthcoming funeral or rededication services with full military honours.

Services have finished for 2022 and are due to recommence in March 2023.

Further details to follow.

Our Past Cases

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

Related information

Published 26 September 2019
Last updated 2713 FebruaryMarch 2023 + show all updates

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

  2. Details of three new rededication services added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  10. Details of further 4 services added.

  11. Details of forthcoming services added.

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

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

  14. Details of forthcoming services added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

  21. Addition of 3 more Forthcoming Services.

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

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

  24. Details of another 5 rededication services added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  32. Details of 3 x April 2022 rededication services

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

  34. Adding details of an additional 5 rededication services

  35. Addition of forthcoming events

  36. Update to appeals section

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

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

  39. Additional information on forthcoming service.

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

  41. Details of additional military funeral November 2021.

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

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

  44. Change to COVID restrictions in France.

  45. Details of additional service uploaded.

  46. Statement regarding ceremonial burials - Autumn 2021

  47. Family appeal deleted as appeal has been successful.

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

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

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

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

  52. Notification of further cancellations

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

  54. Changing calendar of events

  55. Details of additional ceremonies added

  56. Change to dates of when services may resume.

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

  58. Changes to details of appeals and services.

  59. We have added details of additional services and appeals

  60. To add details of future services

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

  62. First published.

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