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
213 October 2025 — See all updates

Our future services, current appeals and past cases

9 October 2025

11am - A burial service for Pilot Officer Charles Sprack DFM, Pilot Officer Arthur Smart DFM, and Pilot Officer Raymond Moore D.F.M all of whom died on board Lancaster ED603 when it was lost in the Netherlands on the night of 12-13 June 1943. The service will take place at Workum (Spoordyk) General Cemetery.

15 October 2025

2pm – A burial service for an unknown soldier of an unknown regiment at Vendresse British Cemetery, France.

16 October 2025

1pm – A burial service for an unknown British soldier and an unknown German soldier at Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Belgium.

21 October 2025

2pm - A burial service for Private Arthur Cook, Private Robert Cullum, Private John Fraser and Private William London, all of 1/5 Bn Lincolnshire Regiment, who died on 5 May 1917. This service will take place at Loos British Cemetery Extension, France.

22 October 2025

11am – A burial service for L/Cpl Frederick Ramsbottom of the 9th Bn Suffolk Regiment who died on 27 April 1917. This service will take place at Loos British Cemetery Extension, France.

3pm – A rededication service for CSM Reginald Clarence Rogers MM of 1st Bn Royal Marine Light Infantry, who died on 26 March 1918. This service will take place at Serre Road No.2 Cemetery, France.

23 October 2025

11am – A rededication service for 2Lt Esmond Lawrence Kellie of 1st Bn Bedfordshire Regiment who died on 19 April 1915. This service will take place at Railway Dugouts (Transport Farm) Cemetery, Belgium

1.30pm – A rededication service for 2Lt Thomas William Brogan of 2nd Bn Royal Marine Light Infantry who died on 26 October 1917. This service will take place at Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Belgium.

3pm – A rededication service for 2Lt Eric Arthur Hopkins of 1st Bn Bedfordshire Regiment who died on 5 May 1915. This service will take place at Bedford House Cemetery, Belgium.

12 November

9am – A rededication service for Lieutenant Norman Frederick Hunter of 4th Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Regiment attached to 4th Battalion The Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 16 June 1915. The service will take place at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.

9.30am – A rededication service for Serjeant George Goodson Moore DCM of 1/5th Battalion The London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade), who was killed in action on 16 August 1917. The service will take place at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.

2pm – A rededication service for Private George Hall of 17th Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 27 October 1918. The service will take place at Vichte Military Cemetery, Belgium.

13 November

10am – A rededication service for Serjeant William Augustus Fritz of 4th Battalion The Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 23 August 1914. This service will take place at St Symphorien Military Cemetery, Belgium.

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:

Related information

Updates to this page

Published 26 September 2019
Last updated 213 October 2025 + show all updates

  1. Details of new services added

  2. Details of past services removed

  3. Addition of service dates for October 2025

  4. Added details of services in September

  5. Link to Press Release about a previous service added

  6. Details of services which have happened removed, and links to press releases added.

  7. Added latest news stories.

  8. Edited for clarity around the soldiers to be buried on 16 July

  9. Added details of services in July

  10. Links to press releases for past services added

  11. Details of June services added Link to press release for a previous service added

  12. Link to previous services press release added

  13. Change to time of service on 29 April - was 2.30pm, now 3pm

  14. Addition of details of forthcoming services

  15. Details of past services removed Links to press releases for past services added

  16. Links to Press Releases relating to past services added.

  17. Addition of dates for services in March & April 2025

  18. Link added to past service

  19. Past services have been removed and details of upcoming services added. Links to press releases for past services have been added.

  20. Edited to remove details of services which have already happened

  21. Added: details of October services.

  22. Details of services in Netherlands added

  23. Details of past services removed, and links to the news stories for those services added.

  24. Information about a burial service on 26 September added. This service is expected to attract a high level of interest and therefore Commonwealth War Graves Commission is running a free ballot to allocate tickets.

  25. Details of June services removed, and links added to the news stories for those services.

  26. Details of past service removed Time of service on 20 June changed Details of July services added Link to news story for recent service added

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

  28. 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.

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

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

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

  32. Details of March 2024 services have been added.

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

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

  35. Addition of link to latest commemorative service

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

  37. Added details of services in November 2023

  38. Details of service on 31 October 2023 added.

  39. Updated page with details of past services

  40. Links added for details of past services

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

  42. Details of an additional blessing service added

  43. Added details of services in late September.

  44. Added details of services planned for mid-September

  45. Details of early September 2023 services included

  46. Update for September services.

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

  48. Derails of service for 20 June 2023 included.

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

  50. Links to the three May services included.

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

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

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

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

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

  56. Details of three new rededication services added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  64. Details of further 4 services added.

  65. Details of forthcoming services added.

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

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

  68. Details of forthcoming services added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

  75. Addition of 3 more Forthcoming Services.

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

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

  78. Details of another 5 rededication services added.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  86. Details of 3 x April 2022 rededication services

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

  88. Adding details of an additional 5 rededication services

  89. Addition of forthcoming events

  90. Update to appeals section

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

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

  93. Additional information on forthcoming service.

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

  95. Details of additional military funeral November 2021.

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

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

  98. Change to COVID restrictions in France.

  99. Details of additional service uploaded.

  100. Statement regarding ceremonial burials - Autumn 2021

  101. Family appeal deleted as appeal has been successful.

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

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

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

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

  106. Notification of further cancellations

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

  108. Changing calendar of events

  109. Details of additional ceremonies added

  110. Change to dates of when services may resume.

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

  112. Changes to details of appeals and services.

  113. We have added details of additional services and appeals

  114. To add details of future services

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

  116. First published.

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