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.
Upcoming Services:
We usually post details of our services here and to our Facebook page (MOD War Detectives) around 1 month before they are due to happen.
199 MayJune 2026
1.30pm3pm – Aburialrededication servicewillforbeSgtheldErnestforStevensSquadronandLeaderLCplGeorgeJohnMorleySpringate,Fidler,both607ofSqn,11RAF,Bn Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, whodiedwere killed in action on191-2MayOctober1940.1918. This service willbetakeheldplace atLondonHoogeCemeteryCraterandCemetery,Extension,Longueval,France.Belgium
2010 MayJune 2026
11am10.30am – Arededicationburial servicewillforbePrivate HoraceheldCook,forPrivateLieutenantFrederick Martin, Private ThomasMichaelWhitaker,O’Neill,Private43CourtneySqn,Hart,RAFPrivate Joseph Turnley, and Private Charles Russell, all of 2/4 Bn Queen’s RoyalDublinWestFusiliers.SurreyThisRegiment. The service willbetakeheldplace atLeTyneGrandCotBeaumartCemetery,France.Belgium
217 June 2026
1pm2.30pm–- Aburialrededication service foranPrivateunknownErnestsoldierJamesatGrendallPeronneofCommunal4thCemeteryBnExtension,theFrance.
3Cheshire JuneRegiment, 2026
11amwho–diedAonburial15serviceMarchfor1945.2ThisunknownserviceCommonwealthwillsoldierstake place atTyneBerlinCot1939 - 1945 War Cemetery,Belgium.Germany.
930 June 2026
3pm1.30pm – Arededicationburial service forSgtPrivateErnestRobertStevensLeonardandLockLCplJohnSpringate,bothof1112thBnBattalionQueen’sTheRoyalDurhamWestLightSurreyInfantry,Regiment,whowerekilled in actionon71-2October1918.1916,ThisservicewilltakeplaceatHoogeWarlencourtCraterBritishCemetery,BelgiumCemetery.
102 JuneJuly 2026
10.30am11am – A burial service forPrivate Horace2Cook,unknownPrivateCommonwealthFredericksoldiersMartin,atPrivateCrucifixThomasCornerWhitaker,Cemetery,PrivateVillers-Bretonneux.
15 CourtneyJuly Hart, 2026
- 10am
Private–JosephaTurnley,burialandservicePrivateforCharlesthreeRussell,unknownallCommonwealthofsoldiers2/4whoBndiedQueen’sduringRoyalWorldWestWarSurreyOne.Regiment.ThisTheservice will take place atTynePoelcapelleCotBritish Cemetery,BelgiumBelgium.
1716 JuneJuly 2026
2.30pm10.45am-–Aarededicationburial service forPrivateanErnestunknownJamesCommonwealthGrendallsoldierof4thBntheCheshireRegiment,who diedonduring15WorldMarchWar1945.One. This service will take place atBerlinHermies1939Hill-British1945WarCemetery,Germany.France.
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:
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Three soldiers killed during the First World War laid to rest
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Unknown Lanarkshire soldier of World War Two named following new research
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Graves of two unknown World War One Officers named 111 years after their deaths
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Graves of two missing Lance Corporals from World War One identified in Belgium
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Grave of Great War soldier from Hampstead identified - GOV.UK
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Graves of two Midlands soldiers of World War One identified in France
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One of the first ‘unknown’ British soldiers of World War 1 identified in Belgium
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Graves of three previously unknown World War 1 soldiers identified in Belgium
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Graves of lost World War 1 Marines identified in France and Belgium
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Graves of missing Bedfordshire Officers identified in Belgium
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First World War soldier from Haslingden buried in France - GOV.UK
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Four First World War soldiers from Grimsby buried in France - GOV.UK
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British and German soldiers of the Great War laid to rest together near Ypres - GOV.UK
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Three members of RAF Lancaster Crew buried in the Netherlands - GOV.UK
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Scottish soldiers buried in France on the 110th anniversary of their deaths - GOV.UK
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Eight British soldiers of the Great War laid to rest in France - GOV.UK
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Two World War One Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders commemorated in France - GOV.UK
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Grave of missing World War One soldier identified in France - GOV.UK
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Soldier of the Highland Light Infantry Rededicated in France
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Grave of missing World War One Captain identified in Belgium
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Windsor soldier of World War One buried with full military honours
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‘Unknown’ soldier’s grave identified 107 years after his death
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Grave of Missing Windsor Soldier of World War One Identified in Belgium
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Grave of lost Scottish soldier of World War One identified in France
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Grave of missing World War Two soldier identified in Italy 80 years after his death
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Grave of missing soldier identified in Belgium nearly 110 years after his death
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Graves of two World War 1 officers of The Royal Irish Fusiliers identified
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Grave of Donegal soldier identified in France more than 100 years after his death
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Graves of six soldiers of Welsh regiments identified on Western Front
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Officer of the Cheshire Regiment killed in World War One laid to rest in France
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Graves of five soldiers of the York and Lancaster Regiment identified on the Western Front
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Grave of Derbyshire-born Royal Marine identified in the Netherlands
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Three Great War soldiers buried with full military honours in Belgium
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Remains of Coldstream Guards missing since 1944 found in France
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Grave of Wolverhampton soldier killed in Normandy during World War Two identified
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Graves of three comrades killed in Normandy following D-Day identified
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Soldier killed on the Somme buried more than 100 years after his death
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Ceremony for World War 2 airman identified 83 years after fatal flight
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Graves of two soldiers of the Great War rededicated in France
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Soldiers who fell in France a generation apart honoured in graveside ceremonies
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Graves of two officers missing since 1918 rededicated in France
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Graves of two soldiers killed in northern France rededicated
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Sheffield soldier of the Great War laid to rest 105 years after his death
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Graves of two Royal Naval Division officers rededicated in France
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Unknown WW1 soldier identified as relative of poet Wordsworth.
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Rededication services held in Belgium for Capt Hugh Travers, DSO, and Sjt Frederick Cardy.
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Burial of Pte William Johnston and an unknown East Yorkshire Regiment soldier
- Graves of Rifleman (Rfn) Albert George Sleet, Lieutenant (Lt) Wilfrid Ashton Piercy and Serjeant (Sjt) James Gration DCM rededicated in France.
- Graves of 2Lt Sam Hughes and CSM David Jones DCM rededicated in northern France
- Final resting place of Yorkshire Regiment soldier identified more than a century after his death
- Nine soldiers of the Great War buried a century after their deaths
- WW1 soldier identified by his medal ribbons laid to rest in the presence of his family
- Two unknown soldiers of the Great War finally buried
- Royal Flying Corps Observer’s grave finally identifed
- British soldiers killed during WW2 are honoured as they are laid to rest
- Services held for 2 Welsh brothers in arms killed during the Great War
- Grave of Royal Welsh Fusilier identified a century after his death in the Great War
- Family of World War 1 soldiers attend their relatives’ funeral a century after they gave their lives.
Related information
- Find out who we are
- Find out what we do
- See our contact details
Updates to this page
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Past services deleted, details of upcoming services added. Links to news stories about past services added.
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Removal of one service which has already happened, addition of details of one new service, and link to a news story for a previous service.
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Details of past services removed, future services added and links to news stories about past services added.
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Details of past services removed, and links to press releases added
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Details of services taking place in May 2026 have been added
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Change to time of afternoon service on Wednesday 22 April
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Details of services which have already happened have been removed, and links to press releases have been added.
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Details added of services in April 2026
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The time of the service at Warhem on 25 March was changed.
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Added details of services taking place in March 2026
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Notice added about 2026 services Links added for press releases about services in late-2025
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New services added, past services removed
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Details of new services added
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Details of past services removed
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Addition of service dates for October 2025
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Added details of services in September
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Link to Press Release about a previous service added
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Details of services which have happened removed, and links to press releases added.
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Added latest news stories.
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Edited for clarity around the soldiers to be buried on 16 July
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Added details of services in July
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Links to press releases for past services added
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Details of June services added Link to press release for a previous service added
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Link to previous services press release added
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Change to time of service on 29 April - was 2.30pm, now 3pm
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Addition of details of forthcoming services
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Details of past services removed Links to press releases for past services added
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Links to Press Releases relating to past services added.
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Addition of dates for services in March & April 2025
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Link added to past service
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Past services have been removed and details of upcoming services added. Links to press releases for past services have been added.
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Edited to remove details of services which have already happened
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Added: details of October services.
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Details of services in Netherlands added
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Details of past services removed, and links to the news stories for those services added.
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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.
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Details of June services removed, and links added to the news stories for those services.
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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
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More detail has been added about the soldiers being buried on 20 June
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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.
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The service for Pte Birch on 23 May 2024 has been cancelled and therefore details were removed from this page.
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Details of April Services removed. Details of May services added. Links to past services updated.
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Details of March 2024 services removed, and April 2024 services added
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Details of March 2024 services have been added.
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Note added that no further services are planned in 2023
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Update to the services of 8th and 9th November.
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Addition of link to latest commemorative service
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Links added to news stories about services in Belgium on 25 & 26 October 2023
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Added details of services in November 2023
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Details of service on 31 October 2023 added.
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Updated page with details of past services
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Links added for details of past services
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Details of the September services were removed and details of forthcoming services in October were added.
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Details of an additional blessing service added
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Added details of services in late September.
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Added details of services planned for mid-September
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Details of early September 2023 services included
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Update for September services.
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Added a link to the service held on 21 June 2023 in France
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Derails of service for 20 June 2023 included.
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Included an update to provide details of the services for June 2023
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Links to the three May services included.
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Details of this week's services have been moved from "Forthcoming Services" to "Past Cases" with links to news releases
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Details of 3 more burial/rededication ceremonies added.
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Future services removed/updated and details of March Services included in 'Our Past Services'.
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Updated with details of two past services from March 2023.
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Details of services on 18 and 19 April have been added.
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Details of three new rededication services added.
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Details of an appeal for family have been added.
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Included details of the services to be held on 17 November 2022.
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Details of rededication of a Sheffield solider being laid to rest 105 years after his death added to past services.
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Details of an additional service have been added. Details of "forthcoming services" have now been added to "past cases".
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Details of "forthcoming service" deleted and link to report added to "past cases".
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Details of additional services have been added. "Forthcoming services" which have now passed have been deleted and links to news items added.
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Details of "forthcoming services" that have happened have been removed.
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Details of further 4 services added.
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Details of forthcoming services added.
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Details of "Forthcoming case" changed to "Past Case"
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Details of two "forthcoming services" changed to "past cases" with link to news item.
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Details of forthcoming services added.
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Details of "forthcoming" services moved to "past" cases with link to news release.
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Details of "forthcoming" services moved to "past cases".
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Details of two services removed from "forthcoming" and transferred to "past cases" with associated link.
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Details of forthcoming services changed to past cases with links to news reports.
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Additional information on the service to be held at New Irish Farm cemetery on 30 June 2022.
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Details of rededication service moved from "forthcoming events" to "past cases".
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Addition of 3 more Forthcoming Services.
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Details of 2 rededication services have been moved from "future" to "past" events.
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Details of two rededication services moved from "forthcoming" to "past" services.
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Details of another 5 rededication services added.
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A "Forthcoming Service" has now become a "Past Service". Updated accordingly.
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Details of a "Forthcoming Service" now changed to "Past Case".
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Details of recent ceremony removed from "Forthcoming Services". Link added to details of news release.
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Details of "Forthcoming Services" for May 2022 published.
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Details of ceremonies that have now taken place have been removed from "Forthcoming Ceremonies" and moved to "Past Cases".
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Details of services that have now taken place have been removed.
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Details of "Forthcoming Services" now changed to "Our Past Cases".
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Details of 3 x April 2022 rededication services
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Details of 4 additional rededication services in Belgium on 22 March 2022.
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Adding details of an additional 5 rededication services
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Addition of forthcoming events
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Update to appeals section
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New appeal for WW1 casualty's family launched.
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Details of today's service removed and link to news release about it added.
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Additional information on forthcoming service.
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Details of completed services now deleted from Forthcoming Services section. Links to recent service reports added.
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Details of additional military funeral November 2021.
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Details of 3 more commemorative funerals published. Link inserted to "previous cases" to news item about Royal Flying Corps casualty.
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Removed details of ceremonial services that have now taken place.
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Change to COVID restrictions in France.
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Details of additional service uploaded.
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Statement regarding ceremonial burials - Autumn 2021
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Family appeal deleted as appeal has been successful.
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New appeal for family added and previous one deleted.
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Inserting corrected email address; DBS-MODWarDetectives@mod.gov.uk
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Added an appeal for family under the 'current appeals' heading.
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Notification of cancellation of the rest of 2020 burial and rededication ceremonies.
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Notification of further cancellations
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Deleting details of services that have had to be posponed.
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Changing calendar of events
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Details of additional ceremonies added
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Change to dates of when services may resume.
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Cancellation of all scheduled services due to COVID-19
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Changes to details of appeals and services.
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We have added details of additional services and appeals
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To add details of future services
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Deleted details of services that have now taken place,
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First published.