The LBSG were delighted to attend the reburial of Privates William Marmon & Harry Carter, 10th Battalion Essex Regiment at Albert Communal Cemetery Extension on 19 October 2016. Both men, along with six more of their comrades had been killed by falling spoil from a 15-tonne German mine blow at the Glory Hole, La Boisselle on 22 November 1915. Further information on this case can be found here: http://www.laboisselleproject.com/2016/09/08/british-first-world-war-soldiers-identified-through-dna-testing/
Please find below a selection of images from the day. The photographs of the two soldiers are provided by the families and are reproduced with their kind permission.
Private William Marmon, 10th Battalion Essex Regiment
Private Harry Carter, 10th Battalion Essex Regiment
The five headstones of the Collective Grave I.DA. in Albert Communal Cemetery PRIOR to the removal of Carter and Marmon’s names
Collective grave at Albert Communal Cemetery Extension with new gravestones
Del Delaney stands to attention after laying a rose for the other 10th Essex men
LBSG archaeologist, Brian Powell, having laid a rose at the collective grave
The new collective grave with roses and wreaths laid in tribute
The ceremony was very well attended
The open graves before the beginning of the service
Harry Carter’s coffin is carried in by the soldiers of the Royal Anglian Regiment
The soldiers of the Royal Anglian Regiment gently lower Harry Carter’s coffin to his grave
William Marmon’s coffin is carried in by the soldiers of the Royal Anglian Regiment
Flag draped coffins at the graves
Committal of Private Harry Carter
The folding of the flag for William Marmon’s family
Peter Barton and Cameron Ross laid wreaths for both men on behalf of the LBSG
Wreaths
Wreath for William Marmon from his family
The graves immediately after the service
Many wreaths were laid
Steve Brown of the JCCC MOD gives a speech at the reception afterwards in Albert Town Hall
Information board on both soldiers at the reception in Albert Town Hall
The nephew of Pte George Pier, killed 22 November 1915, attended the reburial. He is pictured here with the Death Pennies of George and his brother Alfred John
George Pier’s Death Penny
Later that day we visited the French Cemetery at Albert to lay a wreath at the grave of Louis Heurt, 118th Infantry Regiment whose remains were found alongside those of his comrade, Appolinaire Joachim Marie Ruelland, during the recovery work for Carter and Marmon. Both French soldiers were killed on 8 January 1915.
Cameron Ross, Anna Gow & Peter Barton at the grave of Louis Heurt
The grave of Louis Heurt
The following day we revisited Albert Communal Cemetery Extension. The graves of Harry Carter and William Marmon have now been landscaped by CWGC gardeners.
The new graves of Harry Carter and William Marmon.