The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Unknown soldiers buried
First World War: Poignant ceremony for 13 who died fighting in Belgium
Hundreds of people gathered to mark the burial of 13 unknown soldiers who died fighting in Belgium in the First World War.
The unidentified war dead – all from the UK and Commonwealth nations – were buried side by side with full military honours near Ypres.
Shots from the gun salute rang out across the quiet clearing, the same Flanders field where the men lost their lives.
The poignant ceremony at Wytschaete Military Cemetery formed one of the final chapters of the Dig Hill 80 project, which discovered the remains of 110 soldiers.
Father Patrick O’Driscoll, chaplain to the 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, conducted the service. He spoke of the symbolism of the red poppy and the need for enduring peace.
The service was attended by representatives of armed forces from various nations, there to pay their respects to the fallen 13 men.
Two of the unknown soldiers – identified as British – were carried to the ceremony by soldiers from the Fusiliers.
Union flags were draped over the coffins.
The remaining 11 war dead were buried before the service began. Father O’Driscoll paid tribute to the ultimate sacrifice made by the 13 soldiers as he addressed the crowd.
“We come together today to remember and thank these men for their great sacrifice in fighting and dying together as one. Even though we do not know their names, we remember their humanity and courage and that even in the hell of battle they were there for each other even to death.
“So in prayer and celebration, we place these men together in this consecrated and special ground, so that they rest in peace and we learn and make sure humanity endures in its fullness.
“As we commit the remains of our brothers to the deep, grant them peace and tranquillity.”
After the burial, shots from the traditional fourgun salute to the fallen echoed across the quiet clearing.
The Exhortation was read out, with guests repeating the famous promise: “We will remember them.” The service came as a result of the hard work of the Dig Hill 80 project, who excavated Hill 80 – the site of a German gun emplacement where many UK and Commonwealth soldiers fell.
The project led a 1.1-hectare crowd-funded excavation, which took place on land that had been allocated for future housing development.
The project excavated 550 metres of trenches and 430 bomb craters, with the remains of 110 soldiers – including British, French, German and South African personnel – discovered.
The German soldiers discovered on Hill 80 will be laid to rest today at a German war cemetery.