In the summer of 2020, during archaeological investigations near Gheluwe, the remains of six World War 1 soldiers were discovered where they fell together 102 years earlier.
The men still wore shoulder titles indicating their affiliation to the Queens Royal West Surrey (QRWS) Regiment, and one was carrying equipment that could be used to repair a Lewis Gun – a machine gun of the era which required several crew members.
The men were Private Horace Cook of Matching, Essex; Private Frederick Martin and Private Charles Russell, both from London; Private Thomas Whitaker, from Bradford, W. Yorks; Private Courtney Hart, from Northampton, E. Midlands; and Private Joseph Turnley, Bristol.
From the way they were lying it was clear they had died together – likely in a shell strike. Research of the regimental war diaries showed the following entry in the diary of the 2/4 Bn dated 6th October 1918
In the early hours of the morning…the battalion came under heavy trench mortar fire. This resulted in a direct hit on a Lewis Gun team of 6 who were occupying a small trench, killing the whole team and blowing up the gun.
Following extensive research of the casualty lists for this period, the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) created a shortlist of the men who might have been killed in the incident, the six names stood out.
Tracing and contacting descendants of each of these men allowed the collection of comparative DNA samples, each of which proved a positive match, and so today, after more than 100 years, they were buried below headstones bearing their names.
The service, organised by JCCC, also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium today (10 June 2026).
Soldiers of the The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment bear the remains of Private Horace Cook to his final resting place at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.
The families of some of those being buried were present, among them were Paul Turnley, great-nephew of Private Joseph Turnley, and Joe Whitaker, great-great-nephew of Private Thomas Whitaker.
Paul Turnley, from Wiltshire, said
We have experienced a whole day of emotion. This was the biggest surprise back in December when we were contacted by the MOD. Joseph was only known to us as a name on our family tree, but now he is a person.
Joe Whitaker, from Doncaster, added
Thomas was found with a postcard of Bradford in his possession, so we wrote a poem which I read today that conveyed his love of home. It’s a real privilege to be here. When you think about the tens of thousands who don’t get this opportunity, we feel incredibly lucky that we are among the few who can give him a proper resting place.
Alexia Clark, MOD War Detective said
It has been a privilege to research this case, to be successful in identifying these six men and to organise their burial service today. I am delighted that they have now been laid to rest alongside their comrades in a dignified burial which they had been denied for so long. I am extremely grateful to 1st Battalion the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment who have provided the bearer party for the funeral, and to the families of the men – both those who have invested in their stories from afar, and those who have travelled to be here today.
Reverend (Major) Adele Rees CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, said
It’s an enormous privilege to be here today, to give names to these six young men who sadly died together in service of their country. They will be remembered here forever more.
The graves will now be cared for by CWGC. Dr Daniel Seaton, Commemorations Case Officer at the CWGC, said
When this case was passed to the Commission by our Belgian partners, I was hopeful that all six casualties might be identified given the specific context of their recovery in a shell hole with Lewis Gun parts and regimental insignia. The Battalion ledger confirmed that these six men were listed as missing on the same day, no other names being recorded alongside them, providing a compelling avenue for further research. Having now been identified, it was a privilege to support their families with their choices for the new headstones, which the Commission will care for in perpetuity.
Colonel Mark Nooney, of The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, salutes after presenting the Union Jack to Paul Turnley (centre), great-nephew of Private Joseph Turnley, at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.
