扒哥吃瓜

The听previously un-named听graves听of听two soldiers who gave their lives during World War one have been听identified听in Belgium.听Lance Corporal (LCpl) William Voice MM served with听8th听Battalion Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment and died near听Zillebeke听on 1听August 1917, whilst LCpl Lionel Waller Sandell served with 10th听Battalion Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment and died听near Comines听on 29 September 1918.听听

Rededication听services听for听both men were听organised by the MOD鈥檚 Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the 鈥榃ar Detectives鈥�.听The service听for LCpl Voice听was听held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission鈥檚 (CWGC)听Bedford House听Cemetery听this听morning, and the service for LCpl Sandell took place at听Zantvoorde听British Cemetery this afternoon.听(28听April听2026).听

JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said:听

I am grateful to the听two researchers听who听put such a lot of effort into听discovering听the stories of these two men,听and the records behind the听un-named graves听and who听ultimately听submitted听the cases for their identification. Their work has led us to recognise the final resting places听of听Lance Corporals Voice and Sandell, to restore听their names to them听and to allow听their families听to honour听their听sacrifice. It has been a privilege for me to have contributed to听these cases听and to have organised the services听of听rededication today.

Lance Corporal William Voice MM听

1886 鈥� 1 August 1917听

William Voice was born in Horsham, Sussex in听1886,听听and听joined the army on 28 June 1916. Although conscription had begun in 1916, as a father over 30 William would not have been amongst the first to be conscripted, and so it is possible that he was a volunteer.听Unfortunately,听his service record has not survived to tell us anything about his army career, but听we do know that听on 19 June 1917听he was awarded the Military Medal.听

In late July 1917, the 8th Battalion of the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment were in trenches听in the area of听Klein听Zillebeke. They were suffering repeated听shelling and听taking听substantial听casualties. William was one of those killed or missing that day, and following the way when his remains could not be听identified听his name was placed on the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing in Ypres.听

In the听summer of 1921听the remains of an unknown British soldier, the winner of a military medal, and a member of the Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment were recovered at Klein听Zillebeke. At听the time it was impossible to听identify听him, and so he was buried at Bedford House Cemetery as an unknown soldier.听Research has听now听allowed us to connect those听remains听with the last known movements of William Voice,听identifying听his final resting place.听

Lance Corporal Lionel Weller 鈥楽olly鈥� Sandell听

14 April 1899 鈥� 29 September 1918听

Lionel Weller Sandell 鈥� known to his family as Solly, was born in Worthing, Sussex in 1899.听听

Lionel鈥檚 first attempt at joining the war occurred on 9 November 1914 when he was just 14 years old. He successfully managed to enlist in the 2/4th (Home Service) Battalion, of the Royal Sussex Regiment under Service No.2654. He told the recruiters he was 17 years & 7 months old. On the 4 September 1915 he was posted to the 72nd Provisional Battalion. On the 18 February 1916 Lionel鈥檚 father intervened, sending a letter to the Army along with Lionel鈥檚 birth certificate to 鈥榗laim鈥� his son. Lionel was discharged on 25 February 1916听with the听reason听given in his papers that he had 鈥渕ade a听mis-statement听as to age on enlistment鈥�.听He returned听to live with his father in Worthing.听

Lionel re-enlisted at Worthing in May 1917 when he was 18 years & 1听month听old, having spent some time working as a chauffeur / mechanic in the intervening year.听His听initial听period of service was at home with the Army Service Corps, Motor Transport battalion听before being posted to the East Surrey Regiment in听June 1917.听He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 7 November 1917 and attended the Brigade School of Musketry, undertaking a Lewis Gun Course, and eventually听attaining听the standard of 1st Class Gunner.听

He left for France on 30 March 1918, posted to 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. On 2 April 1918 he was transferred to the 10th Battalion of the听Queens Own听Royal West Kent Regiment. He suffered from poor health whilst in France including several bouts of influenza and trench fever.听

On the morning of the 29 September 1918 the 10th Battalion formed up to attack along the eastern side of the Ypres-Comines canal. The war diary records that this was their first experience of open warfare that year, and that their final听objective听was a location east of听Houthem听and 500 yards north of the railways station at Comines. The morning was fine, but ground fog hid the attack from the enemy and allowed the 10th to overcome several machine gun posts with little loss. The day was initially successful with the battalion reaching their听objective听with only 6 casualties, however later in the day they were compelled to withdraw to听Houthem. The total casualties by the end of the day were听substantial, and听Lionel was one of those killed. In the chaos of the withdrawal, any records which might have been made of his death or burial were lost, and following the war his name was placed on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres.听Research has now听revealed that Lionel was in fact been buried at听Zantvoorde, and today we rededicate his grave accordingly.听

听The headstone was replaced by CWGC. Fergus Read, Commemorations Case Officer at CWGC, said:

We are privileged to support the rededications of Lance Corporal Voice and Lance Corporal Sandell鈥檚 graves. Thanks to the efforts of many, we are honoured to mark their final resting places with new headstones bearing their names and personal inscriptions chosen by their family, on behalf of those who loved them a century ago. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission ensures that all those who served and fell are commemorated by name and today we renew our commitment to care for their graves in perpetuity.