Graves of Missing World War 1 Soldiers Identified in Belgium
Source: gov.uk (2025-05-27)

More than a century after their deaths, the previously unmarked graves of Second Lieutenant William Knight and Private John Walton have finally been identified and marked.

The rededication services, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives’, were held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Perth China Wall Cemetery in Belgium, yesterday afternoon (21 May 25) and Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery, this morning (22 May 25). The services were conducted by the Reverend Gary Birch CF, Senior Chaplain Head Quarters South West.

Musician L/Cpl Jason Pickin sounds the Last Post (Crown Copyright)

JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said:

I am grateful to the researchers who originally submitted evidence suggesting the locations of the graves of these two men. In rededicating their graves, we have reunited their mortal remains with their names, ensuring that their sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Second Lieutenant William Bernard Knight, 4th Bn North Staffordshire Regiment, attd. to the 1st Bn Bedfordshire Regiment

On 11 April 1915, The War Diary of the 1st Bn Bedfordshire Regiment records that they took over trenches opposite Hill 60 to the south of Ypres, ready for a campaign to capture the hill. The next few days were attack and counter-attack as each side tried to consolidate their position before trying to gain new ground. The casualties on both sides were considerable and included 2/Lt Knight who was listed as missing, presumed to have died, on 21 April 1915.

In April 1924 the remains of an unknown officer of the North Staffordshire Regiment were recovered from a location on Hill 60. At the time his officer status and regimental affiliation were established from his uniform badges and buttons, but he was carrying nothing which could fully identify him, so he was buried as an Unknown Officer of the North Staffordshire Regiment at Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery.

Recently extensive research by several parties has revealed that 2/Lt Knight is the only man missing in this part of Belgium who could possibly match the description of the unknown officer. Finally, after 110 years we know the final resting place of 2/Lt Knight and have been able to reunite his physical remains with his name.

The military party stand with the great-nephew of 2Lt Knight by his graveside (Crown Copyright)

Private John Walton, 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment

The battalion War Diary records that on 6 February 1915, the battalion made for the Ypres area, and that same evening they took over trenches at Verbrandenmolen. There were daily bombardments and shelling, as well as news of gas being used, but generally low casualty numbers until the 13 February when the bombardment intensified and the enemy attack began. John was one of 38 men of the 8th Bn to die during the 10 days between entering the line and being relieved, during which time there was a direct shell hit on a British dressing station, as well as a failed attack on the enemy lines.

John’s body was recovered in August 1919 near Verbrandenmolen and re-buried at Perth (China Wall) Cemetery. Unfortunately, he was not correctly identified at that time and as such the grave was marked as an unknown soldier. Now we can commemorate John properly, at his final resting place, reuniting his physical remains with his name, and rededicating his grave accordingly.

Polly Brewster, Commemorations Case Officer at the CWGC, said:

It is an honour to have been able to assist the families of these two men with choices for their Commission headstones. Alongside their comrades, we will continue to care for their graves in perpetuity – a continuation of the work conducted by the Commission for over a century.