On Tuesday 30th April 2019 a burial service was held for an unknown soldier of the Northumberland Fusiliers and an unknown soldier of an unknown regiment at Ovillers Military Cemetery at 14.00h.

Their bodies were recovered by CWGC staff in 2015 near the village of La Boisselle, on the Somme. Despite extensive investigation by the UK’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, it has not been possible to identify the two men.

It is known that one of the casualties was serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers when he died and CWGC will mark his grave with a headstone bearing this detail. The unknown casualty’s headstone will commemorate him as a ‘Soldier of the Great War, Known unto God’. CWGC will care for their graves in perpetuity.

The service was attended by British Defence Staff, Regimental representatives, CWGC staff and local dignitaries.