Grave of Manitoba soldier killed in 1917 identified thanks to ‘historical sleuthing’

It’s been much than a century, but the sedate of a Manitoba worker killed successful enactment during the First World War has been identified.

Cpl. William Benjamin Cunningham, calved adjacent Hayfield, Man., was killed successful the Battle of Passchendaele connected Oct. 27, 1917, astatine 21 years old.

He was buried successful Belgium’s Tyne Cot Cemetery, on with much than 11,000 different Commonwealth servicemen, but until recently, accusation astir his sedate was vague, listed lone arsenic “A Corporal of the Great War — 44th Battalion, Canadian Infantry.”

After years of what Department of National Defence historiographer Renée Davis calls “historical sleuthing,” Cunningham was yet identified, and his sedate is acceptable for a headstone rededication ceremony.

Davis told 680 CJOB’s The News that it’s chartless wherefore helium wasn’t afloat identified backmost successful 1917, but autarkic researchers submitted accusation that yet led to the discovery.

“These cases are often brought guardant by outer researchers,” she said. ‘It’s individuals who are walking done the cemeteries successful France and Belgium and each astir the world, who announcement these headstones that person small clues connected them astir who that idiosyncratic could be.”

“We notation to them arsenic partial identifiers. And past they commencement doing immoderate digging and if they deliberation they whitethorn person been capable to place this person, they usually taxable a probe study to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which cares for the cemeteries.”

That submission, Davis said, triggered extended probe done humanities records, including work records and warfare diaries, until Cunningham was identified arsenic the apt occupant of Grave 18, Row D, Plot 40.

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Last year, Cunningham’s recognition was approved by the Casualty Identification Review Board, comprised of experts from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Canada’s Directorate of History and Heritage, and the Canadian Museum of History.

Davis said that though the prime of records varies depending connected the year, Canada has kept remarkably bully humanities information astir its soldiers successful some the First and Second World Wars, which makes a palmy recognition that overmuch much likely, with capable digging.

“When we get a lawsuit that yet gets passed by that reappraisal committee … and we person a palmy identification, it’s a immense consciousness of accomplishment knowing that we’re capable to get that idiosyncratic the commemoration they deserve,” she said.

“The overmuch bigger affectional interaction I often consciousness is the archetypal clip I spot the representation of the headstone with his sanction connected it. Along with the name, the adjacent of kin — the household — is notified, and they get to take an epitaph that goes onto that headstone.

“That idiosyncratic connection from the household is what I usually find the astir affectional moment.”