Published: 03/11/2009 00:00 - Updated: 04/11/2009 08:09

Gruesome DNA task

by MORT BIRCH

SCIENTISTS have began the gruesome task of identifying solders from Nuneaton and Bedworth, who were killed in the First World War.

They are among 250 British and Australian soldiers, whose remains have been exhumed from an unmarked grave at Fromelles in Northern France where they had lain for almost a century.

DNA samples are being gathered so that as many as possible can be identified and buried with full military honours in a new Commonwealth war cemetery.

Harold Bates and Harold Moore from Nuneaton and Thomas Tallis, Thomas Whitcroft, Aubrey Topp and Alexander Grant Neale, all from Bedworth, died in the carnage at Fromelles in July 1916.

Nuneaton amateur war historian Eric Ballard, who helped in the search for relatives, said: "DNA sampling kits are being sent out and, as soon as they have been sent back, the scientists will take over and start identifying the remains."

He enlisted a team of researches, led by Beryl Allcoat, who worked painstakingly to trace relatives of the men who died so that they can have proper burials.

The last relatives to come forward were those of Alexander Grant Neale, who was the son of William and Maggie Neale of Bulkington Road, Bedworth: "They lived in what was known as Navigation Row next to the old Navigation pub," he said.

Alexander Grant Neale, who was 20, had a brother Daniel, who was killed in 1918, and another brother Tom, who concealed his age to join the Army and was sent home because he was only 16.

Harold Bates was the son of Henry and Annie Bates of 72, Fitton Street, Nuneaton, and was 27 when he was killed and Harold Moore's parents Ernest and Alice Moore lived next door to a fish and chip shop in Arbury Road, Stockingford, He was 20.

Thomas Tallis was the son of Harry Tallis of 118, Coventry Road, Bedworth. His mother Zillah Tallis died before he did.

Both Thomas Whitcroft and Aubrey Topp were from Bedworth, but have relatives in Nuneaton, who have offered DNA samples.One of his relatives, Tom Whitcroft, played for Nuneaton Borough.

They all died on Wednesday July 19 1916 in what was supposed to be a battle to divert the Germans from the Somme, but it turned into a bloody catastrophe.

The Australians suffered the heaviest casualties in their history with 5,533 men killed, missing ,wounded or taken prisoner while there were 1,547 British casualties.

German forces hurriedly laid the British and Australian casualties in unmarked burial pits, one of which contains 250 men and was discovered last year.

All of the men who are identified are to be buried with full military honours next July beneath their own headstones: "The important think is that the DNA testing will not close, but will go on for another three years after next July so that even more of the soldiers can be identified," said Eric Ballard.

There may be other burial pits in the area that have so far not been discovered.