Five First World War soldiers graves rededicated in France

Lance Corporal April Farthing of The Band of The Royal Yorkshire Regiment plays the last post during the rededication service for Lance Corporal Gustafson and Corporal Swan at York Cemetery, Haspres (Crown Copyright).

The graves of five soldiers of The York and Lancaster Regiment, missing in France have now been marked more than a century after their deaths.

The rededications took place over two days in France. On the 16th April 2024, services for Private George Galloway at CWGC Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension and Second Lieutenant Albert Hutchinson at CWGC Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension were held.

Services for Private Charles Ernest Lane at CWGC Auberchicourt British Cemetery and Lance Corporal Thomas Gustafson and Corporal William Swan at York Cemetery, Haspres were held on the 17th April. All were attended by serving soldiers of The Royal Yorkshire Regiment along with the families of Second Lieutenant Hutchinson, Private Lane and Corporal Swan.

The graves of these men came to light after researchers submitted evidence to CWGC hoping to have identified them. After further research carried out by CWGC, the National Army Museum and JCCC, these findings were confirmed.

JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron, said:
“All five of these men enlisted early in the war and it is hard to imagine how their families would have felt on hearing the news of their deaths, especially those killed so close to the end of the fighting when the news may have come through after the Armistice. It has been a privilege to have played a part in their stories and to know that their families finally have answers as to what happened to them.”

Private George Galloway

Private George Galloway (copyright unknown).

Private Galloway from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, was serving with 14th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment, known as the 2nd Barnsley Pals, when he went missing on the night of 3 June 1916. At midnight an intense bombardment came down on the enemy line near Serre on the Somme, and the raid began. It failed and saw the deaths of three men. Efforts were made to recover the wounded, but Private Galloway remained missing, he was 30 years old. Following the raid his body was recovered by the Germans who buried him as an unknown soldier of The York and Lancaster Regiment in Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension. Because he was missing, Private Galloway was commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Second Lieutenant Albert Hutchinson

Second Lieutenant Albert Hutchinson (copyright the Hutchinson family).

Second Lieutenant Hutchinson from Hull, East Yorkshire, enlisted into 4th Reserve Battalion The East Yorkshire Regiment at the age of just 16 on 19 November 1914. He spent most of the war with 5th (Cyclist) Battalion The East Yorkshire Regiment (a mobile coastal defence unit which carried out defence duties along the east coast of the UK) before being Commissioned. Having only arrived on the Western Front on 15 September 1918, aged 20, he was killed on 8 October 1918 when 2nd Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment took part in an attack towards the village of Mericourt, north east of Saint Quentin. After the war his remains were recovered and buried in Busigny Communal Cemetery Extension as an unknown Second Lieutenant of The York and Lancaster Regiment. Because he was missing, Second Lieutenant Hutchinson was commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

Private Charles Ernest Lane

Private Charles Ernest Lane (copyright the Lane family).

Private Lane from Aston, Warwickshire, had served with both The Worcestershire Regiment and The Hampshire Regiment before being transferred to 1/4th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment. On the morning of 2 November 1918, the battalion was in the line near Aulnoy, south of Valenciennes. Patrols were sent out that morning before at 3pm and A and D Companies were ordered to advance. They advanced under a heavy barrage and machine gun fire, but their objective was met at 03:30 hours One Officer and nine other ranks were killed. Private Lane, aged 28, was among those who died. He left behind a widow and young daughter. After the war, his remains and those of 34 other men were moved into Auberchicourt British Cemetery, from Aulnoy British Cemetery. He was buried as an unknown soldier 1/4th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment. Because he was missing, Private Lane was commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

Lance Corporal Thomas Gustafson

Lance Corporal Gustafson from Willington Quay, Northumberland, was the son of a Swedish migrant. He arrived on the Western Front on 20 April 1915 and served with 1/5th Battalion The Northumberland Fusiliers until he was wounded in the spring of 1918. Upon his return to action he was transferred to 1/4th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment. On 13 October 1918, the battalion took part in an attack on Haspres, north east of Cambrai. They came under heavy machine gun and artillery fire on the ridge to the west of Haspres suffering heavy casualties. The attack was held up nearly a kilometre from the village. Lance Corporal Gustafson was amongst those killed in the fighting that day. Afterwards his remains were recovered, and he was buried as an unknown lance corporal of 1/4th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment in York Cemetery, Haspres. Because he was missing, Lance Corporal Gustafson was commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

Corporal William Swan

Corporal Swan from Dunfermline, Scotland, enlisted on 11 January 1915, and was posted to 3rd Battalion The King’s Own Scottish Borderers. On 18 July 1915 he arrived in Egypt and was posted to 1st Battalion who were fighting in Gallipoli. In March 1916, 1st Battalion The King’s Own Scottish Borderers left Egpyt for France. He transferred to 8th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment and on 8 October 1916 and was wounded on the Somme. By 13 October 1918, he was serving with 1/5th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment which was also involved in the attack on Haspres. D Company, to which he belonged, fought its way into Haspres suffering around 70 percent casualties. Corporal Swan, aged 22, was recorded as wounded and missing. Following the fighting his remains were recovered and he was buried as an unknown Corporal of 1/5th Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment in York Cemetery, Haspres. Becausehe was missing, Corporal Swan was commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

The services were conducted by the Reverend Robert Desics CF, Chaplain to 1st Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment.

The Reverend Robert Desics CF said:
"It was a wonderfully moving honour to rededicate the graves of these five fallen comrades, and to restore their names to them after more than a century. Names mean so much because names carry our identity and our history, and so in knowing the names of these brave soldiers we now know their histories and are able to share in the telling of their stories. But we must never forget that even though these men who made the ultimate sacrifice were unknown to us for so long they have always been fully known to God in whom they rest awaiting their eternal reward."

The headstones over the graves were replaced by CWGC.

Xavier Puppinck, CWGC Area Director for France, said:
"It is both an honour and a privilege for the CWGC to care for the graves of these five valiant soldiers of The York and Lancaster Regiment, who made the ultimate sacrifice during the final weeks of World War One. Their stories, unearthed through meticulous research and shared through these rededication services, serve as poignant reminders of their courage and dedication. CWGC stand committed to ensuring that their memory lives on in perpetuity, providing a place of reverence and respect for generations to come.”