Four soldiers killed in 1940 rededicated in France

Staff Sergeant James Pye of 13 Signal Regiment gives a reading during the service for Major White-Cooper. (Crown copyright)

Four British servicemen who died during World War Two in France were rededicated in CWGC Le Grand-Lucé War Cemetery, France on 24 June 2025.

Private (Pte) William Falconer, Gunner (Gnr) Joseph Humphries, Signalman (Sig) Edmund Roberts and Major (Maj) Richard White-Cooper were part of the British Forces who remained in France after the Dunkirk evacuations.

As German forces advanced, the men were brought to the 9th General Hospital at Le Grand-Lucé château, where they later died and were buried in unmarked graves. As they were missing, all four men had previously been commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial.

The graves were recently identified after, John Hawthorn, the husband of Sig Roberts’ granddaughter submitted a case to CWGC hoping to have identified his final resting place. After extensive further research by CWGC, the National Army Museum and JCCC, the graves of all four men were identified meaning that all the casualties buried in Le Grand-Lucé War Cemetery have now been identified.

John Hawthorn said:
“Words are not adequate to express the emotions I had when I got the email from Rosie Barron, telling me that the JCCC were happy to confirm they recognise Sig Edmund Roberts is buried in the CWGC cemetery at Le Grand Luce, France. Brian, his son and my father-in-law, was only three years old when Eddie died on 13 June 1940. He never knew where or how his father died, nor where his body rested. The only commemoration was a name on the Dunkirk Memorial. Having a headstone to mark Eddie’s grave provides the family with closure, comfort and the opportunity to visit a specific place to pay our respects. We are eternally grateful to the tireless work of CWGC and the JCCC, especially Rosie for all she has done.”

The rededication service for Gunner Humphries was attended by his great nephews. (Crown copyright)

The services were organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC).

 JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron, said:
“The story of what happened to those members of the BEF still left in France following the Dunkirk evacuations is rarely told. These services highlight the dangers experienced by these men in the struggle to hold the German Army back and to evacuate from ports further west. Regrettably these men all lost their lives in the confusion of this period. It is a privilege to have met their families and to know that their stories have been concluded.”

The services were conducted by the Reverend Georgina Anson CF, Chaplain to 47 Regiment Royal Artillery who conducted the service.

Reverend Georgina Anson said:
“No death is unworthy of notice, and every life given by our people when serving is due utmost respect when they lie in their final resting place. It is a beautiful part of my calling to serve our personnel, living and departed, and their families, in officiating these important rituals that hold us in our shared mortality. I am awe-inspired by the histories of these men that have finally been identified, and deeply moved at the opportunity to be a small part of the story.”

The CWGC has replaced the headstones over the graves and will care for them in perpetuity, ensuring these brave servicemen are remembered with honour.

Polly Brewster, Commemorations Case Officer at the CWGC, said:
"It has been an honour to have been a part of the identification process for these four men, and to have helped their families in their choices for their Commission headstones. We owe particular gratitude to the family of Signalman Roberts because without his dedicated research, this would not have been possible. It also feels all the more poignant knowing that this rededication ceremony means all casualties at Le Grand-Lucé have now been identified, so can be commemorated by name at their final resting place."

Sig Edmund Roberts (courtesy of the Roberts family) , Maj Richard White-Cooper (courtesy of the White-Cooper family).

Private William Falconer

William Falconer was born in Dumbarton, Scotland in 1911. Before enlisting into The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders on 31 March 1928, William worked as a farm labourer. He served with both 1st and 2nd Battalions of the regiment, seeing service in both China and India, before being transferred to the Army Reserve on 18 December 1935.

At the outbreak of the Second World War Pte Falconer was recalled to the Army and was attached to No. 13 Docks Labour Company, which became part of the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. He arrived in France with the British Expeditionary Force on 11 September 1939. Pte Falconer died on 14 June 1940, aged 28, whilst serving with 4th Company Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. The precise details of Pte Falconer’s death are unclear, but it appears that he died of severe burns having been involved in a road traffic accident.

Gunner Joseph Humpries

Joseph Humphries was born in Birmingham on 19 September 1920. He was one of five children born to Frederick Humphries and his wife Marion. Joseph worked as a barrel polisher before enlisting into The Royal Regiment of Artillery on 31 October 1939.

He was posted to 71 Field Regiment. He arrived in France on 9 June 1940 as most of the BEF was already evacuating. It is believed that he died just five days later, aged 19, when a truck belonging to 71 Field Regiment overturned near Villaines-la-Juhel on 14 June 1940. It appears that by chance, medical staff belonging to 9th General Hospital, came across the accident and brought Gnr Humphries’ body in for burial.

Signalman Edmund Roberts

Edmund Roberts was born on 13 September 1911 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was one of six children born to Joseph Roberts and his wife Esther. On 16 September 1933, Eddie married Gladys Evelyn Dawson. Their son, Brian Edmund, was born on 5 June 1937. 

He worked as a postman, and on 18 May 1936 joined 50th (Northumbrian) Signal Regiment, a Territorial unit. On 31 May 1937 he joined No. 4 Company Line of Communication Signals. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Sig Roberts was sent to France as part of the BEF on 10 September 1939. He was wounded during the German advance whilst serving with 50 Telephone Unit. He was initially treated at 13th General Hospital, but as that facility was evacuated, he was transferred to 9th General Hospital on 8 June 1940. It was there that Sig Roberts succumbed to his wounds on 13 June 1940. He was 28 years old.

Major Richard White-Cooper

Richard White-Cooper was born in Shanghai, China, on 16 January 1903.

He was Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the regular Army and joined The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment on 22 October 1924. He was posted to 1st Battalion. He served with the battalion in Malta, Palestine and India. On 25 February 1939 the then Captain White-Cooper, returned to the United Kingdom where he became a General Staff Officer. On 27 April 1940 Captain White-Cooper was posted to the Department of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He became a paid acting major on 18 May 1940. Maj White-Cooper arrived in France ten days later on the 28 May 1940 having been appointed as the Brigade Major of the ‘first new’ Lines of Communication Brigade, part of the Beauman Division which was a composite division formed from British forces remaining in France. The circumstances of Major White-Cooper’s death are unclear, but it is known that he died from a gunshot wound. He was 37 years old when he died.