Reburial and rededication services held for nine Great War British Soldiers in France

The coffin of an unknown soldier of The Essex Regiment is carried to the graveside by serving soldiers of 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (Crown copyright).

The remains of eight British soldiers, including four who have been identified by name, have been laid to rest on 16 July 2025 in France, more than 108 years after their deaths in the First World War. 

The burial service, organised by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) took place at the CWGC Loos British Cemetery Extension, which was opened in September 2024.

The four identified soldiers were Corporal Alfred James Morrant and Private Henry Joseph Rycraft of the 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment, who were killed on 22 April 1917, and Private Arthur Albert Grayston and Private Lewis Ephraim Lambert of the 8th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, who were killed on 19 April 1917. All four men had previously been commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing.

JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron said:
"It has been an honour to have worked with The Royal Anglian Regiment and CWGC to organise the burial service today and to have had the Grayston and Morrant families present. Today we honour the memory of all of these men, whether named or unknown, and remember their comradeship and sacrifice."

The remains were recovered during the construction of a new hospital on the outskirts of the city of Lens in northern France and were among many British and Canadian casualties recovered from the site. All four named soldiers were identified through DNA testing. Two of the unknown soldiers are also known to have belonged to The Essex Regiment. It is believed that all eight men were killed in April 1917 during the Battle of Arras.

Members of the Grayston and Morrant families stand at the graveside with the military party (Crown copyright).

The service was supported by serving soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment and was attended by Jennifer Strawn, the granddaughter of Private Grayston, and the great-great nephews of Corporal Morrant.

Jennifer Strawn, granddaughter of Private Grayston said:
"I think everyone did a great job and the day was perfect. I will always remember it."

Paul Morrant, the great great nephew of Corporal Morrant said:
"The work of JCCC and CWGC is fantastic. The soldiers of The Royal Anglian Regiment were great as they honoured soldiers of The Essex and Bedfordshire Regiments. The whole thing was a great experience."

Rededication for Lance Corporal Charles Madgwick

In a separate ceremony on 15 July 2025, a rededication service took place for Lance Corporal Charles Madgwick at CWGC Lebucquière Communal Cemetery Extension. LCpl Madgwick was serving with 4th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment when he was killed on 24 March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. His grave was identified after a researcher submitted a case to CWGC hoping to have found his final resting place. After further research by CWGC, the National Army Museum and JCCC, the identification was confirmed.

Both services were conducted by the Reverend Carl Stokes CF, Chaplain to Blandford Garrison.

The Reverend Carl Stokes CF, Chaplain to Blandford Garrison said:
"It has been a tremendous privilege, as an Army Chaplain, to honour the eight fallen soldiers of the Bedfordshire and Essex Regiments by laying their remains to rest alongside their comrades in Commonwealth War Graves. For the four soldiers who have been identified, it is especially moving to see their names finally inscribed on their headstones. The other four will bear the poignant epitaphs ‘Known unto God’ or ‘A Soldier of the Great War.’ It has also been a great honour to share this moment with some of their family members and with soldiers from their legacy regiment, the Royal Anglian Regiment, who served as the honour guard and bearer party. More than a century later, their sacrifice is not forgotten. Their legacy—the freedom they helped secure—lives on."

All of the graves will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.

CWGC Commemorations Casework Manager, David Royle, said:
“Every year the work of the Commission continues; installing headstones to recently identified casualties like we had for Lance Corporal Madgwick yesterday, or by ensuring that recently recovered casualties are buried in one of our cemeteries.

"For the eight soldiers buried today in the Loos British Cemetery Extension, we are extremely proud to have worked alongside the JCCC in identifying by name some of these casualties. Although it hasn't been possible to identify them all, they have been buried with the same dignity and honour. Their service and sacrifice has not been forgotten, 108 years after their deaths.” 

Corporal Morrant (courtesy of the Morrant family), The families watch on as the coffin is brought to the graveside (Crown copyright).

Corporal Alfred James Morrant

Alfred James Morrant was born in Hutton, near Brentwood, Essex, in 1889. He was one of eight children born to Joseph Morrant and his wife Sarah. Before enlisting he worked as a horseman on a farm. Alfred joined The Essex Regiment and was posted to 9th Battalion. He arrived on the Western Front on 30 May 1915. The then Pte Morrant was wounded in the autumn of 1915. It is most likely that it was after this that he transferred to 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment. Cpl Morrant was killed on 22 April 1917. He was 27 years old. His elder brother Cpl Charles Alfred Morrant was killed on 10 September 1914 whilst serving with 4th Battalion The Royal Fusiliers. He is still missing and is commemorated on La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial.

Private Henry Joseph Rycraft

Henry Joseph Rycraft was born in 1895 in Little Bentley, near Tendring, Essex. He was one of four children born to Frederick Rycraft and his wife Elizabeth. Before enlisting into the Army he worked as a farm labourer. Pte Rycraft arrived on the Western Front on 30 August 1915. He was killed in action on 22 April 1917 whilst serving with 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment. He was 22 years old.

Private Arthur Albert Grayston

Arthur Albert Grayston was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, in 1889. He was one of four children born to Thomas Daniel Grayston and his wife Eliza. Before enlisting into the Army he worked as a dock labourer. In 1911, Arthur married Florence Caroline Webster. The couple had three children, Florence born in 1912, Arthur Albert born in 1913 and Jessie born in 1915. Pte Grayston was killed in action on 19 April 1917 whilst serving with 8th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment. He was 28 years old. His younger brother, Pte Ernest Daniel Grayston, was killed on 24 April 1915 during the Second Battle of Ypres, whilst serving with 1st Battalion The Suffolk Regiment and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.

Private Lewis Ephraim Lambert

Lewis Ephraim Lambert was born in 1897 in Wootton, Bedfordshire. He was one of four sons born to George William Lambert and his wife Caroline. Before enlisting into the Army he worked as a farm labourer. Pte Lambert was killed in action on 19 April 1917 whilst serving with 8th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment. He was 19 years old.

Lance Corporal Charles Madgwick

Charles Madgwick was born in 1892 in Worthing, Sussex. He was one of ten children born to George Madgwick and his wife Emily. The 1911 Census shows that before the war he had worked as a carriage painter. Charles enlisted into The Cambridgeshire Regiment but was transferred to 4th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment.

When Operation Michael, the first phase of the German Spring Offensive, commenced on 21 March 1918, 4th Battalion The Bedfordshire were in support lines. At 12:00 hours on 23 March 1918 they withdrew from Havrincourt Wood, through Neuville-Bourjonval to Ytres. On the night of 23 to 24 March they withdrew again to the Royal Engineer dump north of Ytres. They experienced heavy machine gun fire passing through Barastre and Beaulencourt. Having supplied a rearguard, they then withdrew to Bazentin-le-Petit and then to Courcelette where they stopped overnight. It was at some stage during this withdrawal that LCpl Madgwick went missing. He was 25 years old.

It appears that LCpl Madgwick’s body was recovered by the Germans and buried in what is now Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension, as an unknown lance corporal of The Bedfordshire Regiment. As he was missing, LCpl Madgwick was commemorated on the Arras Memorial.