Named at last... three unknown heroes who fell in the Great War

Diaries help MoD 'detectives' ID trio

- Callum Hoare

HERO British soldiers who were killed in the First World War and later laid to rest in anonymous graves have finally been identified more than a century later.

The remains of L/Cpl James Ball Baron aged 29, L/Cpl Samuel Chapman, 19, and 2nd Lt Hugh Barr, 28, were found after the Great War and interred in Belgium.

Now three graves have been inscribed as theirs after researchers' findings that had been presented to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were confirmed by military officials.

Services of rededication have been held for L/Cpl Baron, of Mevagissey, Cornwall, L/Cpl Chapman, from Hull, East Yorks and 2nd Lt Barr of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.

Dedication

Tim Buescher, the great-great nephew of L/Cpl Chapman, joined serving soldiers at his service and said: "We are amazed that after all this time Sam is found.

"This generation of our family, like many others, was hit hard by the Great War and as a result these people were lost to us before we could know them."

The services at the Tyne Cot and Zantvoorde cemeteries in Belgium were organised by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, also known as the War Detectives.