More than a century after the conflict ended, two soldiers killed within the First World War, one British and one other German have been formally laid to rest together in a ceremony in Belgium.
The pair were found in the course of the renovation of a cycle path near Ypres in Belgium. They were in what appeared to have been a shell hole, nonetheless there have been no artefacts or clues as to the identities of the 2 men, neither is there any information available about how they died.
Ypres was the centre of intense fighting throughout World War One. In total five major battles were fought there and by the top of the war Ypres alone had claimed well over 1,000,000 men killed, wounded, missing or captured.
The sheer numbers of those missing also made identifying the bodies of the 2 men an not possible task.
The burial service for the 2 men took place on the Poelcapelle British Cemetery in Belgium and was conducted by Rev Mark Nightingale CF, Chaplain to 9 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps. The British and German Defence Attachés to Belgium were present.
The Rev Nightingale said, “It is a privilege to participate on this burial. As we lay to rest two unknown soldiers, one British and one German, we start to glimpse the peace and reconciliation that God offers us.
“By honouring their sacrifice on this service, we ultimately realise that in God’s eyes, there are not any enemies, only people who find themselves known to him by name.
“As I reflect, I see that this burial serves as a reminder that our highest calling just isn’t victory in conflict, but harmony in love.
“We are encouraged to live as individuals who seek peace and speak truth, whilst honouring the commitment of those that have gone before us on this goal, like these two brave soldiers that we have now honoured today.”
Rosie Barron, caseworker on the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, said: “This was a really poignant ceremony reflecting on the importance of reconciliation and the seek for peace between nations.
“We have no idea who these men were or what their beliefs or opinions on the war were. However, each men died for his or her country and would have suffered the identical hardships on the Western Front. May they now rest in peace together.”
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