Change of https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mod-war-detectives-the-joint-casualty-and-compassionate-centre-commemorations-team-our-future-services-current-appeals-and-past-cases

Change description : 2026-07-13 12:29:00: Details of past services removed, and links to news stories added. [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : 2026-06-04 13:51:13.468603698 +00:00..2026-07-13 11:29:33.512513454 +00:00

Guidance

MOD War Detectives (the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre Commemorations team): our future services, current appeals and past cases

Find out about future services and what current appeals are ongoing.

From:
Ministry of Defence and Veterans UK
Published
26 September 2019
Last updated
134 JulyJune 2026 — See all updates

Upcoming Services:

We usually post details of our services here and to our Facebook page (MOD War Detectives) around 1 month before they are due to happen.

9 June 2026

  • 3pm – A rededication service for Sgt Ernest Stevens and LCpl John Springate, both of 11 Bn Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, who were killed in action on 1-2 October 1918. This service will take place at Hooge Crater Cemetery, Belgium

10 June 2026

  • 10.30am – A burial service for Private Horace Cook,  Private Frederick Martin,  Private Thomas Whitaker,  Private Courtney Hart,  Private Joseph Turnley,  and Private Charles Russell, all of 2/4 Bn Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. The service will take place at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium

17 June 2026

  • 2.30pm - A rededication service for Private Ernest James Grendall of 4th Bn the Cheshire Regiment, who died on 15 March 1945. This service will take place at Berlin 1939 - 1945 War Cemetery, Germany.

30 June 2026

  • 1.30pm – A burial service for Private Robert Leonard Lock of 12th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry, killed in action 7 October 1916, at Warlencourt British Cemetery.

2 July 2026

  • 11am – A burial service for 2 unknown Commonwealth soldiers at Crucifix Corner Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux.

15 July 2026

  • 10am – a burial service for three unknown Commonwealth soldiers who died during World War One. This service will take place at Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Belgium.

16 July 2026

  • 10.45am – a burial service for an unknown Commonwealth soldier who died during World War One. This service will take place at Hermies Hill British Cemetery, France.

Appeals for family

There are no appeals outstanding at this time.

Our past cases

Details of some of the MOD War Detectives’ past cases can be found below:

Related information

Updates to this page

Published 26 September 2019
Last updated 134 JulyJune 2026 href="#full-history">—+ Showshow all updates

  1. Details of past services removed, and links to news stories added.

  2. Past services deleted, details of upcoming services added. Links to news stories about past services added.

  3. Removal of one service which has already happened, addition of details of one new service, and link to a news story for a previous service.

  4. Details of past services removed, future services added and links to news stories about past services added.

  5. Details of past services removed, and links to press releases added

  6. Details of services taking place in May 2026 have been added

  7. Change to time of afternoon service on Wednesday 22 April

  8. Details of services which have already happened have been removed, and links to press releases have been added.

  9. Details added of services in April 2026

  10. The time of the service at Warhem on 25 March was changed.

  11. Added details of services taking place in March 2026

  12. Notice added about 2026 services Links added for press releases about services in late-2025

  13. New services added, past services removed

  14. Details of new services added

  15. Details of past services removed

  16. Addition of service dates for October 2025

  17. Added details of services in September

  18. Link to Press Release about a previous service added

  19. Details of services which have happened removed, and links to press releases added.

  20. Added latest news stories.

  21. Edited for clarity around the soldiers to be buried on 16 July

  22. Added details of services in July

  23. Links to press releases for past services added

  24. Details of June services added Link to press release for a previous service added

  25. Link to previous services press release added

  26. Change to time of service on 29 April - was 2.30pm, now 3pm

  27. Addition of details of forthcoming services

  28. Details of past services removed Links to press releases for past services added

  29. Links to Press Releases relating to past services added.

  30. Addition of dates for services in March & April 2025

  31. Link added to past service

  32. Past services have been removed and details of upcoming services added. Links to press releases for past services have been added.

  33. Edited to remove details of services which have already happened

  34. Added: details of October services.

  35. Details of services in Netherlands added

  36. Details of past services removed, and links to the news stories for those services added.

  37. Information about a burial service on 26 September added. This service is expected to attract a high level of interest and therefore Commonwealth War Graves Commission is running a free ballot to allocate tickets.

  38. Details of June services removed, and links added to the news stories for those services.

  39. Details of past service removed Time of service on 20 June changed Details of July services added Link to news story for recent service added

  40. More detail has been added about the soldiers being buried on 20 June

  41. Details of the May services were removed as they have now passed. Details added of forthcoming services in June. Links to more past cases added.

  42. The service for Pte Birch on 23 May 2024 has been cancelled and therefore details were removed from this page.

  43. Details of April Services removed. Details of May services added. Links to past services updated.

  44. Details of March 2024 services removed, and April 2024 services added

  45. Details of March 2024 services have been added.

  46. Note added that no further services are planned in 2023

  47. Update to the services of 8th and 9th November.

  48. Addition of link to latest commemorative service

  49. Links added to news stories about services in Belgium on 25 & 26 October 2023

  50. Added details of services in November 2023

  51. Details of service on 31 October 2023 added.

  52. Updated page with details of past services

  53. Links added for details of past services

  54. Details of the September services were removed and details of forthcoming services in October were added.

  55. Details of an additional blessing service added

  56. Added details of services in late September.

  57. Added details of services planned for mid-September

  58. Details of early September 2023 services included

  59. Update for September services.

  60. Added a link to the service held on 21 June 2023 in France

  61. Derails of service for 20 June 2023 included.

  62. Included an update to provide details of the services for June 2023

  63. Links to the three May services included.

  64. Details of this week's services have been moved from "Forthcoming Services" to "Past Cases" with links to news releases

  65. Details of 3 more burial/rededication ceremonies added.

  66. Future services removed/updated and details of March Services included in 'Our Past Services'.

  67. Updated with details of two past services from March 2023.

  68. Details of services on 18 and 19 April have been added.

  69. Details of three new rededication services added.

  70. Details of an appeal for family have been added.

  71. Included details of the services to be held on 17 November 2022.

  72. Details of rededication of a Sheffield solider being laid to rest 105 years after his death added to past services.

  73. Details of an additional service have been added. Details of "forthcoming services" have now been added to "past cases".

  74. Details of "forthcoming service" deleted and link to report added to "past cases".

  75. Details of additional services have been added. "Forthcoming services" which have now passed have been deleted and links to news items added.

  76. Details of "forthcoming services" that have happened have been removed.

  77. Details of further 4 services added.

  78. Details of forthcoming services added.

  79. Details of "Forthcoming case" changed to "Past Case"

  80. Details of two "forthcoming services" changed to "past cases" with link to news item.

  81. Details of forthcoming services added.

  82. Details of "forthcoming" services moved to "past" cases with link to news release.

  83. Details of "forthcoming" services moved to "past cases".

  84. Details of two services removed from "forthcoming" and transferred to "past cases" with associated link.

  85. Details of forthcoming services changed to past cases with links to news reports.

  86. Additional information on the service to be held at New Irish Farm cemetery on 30 June 2022.

  87. Details of rededication service moved from "forthcoming events" to "past cases".

  88. Addition of 3 more Forthcoming Services.

  89. Details of 2 rededication services have been moved from "future" to "past" events.

  90. Details of two rededication services moved from "forthcoming" to "past" services.

  91. Details of another 5 rededication services added.

  92. A "Forthcoming Service" has now become a "Past Service". Updated accordingly.

  93. Details of a "Forthcoming Service" now changed to "Past Case".

  94. Details of recent ceremony removed from "Forthcoming Services". Link added to details of news release.

  95. Details of "Forthcoming Services" for May 2022 published.

  96. Details of ceremonies that have now taken place have been removed from "Forthcoming Ceremonies" and moved to "Past Cases".

  97. Details of services that have now taken place have been removed.

  98. Details of "Forthcoming Services" now changed to "Our Past Cases".

  99. Details of 3 x April 2022 rededication services

  100. Details of 4 additional rededication services in Belgium on 22 March 2022.

  101. Adding details of an additional 5 rededication services

  102. Addition of forthcoming events

  103. Update to appeals section

  104. New appeal for WW1 casualty's family launched.

  105. Details of today's service removed and link to news release about it added.

  106. Additional information on forthcoming service.

  107. Details of completed services now deleted from Forthcoming Services section. Links to recent service reports added.

  108. Details of additional military funeral November 2021.

  109. Details of 3 more commemorative funerals published. Link inserted to "previous cases" to news item about Royal Flying Corps casualty.

  110. Removed details of ceremonial services that have now taken place.

  111. Change to COVID restrictions in France.

  112. Details of additional service uploaded.

  113. Statement regarding ceremonial burials - Autumn 2021

  114. Family appeal deleted as appeal has been successful.

  115. New appeal for family added and previous one deleted.

  116. Inserting corrected email address; DBS-MODWarDetectives@mod.gov.uk

  117. Added an appeal for family under the 'current appeals' heading.

  118. Notification of cancellation of the rest of 2020 burial and rededication ceremonies.

  119. Notification of further cancellations

  120. Deleting details of services that have had to be posponed.

  121. Changing calendar of events

  122. Details of additional ceremonies added

  123. Change to dates of when services may resume.

  124. Cancellation of all scheduled services due to COVID-19

  125. Changes to details of appeals and services.

  126. We have added details of additional services and appeals

  127. To add details of future services

  128. Deleted details of services that have now taken place,

  129. First published.

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Contents

Update history

2026-07-13 12:29
Details of past services removed, and links to news stories added.

2026-06-04 14:51
Past services deleted, details of upcoming services added.Links to news stories about past services added.

2026-05-19 12:20
Removal of one service which has already happened, addition of details of one new service, and link to a news story for a previous service.

2026-05-06 13:13
Details of past services removed, future services added and links to news stories about past services added.

2026-04-24 08:50
Details of past services removed, and links to press releases added

2026-04-13 17:23
Details of services taking place in May 2026 have been added

2026-04-07 08:51
Change to time of afternoon service on Wednesday 22 April

2026-03-30 12:51
Details of services which have already happened have been removed, and links to press releases have been added.

2026-03-23 10:23
Details added of services in April 2026

2026-02-19 13:17
The time of the service at Warhem on 25 March was changed.

2026-02-17 12:49
Added details of services taking place in March 2026

2025-12-05 12:13
Notice added about 2026 servicesLinks added for press releases about services in late-2025

2025-10-29 09:47
New services added, past services removed

2025-10-13 10:07
Details of new services added

2025-10-02 09:13
Details of past services removed

2025-09-12 09:43
Addition of service dates for October 2025

2025-08-15 11:14
Added details of services in September

2025-07-17 13:25
Link to Press Release about a previous service added

2025-07-16 09:04
Details of services which have happened removed, and links to press releases added.

2025-07-02 12:17
Added latest news stories.

2025-06-19 11:06
Edited for clarity around the soldiers to be buried on 16 July

2025-06-17 08:41
Added details of services in July

2025-06-16 15:40
Links to press releases for past services added

2025-05-14 09:00
Details of June services addedLink to press release for a previous service added

2025-05-12 10:37
Link to previous services press release added

2025-04-14 13:36
Change to time of service on 29 April – was 2.30pm, now 3pm

2025-04-11 10:36
Addition of details of forthcoming services

2025-03-28 12:34
Details of past services removedLinks to press releases for past services added

2025-03-25 08:40
Links to Press Releases relating to past services added.

2025-03-11 08:38
Addition of dates for services in March & April 2025

2025-01-03 10:58
Link added to past service

2024-11-11 10:11
Past services have been removed and details of upcoming services added.Links to press releases for past services have been added.

2024-10-01 09:03
Edited to remove details of services which have already happened

2024-09-13 10:06
Added: details of October services.

2024-08-19 08:36
Details of services in Netherlands added

2024-07-22 08:52
Details of past services removed, and links to the news stories for those services added.

2024-07-16 09:53
Information about a burial service on 26 September added. This service is expected to attract a high level of interest and therefore Commonwealth War Graves Commission is running a free ballot to allocate tickets.

2024-07-09 15:08
Details of June services removed, and links added to the news stories for those services.

2024-06-18 12:31
Details of past service removedTime of service on 20 June changedDetails of July services addedLink to news story for recent service added

2024-05-30 10:59
More detail has been added about the soldiers being buried on 20 June

2024-05-29 15:23
Details of the May services were removed as they have now passed. Details added of forthcoming services in June. Links to more past cases added.

2024-05-17 08:59
The service for Pte Birch on 23 May 2024 has been cancelled and therefore details were removed from this page.

2024-04-22 08:55
Details of April Services removed. Details of May services added. Links to past services updated.

2024-03-22 15:25
Details of March 2024 services removed, and April 2024 services added

2024-02-06 10:22
Details of March 2024 services have been added.

2023-11-13 11:28
Note added that no further services are planned in 2023

2023-11-07 13:51
Update to the services of 8th and 9th November.

2023-11-02 11:45
Addition of link to latest commemorative service

2023-10-30 12:05
Links added to news stories about services in Belgium on 25 & 26 October 2023

2023-10-16 13:47
Added details of services in November 2023

2023-10-09 10:53
Details of service on 31 October 2023 added.

2023-10-06 10:26
Updated page with details of past services

2023-10-05 09:01
Links added for details of past services

2023-10-03 08:47
Details of the September services were removed and details of forthcoming services in October were added.

2023-08-24 09:25
Added details of services in late September.

2023-08-21 10:41
Added details of services planned for mid-September

2023-08-02 10:51
Details of early September 2023 services included

2023-06-29 11:37
Update for September services.

2023-06-23 13:57
Added a link to the service held on 21 June 2023 in France

2023-06-21 15:25
Derails of service for 20 June 2023 included.

2023-06-02 12:30
Included an update to provide details of the services for June 2023

2023-05-26 10:41
Links to the three May services included.

2023-04-20 11:55
Details of this week’s services have been moved from “Forthcoming Services” to “Past Cases” with links to news releases

2023-04-17 09:58
Details of 3 more burial/rededication ceremonies added.

2023-03-29 11:48
Future services removed/updated and details of March Services included in ‘Our Past Services’.

2023-03-28 12:45
Updated with details of two past services from March 2023.

2023-03-13 13:47
Details of services on 18 and 19 April have been added.

2023-02-27 15:16
Details of three new rededication services added.

2023-01-20 14:08
Details of an appeal for family have been added.

2022-11-09 15:29
Included details of the services to be held on 17 November 2022.

2022-11-08 15:06
Details of rededication of a Sheffield solider being laid to rest 105 years after his death added to past services.

2022-10-24 16:40
Details of an additional service have been added. Details of “forthcoming services” have now been added to “past cases”.

2022-09-30 11:35
Details of “forthcoming service” deleted and link to report added to “past cases”.

2022-09-29 15:02
Details of additional services have been added. “Forthcoming services” which have now passed have been deleted and links to news items added.

2022-09-21 12:25
Details of “forthcoming services” that have happened have been removed.

2022-09-06 15:53
Details of further 4 services added.

2022-08-23 10:50
Details of forthcoming services added.

2022-07-20 16:07
Details of “Forthcoming case” changed to “Past Case”

2022-07-19 15:44
Details of two “forthcoming services” changed to “past cases” with link to news item.

2022-07-13 14:32
Details of forthcoming services added.

2022-06-30 16:27
Details of “forthcoming” services moved to “past” cases with link to news release.

2022-06-29 14:32
Details of “forthcoming” services moved to “past cases”.

2022-06-22 17:13
Details of two services removed from “forthcoming” and transferred to “past cases” with associated link.

2022-06-21 16:31
Details of forthcoming services changed to past cases with links to news reports.

2022-06-20 15:38
Additional information on the service to be held at New Irish Farm cemetery on 30 June 2022.

2022-05-30 11:10
Details of rededication service moved from “forthcoming events” to “past cases”.

2022-05-25 13:52
Addition of 3 more Forthcoming Services.

2022-05-19 17:10
Details of 2 rededication services have been moved from “future” to “past” events.

2022-05-19 15:43
Details of two rededication services moved from “forthcoming” to “past” services.

2022-05-09 14:57
Details of another 5 rededication services added.

2022-05-05 13:31
A “Forthcoming Service” has now become a “Past Service”. Updated accordingly.

2022-04-29 15:18
Details of a “Forthcoming Service” now changed to “Past Case”.

2022-04-28 12:45
Details of recent ceremony removed from “Forthcoming Services”.Link added to details of news release.

2022-04-11 13:23
Details of “Forthcoming Services” for May 2022 published.

2022-04-07 10:46
Details of ceremonies that have now taken place have been removed from “Forthcoming Ceremonies” and moved to “Past Cases”.

2022-03-28 11:26
Details of services that have now taken place have been removed.

2022-03-11 12:55
Details of “Forthcoming Services” now changed to “Our Past Cases”.

2022-02-22 15:15
Details of 3 x April 2022 rededication services