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Up to 60 relatives of Bedfordshire Police WW1 soldiers traced | Up to 60 relatives of Bedfordshire Police WW1 soldiers traced |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Up to 60 relatives of police officers who served as soldiers and were killed in World War One have been traced following an appeal by a police force. | Up to 60 relatives of police officers who served as soldiers and were killed in World War One have been traced following an appeal by a police force. |
Some 22 Bedfordshire police officers died as a result of their injuries in the 1914-18 conflict. | Some 22 Bedfordshire police officers died as a result of their injuries in the 1914-18 conflict. |
The project has meant the family of L/Cpl Frederick Joseph Rolls unearthed "forgotten" details of his life which they were unaware of. | |
A commemoration service takes place at St Paul's Church in Bedford on Sunday. | A commemoration service takes place at St Paul's Church in Bedford on Sunday. |
L/Cpl Rolls, who was from Potsgrave near Woburn, signed up for the Army in Ampthill in 1914 and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment. | L/Cpl Rolls, who was from Potsgrave near Woburn, signed up for the Army in Ampthill in 1914 and joined the Hertfordshire Regiment. |
He died, aged 22, on 8 October 1918, a month before the Armistice on 11 November. | He died, aged 22, on 8 October 1918, a month before the Armistice on 11 November. |
Yvonne Smith, 72, his great-niece, said her family was particularly looking forward to the service as her husband, George Smith, 72, has been researching his past. | Yvonne Smith, 72, his great-niece, said her family was particularly looking forward to the service as her husband, George Smith, 72, has been researching his past. |
He began after he went through an envelope of documents kept at his mother-in-law's house. | He began after he went through an envelope of documents kept at his mother-in-law's house. |
Mr Smith said it was "a real privilege to attend [the service] and remember the forgotten soldiers". | Mr Smith said it was "a real privilege to attend [the service] and remember the forgotten soldiers". |
"By that I mean the family knew he had been a soldier, but it wasn't really talked of, and we didn't know where he was buried or anything else until I went through the papers and followed things up," he said. | "By that I mean the family knew he had been a soldier, but it wasn't really talked of, and we didn't know where he was buried or anything else until I went through the papers and followed things up," he said. |
"It became a bit of a detection job for me - I feel so proud he's been highlighted." | "It became a bit of a detection job for me - I feel so proud he's been highlighted." |
Mr Smith was able to confirm to his wife's family that he was buried in Naves Communal Cemetery near Cambrai, France. | Mr Smith was able to confirm to his wife's family that he was buried in Naves Communal Cemetery near Cambrai, France. |
Mrs Smith said: "He must have been some bloke to have gone through what he did and it was terrible to get killed just before the end of the war." | Mrs Smith said: "He must have been some bloke to have gone through what he did and it was terrible to get killed just before the end of the war." |
Trevor Rolls, Mrs Smith's brother, said: "I never knew my great-uncle, but I am going to this fantastic event to respect him, my grand-father, who also fought in the First World War, and every other person who served, lest we forget." | Trevor Rolls, Mrs Smith's brother, said: "I never knew my great-uncle, but I am going to this fantastic event to respect him, my grand-father, who also fought in the First World War, and every other person who served, lest we forget." |
Keith Jackson, from the Bedfordshire Police Museum, who organised the event, said he was "really pleased" with the response. | Keith Jackson, from the Bedfordshire Police Museum, who organised the event, said he was "really pleased" with the response. |
"The servicemen have not been remembered as much as they should have, and this is what we are hoping to address with this service," he said. | "The servicemen have not been remembered as much as they should have, and this is what we are hoping to address with this service," he said. |
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