Hero of the Somme is laid to rest, 99 years on

Blackleaf

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A decorated British soldier killed in action in the First World War has finally been laid to rest with full military honours almost 100 years after he died.

Sergeant David Harkness Blakey, of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed aged 26 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1 1916.

In November 2013 - 97 years
after he died - his remains were found during work on a road widening project near Connaught Cemetery in Thiepval, northern France.

Comprising the main Allied attack on the Western Front during 1916, the Battle of the Somme is famous chiefly on account of the loss of over 20,000 British troops on the first DAY of the battle, 1 July 1916, which to this day remains a one-day record.

The battle also saw the British introduce their terrifying newfangled weapon to the world - a metal monster known as the tank, which ended up breaking the stalemate in the trenches and propelled the Allies to victory.

A fallen hero remembered... 100 years after his ultimate sacrifice: British soldier killed during the Battle of the Somme is laid to rest in France after his remains are discovered


Sgt David Blakey, 26, was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme

His body was discovered in Thievpal, France, by road widening workers

Family 'amazed' to have tracked down the Tommy after a 99-year wait

British forces lost 20,000 men on the first day of the Battle of the Somme

By MailOnline Reporter
8 October 2015
Daily Mail


Sgt David Blakey was buried today, 99 years after he fell on the first day of the Battle of the Somme


A decorated British soldier killed in action in the First World War has finally been laid to rest with full military honours almost 100 years after he died.

Sergeant David Harkness Blakey, of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed aged 26 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1 1916.

In November 2013 - 97 years after he died - his remains were found during work on a road widening project near Connaught Cemetery in Thiepval, northern France.

Identifying fallen First World War soldiers is rare as tags were commonly made from paper or compressed fibres, which rapidly decomposed.

But a home-made metal identity tag believed to have been created by his wife with '18634 Sgt David Harkness Blakey MM of the R Innis Fus' etched on it helped to confirm his identity, along with the discovery of an 'R Innis Fus' cap badge.

Army chiefs said Gateshead-born, married father-of-three Sgt Blakey is only the fifth soldier in 10 years to be identified using personal items.

An appeal to trace his relatives last year resulted in a number being found in the North East of England.

And today, three generations of his family attended Connaught Cemetery for the burial, which was arranged by the Ministry of Defence's joint casualty and compassionate centre.

Among the relatives were his granddaughter Helen Coleman, 77, his great-granddaughter Jackie Coleman, her daughter and Sgt Blakey's great-great granddaughter Emma Coleman, 16, Mrs Coleman's sister Gill, 40, and her two sons and Sgt Blakey's great-great grandsons James, 13, and Jack, nine.


Soldier: The coffin of First World War soldier Sgt. David Harkness is carried by six pallbearers from the Royal Irish Regiment into Connaught Cemetery in Thiepval, northern France



Fallen: Sergeant David Harkness Blakey, of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, was killed aged 26 on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916


In remembrance: The great-great grandsons of Sgt Blakey, Jack and James Skan, stand at his funeral service



Tribute: Emma Coleman and James and Jack, all great great grandchildren of Sgt. David Harkness, read a poem as he was laid to rest


Moment to remember: Sgt Blakey's granddaughter Helen Coleman sheds a tear at his funeral


Police officer Jackie Coleman, 51, from Alnwick, Northumberland, said: 'I was amazed that he was found after all these years.
'David's memory has been kept alive in our family since he went missing. This is a very special and fitting end to our search for him and one we will always treasure.

'Sadly my father is not here to share in this. He and my mother spent many years trying to find David.'

Two unknown soldiers - one from the Royal Irish Rifles and another from the Cambridgeshire Regiment - were also buried alongside Sgt Blakey.

Six pallbearers from the Royal Irish Regiment carried Sgt Blakey's Union flag-draped coffin into the cemetery where hundreds of fallen soldiers are buried.


Discovery: The remains of Sgt Harkness were found during work on a road widening project in France



Service: The Rev Robert Birnie, padre of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, led the service during which he read The Bidding Prayer, praising 'the courage, conviction and sacrifice'


Never forgotten: Mrs Coleman later received the Union Flag which was draped over Sgt Blakey's coffin



Pallbearers finally lay Sgt Blakey to rest during his funeral, 97 years after he fell at the Battle of the Somme


The folded flag was then presented to his granddaughter in front of other relatives, some of whom were moved to tears by the occasion.

The Rev Robert Birnie, padre of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, led the service during which he read The Bidding Prayer, praising 'the courage, conviction and sacrifice'.

A poem written by Sgt Blakey's father in memory of his son was read by his great-great- grandchildren.

And The Last Post was sounded, followed by a gun salute and wreath-laying by military figures, dignitaries and members of Sgt Blakey's family.

Joint casualty and compassionate centre officer in charge Steve Brown said: 'It is a very rare occurrence to hold a military funeral for a fallen World War One hero when the event is attended by the soldier's living family.'


Sgt Blakey's identity tag that survived being buried underground for 97 years and led to his identification


Finally found: A wreath declaring Sgt Harkness as 'missing no longer' was laid by the grave


Tradition: A gun salute was fired as Sgt. David Harkness was laid to rest in Connaught Cemetery



Slaughter across No Man's Land: British armed forces lost 20,000 men on the first day of the Somme


SERGEANT DAVID HARKNESS BLAKEY

Born on November 9 1889 to coal miner Henry Blakey and his second wife Isabella, David Blakey became a miner at Stargate Colliery near Ryton, after leaving school.

After marrying Sarah Kendall in October 1908, they settled in her home town of Winlaton. They had a son, Henry, who was killed in service in 1940, and two daughters, Vivian Winifred and Isabella.

A skilled rugby player, Mr Blakey enlisted in January 1915 in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, which ran a series of recruitment adverts in the Gateshead press.

By 1916, he had been promoted to the rank of sergeant, serving with D Company, 11th Battalion.

On the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the battalion formed part of the 109 Brigade of the 36th Ulster Division and assembled at the edge of Thiepval Wood.

Sgt Blakey was among scores who died that day. And in subsequent letters to his wife, it emerged he had last been seen seriously wounded in No Man's Land.

He was awarded the Military Medal for 'bravery in the field', according to a citation in the London Gazette of December 14 1916.

During a concert organised by the Winlaton Welcome Home Committee in August 1917, the decoration was pinned to the chest of Sgt Blakey's seven-year-old son.


Battle of the Somme: 1st July-18th November 1916



The British introduced their new machine to the world during the battle: the tank, a metal monster which terrified the Germans


Comprising the main Allied attack on the Western Front during 1916, the Battle of the Somme is famous chiefly on account of the 60,000 British casulaties - 20,000 dead - on the first day of the battle, 1 July 1916, which to this day remains a one-day record. The attack was launched upon a 30 kilometre front, from north of the Somme river between Arras and Albert, and ran from 1 July until 18 November, at which point it was called off.

For a number of months the French had been taking severe losses at Verdun – to the east of Paris. To relieve the French, the Allied High Command decided to attack the Germans to the north of Verdun therefore requiring the Germans to move some of their men away from the Verdun battlefield thus relieving the French.

The battle is notable for the importance of air power and the first use of the tank, a newfangled British invention.



British machine-gunners during the battle
. 20,000 British troops were killed on the first day of the battle


 
Last edited:

coldstream

on dbl secret probation
Oct 19, 2005
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The remains of a total of 11 Canadian soldiers have been unearthed in recent years.. the most recent 4 were identified last year from the Battle of Amiens in August 1918 (Winnipeg Grenadiers). I think they'll be recovering bodies for another century.. before the ramains return to dust.