Published: Saturday, 16th May, 2009 12:00pm

War vets to help families

by Callum Brodie

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WAR veterans from across Slough and Windsor have promised to help the families of the four World War One soldiers found buried in a mass grave for 92 years attend an emotional remembrance ceremony.

Royal British Legion clubs in the area are calling on residents with a military family history to delve deep into the past to discover whether they could be related to one of the regions brave servicemen who died fighting the German army at the battle of Fromelles in 1916.

Excavation work has now started on the mass grave, which was discovered in Northern France last year, with the intention of formally identifying the 400 British and Australia soldiers and giving their families the chance to attend a ceremony and burial service on the anniversary of the battle next year on July 19.

Members of Legions in Slough and Windsor have now vowed to raise the necessary funds for relatives of the four former members of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, listed as Lance Corporal Arthur Stevens from Windsor, Privates Charles Plowman and George Pratt from Slough and Private William Johnson from Datchet, to attend the remembrance service.

George Murray, president of the Dedworth and Old Windsor British Legion, said: 'I think that it is very important that we give any remaining blood relatives left in the area the chance to lay their family members to rest once and for all.

'My mother lost her only brother in the Great War and she never recovered from it, so many lives were lost and many more ruined for good. These brave men fought in terrible conditions and they deserve a proper send off.'

Meanwhile, Colin Parsons, chairman of the Slough branch of the British Legion, added: 'Many men from the town served with distinction in World War One and it would be nice to arrange for any family that might be tracked down to visit the site. Nowadays with the internet it is much easier to research family trees.'