DNA bid to identify lost soldier

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Private James Mitchell was killed at Fromelles, France, in 1916

A Borders family is hoping to supply DNA in a bid to trace the remains of a relative killed in World War One.

Private James Mitchell, of Coldstream, was killed in July 1916, while serving with the Cameron Highlanders at Fromelles in Northern France.

An operation is under way there to exhume and identify 400 soldiers before burying them in a new cemetery.

Lynn Wilkinson, a great niece of Pte Mitchell, said the family would like to know exactly what happened to him.

Ms Wilkinson, who still lives in Coldstream, said it was a moving experience when she heard her relative could be in the mass grave.

If his remains are in this mass grave that they have found it would be good to find out just exactly what happened to him Lynn Wilkinson

"It really did make me feel quite emotional in a way," she said.

"It is your ancestor."

Now the family hopes to establish whether their relative was buried at Fromelles.

"If his remains are in this mass grave that they have foundm, it would be good to find out just exactly what happened to him," said Ms Wilkinson.

"My mother's sister is still alive and lives in Coldstream.

"I am sure she would like something, maybe a headstone or memorial of some kind because it is part of your family."

An operation to recover and identify the remains of about 400 British and Australian soldiers killed during the WWI battle in Northern France is currently under way.

The operation to exhume and identify the bodies is under way

It follows the discovery of several unmarked mass graves in a field on the outskirts of the village of Fromelles.

The British and Australian authorities have published the names of the soldiers they expect to find.

They have asked relatives for DNA to help identify the soldiers, who will be re-buried in a new military cemetery.

The bloody battle fought on 19 July 1916, at Fromelles, was a military disaster.

More than 5,500 Australian and at least 1,500 British troops were massacred as they attacked heavily fortified positions in broad daylight.

Although the German commander offered a truce so that the bodies of the fallen soldiers could be recovered immediately after the battle, inexplicably the Allied commanders refused.

The Germans, from the Bavarian regiment, hastily dug mass graves and buried the bodies near to the village where the assault had been launched.