Query re change in recorded details on soldier's grave

[Elizajb]

Hi All,

I have been researching Rifleman Bertie Greenlees (New Zealand soldier) who is commemorated in Bulls Rd Cemetery, Flers, Somme, France (Grave reference III.B.19), believed to have died in action 15 September 1916.

Initially he was reported 'missing believed wounded' and his girlfriend in New Zealand stated she had received a letter which said he had been picked up in the field, wounded in two places and doing fairly well.

A court of enquiry on 21 December 1916 had no further report of him and a C of E held 31 May 1917 ruled that he was "killed in action" as he had been missing 6 months with no report of being a POW.

When I went to the CWGC website to find details of Bertie I noticed his Grave Registration Report Form gives two sets of info. The first is typed and says that there is an 'unknown soldier' (from NZ). No. 21/2212 in that grave. However, overwritten in blue pen is a change to the number (to 24/2212, which was Bertie's number) and his name has been handwritten over where it previously said 'unknown soldier'.

Can I assume that this is definitely Bertie in this grave, or have the records been changed because of the 'likelihood' of it being Bertie?

Your thoughts would be appreciated. Am I right to think that a name would not be ascribed to this grave if they were not sure it is him?

Many thanks,
Eliza.

[whiteout7]

I think that they would be pretty confident it was him. They would have done extra research of paperwork and files before changing the details. Some soldiers have even been identified with dna tests.

[Elizajb]

Thanks very much Whiteout,

I thought that was probably the case, but wasn't sure. It is odd that his girlfriend claimed to have had news of him, but I noticed that she did marry someone else the year of the final inquiry, so perhaps she was just trying to get a definite answer from the authorities before she could move on with her life.

So many were never identified or found, Bertie's family were lucky to at least have a burial place for him.

Thanks again,

Eliza.