Thaindian News

London, April 22 (ANI): A World War I hero, whose body was found in an unmarked grave, has finally received an honourable burial after his great-nephew’s DNA was used to identify him.

Private Harry Dibben, 33, died at the battle of Fromelles, France, in 1916, when he was shot in the chest during an attack on a German trench.

Although his death was confirmed after the Germans sent his identity tags to London, his body was not recovered.

Then in 2007, archaeologists found the remains of 250 unidentified soldiers from an unmarked grave in Fromelles.

Private Dibben’s great-nephew Richard Dibben, who was researching his family’s history, came to know of the exhumation and realised great-uncle Harry, who was a part of the 14th brigade of the 5th division of the Australian Imperial Force, could be among the unidentified soldiers.

Thereafter, Richard, 58, of Marnhull, Dorset, contacted the Australian Army, which sent him a DNA swab kit.

And after Richard provided his DNA the result confirmed that Harry was one of the unknown men.

Now Private Dibben - who emigrated to Australia in 1912 and enlisted with the army in 1915 - has been buried in a marked grave in a new cemetery in Fromelles, beside 75 other soldiers.

“It is all rather poignant. At last my great-uncle Harry will have formal recognition of his death and there will be a grave to visit,” the Daily Express quoted Richard, as saying. (ANI)