Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Grave Marker – On Thursday December 1, 2016 a new headstone was placed on Plot 6 Row D Grave 3 at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, located in the Somme area of France. The location of Corporal Carroll's grave had remained unknown for more than 98 years, thus his named had been inscribed on the Vimy Memorial. As a result of the "Unknown's Project" of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group (CEFSG - http://cefresearch.ca), a report was submitted to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) in May 2015 which matched an Unknown Corporal of the 19th Battalion to Corporal Martin Carroll. The CWGC approved the findings in March 2016, after which the CEFSG located the family of Martin Carroll so that they could assist the CWGC in the re-commemoration process. (Information supplied by Richard Laughton, CEFSG).

Grave Registration Report – Original "Graves Registration Report Form" (GRRF) of the CWGC that shows that Plot 6 Row D Grave 3 at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery contains the remains of an Unknown Corporal of the 19th Battalion Canadians, who was killed on 8 August 1918.

Concentration of Graves file – Original "Concentration of Graves (Exhumations and Re-Burials) Burial Return" (COG-BR) of the CWGC that shows that Plot 6 Row D Grave 3 at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery contains the remains of an Unknown Corporal of the 19th Battalion Canadians, who was killed on 8 August 1918. The remains had been exhumed from a location identified by the period trench map coordinates "Sheet 62d.V.2.d.2.3" (GPS = 49.8543, 2.5537). In August 1918 that was the location of the MIDWAY CEMETERY, MARCELCAVE which the CWGC notes was 1,400 metres North-West of Marcelcave Church. The cemetery was made by the Canadian Corps at the time and contained the graves of 53 Canadian and three United Kingdom soldiers who fell in August 1918. After exhumation in September 1919, the remains were concentrated in the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery located at trench map coordinates 62d.O.17.c.4.3 (GPS = 49.8865, 2.5092).

Map – The location where Corporal Martin Carrol was killed in action on August 8, 1918 is depicted on Map 11 of Nicholson's Official History of the Canadian Army in the First World War. The location of Corporal Heyburn on August 16, 1918 is also shown on this map, as it was necessary to distinguish the location of the other unknown Corporal.

Map – The location where Corporal Martin Carrol was initially buried in August 8, 1918 is marked on a period trench map. In September 1919, all of the remains from this battlefield cemetery were exhumed and moved to the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery.

Circumstances of Death Registers – The "Circumstance of Death" file for Corporal Martin Carroll #55818 shows that on or since 8 August 1918 that he had been "Previously reported Wounded and Missing, now for official purposes presumed to have died. From information available, he was killed by enemy fire during and advance near Marcelcave". The location of the battlefield grave or location of Corporal Carrol was not identified or reported in that file.

War Diary – An extract of the war diary for 8 August 1918 tells the story of the 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion on the day that Corporal Carroll paid the ultimate sacrifice. Casualties for the 19th Battalion alone in that action were 4 Officers killed, 7 wounded and 147 "Other Ranks" killed, wounded and missing. One of those was Corporal Martin Carrol. Assembly of the troops commenced at 3:20 am, which was immediately met by a heavy enemy barrage (artillery) which lasted an hour, at which point the men began their advance. It is likely that it was during this period that Corporal Carroll was struck down by the enemy machine gun fire as they approached the heavily wired strong-point where the enemy machine gun fire originated.

Group Photo – On the basis of the findings contained in the CEFSG report, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission approved the adjustment of the records and the placement of a new headstone for Corporal Martin Carroll. Subsequently, a rededication service was performed at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery on 1 December 2016. In attendance at the service were Padre Norman Cholette, Lieutenant Colonel Adam Barsby, Master Warrant Officer Andy Baird and Chief Warrant Officer (the photographer) Geoffrey McTigue (NMR CWO - Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Canadian Armed Forces).

Rededication service – Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, December 1st 2016. Rededication service for Corporal Martin Carroll #55818, killed in action August 8th, 1918 during the last 100 Days of the Great War of 1914-1918.

Circumstances of Death Registers – Source: Library and Archives Canada. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD WAR Surnames: Canavan to Caswell. Microform Sequence 18; Volume Number 31829_B016727. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 162. Page 527 of 1004.

Inscription – Inscription - Vimy Memorial … Corporal Martin Carroll is also commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France ... photo courtesy of Marg Liessens