Gunner Recognised With Headstone 99 Years After Death

99 years after his burial Gunner George Edward Valentine Field, who fought on the Somme during the First World War, has been recognised with a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

Since his death in 1918, he has lain in a civilian grave.

George joined the Army at age 16, after lying about his age, and served as a gunner in the Royal Field Artillery.

He was deployed throughout France during the war, but after being gassed twice during combat he was sent to a military hospital.

There he was diagnosed with TB and then discharged from the Army in June 1917. Sadly, George died just over a year later.

George was then laid to rest with full military honours, however, his name was not included on the register with the CWGC and therefore he did not qualify for a commission headstone. 

Andrew Marshall of Gravesham War Memorials was the one who spotted George's grave:

"There are a lot of people around the country who do the same thing that we do in terms of finding out actually who these people were".

Mr Marshall also tracked down relatives of Mr Field who attended the ceremony at his grave at Northfleet cemetery.

Russell Palmer, descendant of Gunner George Field, said that within his family there was not much First World War action.

"We are really quite proud to have a connection with the First World War now."