CDN WWI Soldier remains returned from the US to be interned in France

[Czech_pivo]

U.S. museum returns remains of 12 Canadian soldiers​

U.S. museum returns remains of 12 Canadian soldiers

OTTAWA — An American medical museum has returned the partial human remains of 12 Canadian soldiers from the First World War.

www.sootoday.com

 

[Kilted]

I'm surprised that they can still identify who these remains originally came from.

 

[mariomike]

I'm surprised that they can still identify who these remains originally came from.

Perhaps they were identified when American medical personnel collected them after the war at a military hospital in Le Tréport, France.

 

[ModlrMike]

I believe the word we're looking for here is "interred". Interned has a completely different meaning. /grammar police

Inter:
verb
past tense: interred; past participle: interred

1. place (a corpse) in a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites.
   "he was interred with the military honours due to him"

Yes, I am that guy.

 

[mariomike]

I believe the word we're looking for here is "interred". Interned has a completely different meaning. /grammar police

Inter:
verb
past tense: interred; past participle: interred

1. place (a corpse) in a grave or tomb, typically with funeral rites.
   "he was interred with the military honours due to him"

Yes, I am that guy.

Better interned than interred.

Were Americans Landing in Neutral Countries to Evade Combat?

Ever since March and April 1944, during the height of the American Air Forces’ tremendous battle with the Luftwaffe, U.S. Army Air Forces commander

historynet.com

 

[medicineman]

I'm surprised that they can still identify who these remains originally came from.

They were often already identified, as many had died as a result of wounds, so in a field or permanent hospital. There were orders in place by British and Canadian Surgeon's General to keep and study bodies of deceased soldiers to learn more about the pathology of war injuries and illnesses to improve care. As mentioned in the article, a lot were supposed to go into a pathology museum of sorts in Montreal, but never really happened, but did get spread out through different medical teaching facilities in the UK and North America. Much like in some teaching hospitals still to this day, people are asked regarding autopsy after death in hospital if one isn't required by law, to look for a Cause of Death, even if one might be readily available, in order to study the pathophysiology of what occurred. In these cases, no permissions were given, as soldiers were considered the property of the government, even if dead . Given that most KIA/DoW's were usually buried in theatre in those days, families wouldn't be any the wiser...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Tim Cook discusses the planned Canadian medical museum of war that never came to fruition after WW1 in Lifesavers and Bodysnatchers. It would have featured corpses (or body parts) of Canadian soldiers wounded or killed in action.

 

[mariomike]

10 March 2026

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission statement,

Transfer of Partial First World War Casualty Remains​

https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/news/transfer-of-partial-first-world-war-casualty-remains/

Medicineman,

In these cases, no permissions were given, as soldiers were considered the property of the government, even if dead . Given that most KIA/DoW's were usually buried in theatre in those days, families wouldn't be any the wiser...

This.

 

[Blackadder1916]

I'm surprised that they can still identify who these remains originally came from.

Partial remains of 12 Canadian soldiers of the First World War returned by museum in Philadelphia - Canada.ca

Partial human remains of 12 Canadian soldiers – medical specimens collected during the First World War – have been returned by a museum in Philadelphia.

www.canada.ca

The operative word is "partial'. These aren't complete bodies of deceased soldiers; they are "parts" that were probably removed during surgical procedures. Medical recordkeeping is not something new.

Twelve Canadian soldiers are known to be among the partial human remains. Ten soldiers died of their injuries and are buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery in Le Tréport, France. Two of the soldiers survived the war and are buried elsewhere.

The soldiers are:
Private Edward Lea (March 29, 1883 - August 29, 1917) – enlisted Vancouver, B.C., 7th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF)
Private Charles Lorne Parkin (November 24, 1896 - September 9, 1918) – enlisted Caledonia, Haldimand County, Ont., 1st Battalion, CEF
Private Somerville MacPherson (November 10, 1886 - August 17, 1918) – enlisted Vernon, B.C., 47th Battalion, CEF
Private Charles Arthur Boyce (August 7, 1874 - December 6, 1917) – enlisted Edmonton, Alta., 10th Battalion, CEF
Private Fred James Williams (December 6, 1874 - October 3, 1918) – enlisted Windsor, Ont., 18th Battalion, CEF
Private John Kincaid (December 11, 1898 – October 1, 1918) – enlisted Toronto, Ont., 58th Battalion, CEF
Corporal Frank Jancey (July 25, 1896 - August 22, 1918) – enlisted Fort Frances, Ont., 4th Battalion, CEF
Corporal John Kincaid (June 27, 1890 - died September 11, 1918) – enlisted Kingston, Ont., 58th Battalion, Canadian Field Artillery
Sergeant Thomas William Jones (June 11, 1875 - October 15, 1918) – enlisted Kingston, Ont., 9th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
Sergeant Martin James Murphy (January 2, 1885 - September 18, 1918) – enlisted Edmonton, Alta., 4th Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps

Survivors:
Private Kenneth Dougal Crawford, 192nd Battalion, CEF
Private Norman McNeill, 189th Battalion, CEF

 

[OldSolduer]

RIP troops.

 

[medicineman]

Tim Cook discusses the planned Canadian medical museum of war that never came to fruition after WW1 in Lifesavers and Bodysnatchers. It would have featured corpses (or body parts) of Canadian soldiers wounded or killed in action.

It's a really interesting book...I even learned a pile of things. Was also interested to learn that this Tim Cook wasn't my internal medicine/endocrinology prof in PA school, who is now a retired LCol MO of the same name.