remembering a ‘forgotten’ Soldier: The Story of 2nd Lt Esmond Kellie
By Louise Parry, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
For decades, the grave of 2nd Lt Esmond Kellie lay unmarked in a quiet corner of a Buckinghamshire cemetery. A soldier who died during World War One, his final resting place was simply identified by a regimental number. Now, after years of research, a headstone bearing his name has finally been dedicated.
Esmond Kellie, born in 1898, was a member of the Royal Anglian Regiment. He died on 27th September 1918, during the Hundred Days Offensive, just weeks before the end of the war.He is believed to have been killed in action near Ypres, Belgium.
However, the chaos of war meant his body wasn’t identified at the time.He was buried as an “unknown soldier” with a number – 68868 – marking his grave.
The story of how 2nd lt Kellie was identified is a testament to the dedication of military historians and genealogists. Research began in earnest a few years ago, piecing together fragments of data from war records, census data, and family trees.
“It was like solving a puzzle,” explains Major (Retd) David Blake, who led the research. “We knew the regimental number, the date of death, and the location. It was a matter of cross-referencing everything to find a match.”
The breakthrough came with the revelation of a photograph and a detailed service record.This confirmed the identity of the soldier buried under the unknown number as Esmond kellie.
A service of dedication was held at the cemetery, attended by members of the Royal Anglian Regiment, local dignitaries, and distant relatives. A new headstone, bearing his name, rank, and regiment, was unveiled.
“It’s incredibly moving to finally give him the recognition he deserves,” said Reverend james Denny, who led the service. “He, like so many others, made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. It’s important that we remember them all.”
The dedication of 2nd Lt Kellie’s headstone serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of remembering those who served, even those whose stories were almost lost to time. It ensures that Esmond Kellie will no longer be a “forgotten” soldier,but a name etched in history,finally at peace.
Crown Copyright
Two Bedfordshire officers, killed during the First World War, finally received individual services of dedication at St George’s Memorial Church in Ypres, Belgium.
2nd Lt William Kellie and 2nd Lt Eric Hopkins both died in 1915 during fighting around Hill 60, a key strategic position near Ypres.
Despite both men being commemorated by the Bedfordshire Regiment on the Menin Gate Memorial, they did not have individual graves.
The services, organised by the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment Association, were held to formally recognize their sacrifice.
2nd Lt Kellie was transferred to the 1st Bedfordshire regiment in 1915.
On 19 april 1915 he was injured in the thigh while defending a trench at Hill 60, but was killed by a shell while being stretchered away.
A letter sent home to his parents by Lt Col Griffith DSO described him as a “most heroic and useful officer… very popular with all in the regiment”.
2nd Lt Kellie was buried on Hill 60, but later moved to Railway Dugouts burial ground in West Flanders.
2nd Lt Hopkins arrived in France in October 1914 and moved between battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment.
At the time of his death in May 1915 he was attached to the 1st Battalion, who were engaged in the struggle for Hill 60.