I’m grateful to everyone across Canada who helped us identify Private Vanance’s next-of-kin. Their assistance made it possible for the regiment to inform the family in time for the 80th anniversary of Private Vanance’s death.

You can read his biography here: www.canada.ca/en/departmen....

On 15 February 1945, Private Vanance was one of four members of the Lake Sups who died as part of an ill-fated patrol across the Maas. The other dead were LCpl Harold Frederick Hilderley, Sgt Earl Herbert Carlbom, and Pte Walter Russell Lahoda.

Only Private Vanance remained missing, until now.

I think there's probably a metaphor in there somewhere about a posh private school being built on the bones of the working class.

Private Ralph "Dickey" Vaughan's mother, sister, and brother were killed during the Halifax Explosion, shortly after he was reported missing in the fighting at Passchendaele. His body was never recovered, and he remains among the members of the 85th Nova Scotia Highlanders listed on the Menin Gate.

If there’s still space, I’d be grateful to be added, please.

I'd love to be added, please! I'm working in Canada at the moment, but I'm still researching Australian history (and wrote my MPhil on the role of bereaved families in shaping cultural memory of the First World War at the Australian War Memorial).

Hi, Alex! If there's still space, I'd love to be added to the second list. My job focuses on casualty identification from the world wars and Korea, and my research explores memory and commemoration in the aftermath of conflict.

Thank you for including me!

Other war memorials at Kotmale, Lindula, and Gampola seem to have disappeared in the past century, while the Matale obelisk has lost its brass plaque and been painted turquoise. I’m grateful for any information you might have.

I’m working on a project exploring Sri Lanka and the First World War, and I would love your help. Besides Colombo, I’ve found memorials in Kandy, Galle, Avissawella, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kurunegala, Dickoya, and Ratnapura. #ww1hist

Thank you, Kristen! I'm much more familiar with land-based research, so I'm grateful for any and all help.

(For context, I've been researching Ceylonese soldiers in the First World War. Among the dead of the Ville de la Ciotat was a contingent of young graduates from private schools in Ceylon, heading to Europe to enlist.)

Thank you, Dave! I appreciate you taking a look.
I've been trying to find the source of the manifest that's been floating around (starting, I believe, here: web.archive.org/web/20171223...), but I was hoping there was an obvious solution that I was missing.

I spend a good bit of my time there dodging tourists, but there's something about the place that makes you *feel* like a writer. The power of the Dome!

Thank you for the recommendation! I'm still slowly figuring out this website, so I'm grateful for any and all suggestions.