Unknown soldier no longer: Previously unmarked First World War grave in Belgium holds Winnipeg hero

The grave of an unknown soldier in Belgium has recently been identified as belonging to a First World War soldier from Winnipeg who was killed trying to bring wounded people to safety.

Staff with the Canadian Armed Forces casualty identification program confirmed the grave belongs to Cpl. Frederick Percival (Percy) Bousfield, who was 20 when he died in 1916, through historical and archival research, a news release from Canada's Department of National Defence said Wednesday.

Capt. Scott McDowell is Bousefield's great nephew, and grew up hearing about his time on the battlefield, but McDowell didn't put all the information together until he started working at the Directorate of History and Heritage, which oversees the casualty identification program, and was told they had found his great uncle's remains.

"During an all-hands teleconference at work that they said they've identified Corp. Frederick (Percy) Bousfield, and the world stopped spinning for a moment as I realized just what I'd heard," McDowell said in an interview on Wednesday.

"It was an unbelievable moment of the odds of it all, that of all the Canadians killed in the Great War, they'd identified [my great uncle]."

Bousfield was born in England, but his family immigrated to Canada in 1912 and eventually settled in Winnipeg.

Bousfield enlisted with the 79th Cameron Highlanders of Canada, a militia unit, and served with them for a year – the same militia unit his elder brother Stafford had joined the previous year.

He worked inspecting vessels in Quebec City and Halifax, and in Winnipeg as a carpenter.

On Jan. 29, 1915, he re-enlisted and was assigned to the signals section of the 43rd Canadian Infantry Battalion.

After training in England, he was promoted to corporal and was sent to France in February 1916.

Bousfield and his battalion's first battle was the Battle of Mount Sorrel, outside the town of Ypres, Belgium, from June 2 to 13 in 1916.

The Canadians were assigned to defend their position on Mount Sorrel, a piece of high ground that had a view of the town of Ypres and the surrounding area.

Bousfield was killed on June 7, when he was hit by an enemy shell.

He had been carrying wounded men to safety and was going back for another stretcher when he was hit and died, according to letters received by his family from members of his battalion.

Many soldiers said he displayed great courage in the moments before his death.

Minister of National Defence Anita Anand called Bousfield's death in the process of helping wounded comrades to safety the "ultimate sacrifice" in a battle that claimed 8,000 lives.

"The story of his selfless commitment brings us grief and inspiration over a century later. We must never forget this young man and the others like him who served their country with such courage," Anand said in the news release.

Process of elimination

Renée Davis, a historian with the Directorate of History and Heritage who helped confirm the grave held Bousfield, says living family held onto archival documents, letters from soldiers and photos. They were also very familiar with his story, which made investigating the case that much easier more than a century after his death.

Through heavy research and the process of elimination, Davis determined the person in the grave could only be Bousfield.

"Anytime we're able to put a name on a headstone it's like the absolute best day," she said.

In October 2019, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission made a possible identification for the grave, which is in the Bedford House Cemetery in Ypres.

Then three separate, independent researchers also raised the possibility that the grave was that of Bousfield.

Further research was done by members of the Canadian Armed Forces casualty identification program, which identifies unknown service members when their remains are recovered or previously buried unknown soldiers. They confirmed the identification in 2021.

Bousfield's surviving next of kin, who were found after a two-year search, have been informed of the discovery, the Department of National Defence said.

Twenty-four previously unknown soldiers from the First World War have been identified through the casualty identification program, as well as 17 from the Second World War.

There will be a headstone rededication ceremony this coming September at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Bedford House Cemetery in Ypres, close to the anniversary of when Bousfield was buried there.