My pride at World War One honour

Kingsman Ben Holland from Oldham - one of the soldiers choen to assist in the ceremony

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AN Oldham soldier helped to carry the coffin of one of six unknown World War One soldiers at an emotional re-interment ceremony near Ypres.

Kingsman Ben Holland (26) of the 1st Battalion, Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment based at Catterick, was chosen to take part in the memorial to men who died in October 1914. The remains were discovered in 2008 and 2010 in a farmer’s field near Comines-Warneton in Belgium.

Experts have been unable to identify any of the deceased, except to confirm that two served with the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and two with the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Ben, whose great uncle died at Ypres and is commemorated on the memorial near there, said it was an “incredible privilege” to take part in the ceremony.