Unknown Canadian soldier from First World War identified as Manitoba man

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) announced on Wednesday that Cpl. William Benjamin Cunningham has been identified as the unknown soldier.

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He was buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery in Ypres, Belgium in 1920.

National Defence and CAF said Cunningham was born near Hayfield on Dec. 30, 1895, and worked as a clerk in Brandon, Man.

He trained with the 18th Reserve Battalion in England and joined the 44th Canadian Infantry Battalion in France.

Cunningham was part of the Battle of Passchendaele and was one of 45 Canadian soldiers in the 44th Battalion to die in that fight. National Defence and the CAF said he died on Oct. 27, 1917. He was 21 years old.

It was unknown why Cunningham's remains weren't identified, but National Defence and the CAF used historical research to determine his identity.

Research into the unknown grave started in 2020 and in November 2023, the Casualty Identification Review Board confirmed Cunningham's identity.

"Although Corporal Cunningham's final resting place is among his comrades far from home, it is our duty here at home to honour the contributions he and his fellow service members made. We will remember his courage and the ultimate sacrifice he made. Lest we forget," said Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.

Cunningham's family was notified by the CAF and a headstone rededication ceremony is being planned.

How was he identified?

Renee Davis, a historian with the Department of National Defence, explained that to identify an unknown soldier researchers use a process of elimination to determine who, out of the units fighting in that area, is still missing with no known grave.

From there, researchers go through a process to confirm the solider fits the criteria for partial identifiers, but also, simultaneously, ensure that no other candidate fits the criteria as well.

“That’s because, with cases where the individual has already been buried, we cannot exhume them for any reason,” she said.

“So we can’t do DNA, we can’t do isotope analysis. We have it to truly base it on historical evidence.”

For the final step, National Defence submits a report to the Casualty Identification Review Board. If this group unanimously agrees, they can put a name on the headstone with a rededication ceremony.

Davis said the entire process takes quite a bit of time, as it involves intense research and due diligence.

“The entire process can quite literally take years,” she said.

“Some cases are quite straightforward, other cases are rather complicated.”

Davis noted that it’s incredibly important to give every single soldier their recognition.

“By doing this work and by bringing attention to these stories, we’re able to not only give the next of kin closure, even though it’s been over 100 years, but we’re also simultaneously able to look into what this individual experienced…and ultimately give him again that ownership and that respect that he’s due for the sacrifice that he made.”

- With files from CTV’s Charles Lefebvre and Kayla Rosen.