A search has been launched for the final resting place of a First World War soldier who is thought to be buried in Salford.
Belgian soldier Franciscus Alphonsus Van den Eynde, 21, was wounded fighting in Mechelen in the fields of his home country.
He is honoured on a plaque for the fallen in a church in the town where he was raised.
He was brought to England for medical treatment, and his death was recorded in Salford on December 3, 1914. He had been a ‘karabillier’ or rifleman.
It is believed he may have been treated at Salford Royal Hospital in Chapel Street.
Now council staff from Zandhoven, the district where the soldier was born, have appealed to Salford residents to help find his last resting place.
City Mayor Ian Stewart said: “I’ve asked staff to check records and see if Mr Van der Eynde is indeed buried in our city but it may be an enthusiastic local historian already knows where his grave is.”
Kevin Verboven from Zandhoven wrote to Salford council asking for help.
He writes: “I’m part of the Zandhoven municipal advisory group tasked with the World War 1 commemorations, asked to gather data on the fallen soldiers of our municipality.
“One of these fallen soldiers, commemorated in the town of of Viersel, is Franciscus Alphonsus Van den Eynde. He was born in Viersel the 21st of March 1893. He is said to have died in December 1914. What little information I have claims that he was wounded and that he died in Salford, Great Britain.”
“I’m amongst others trying to ascertain where Mr Van den Eynde died and importantly where he was and maybe still remains buried. The Belgian database which lists the fallen soldiers of the first World War lists this person but not his burial site. Usually burial sites are listed.
“The name I mentioned is the name listed on the Dutch language birth certificate (he was born in Dutch speaking Flanders). However these names were often shortened in daily use or they were given a French twist, this being a dominant language at the time in Belgium.”
A commemorative plaque in a church in Viersel lists him as Alfons - short for Alphonsus. But he may have been known as Frans or Franscois. If you can shed any light on the mystery email
newsdesk@men-news.co.uk(I've just copied & pasted this report from the M.E.N article. I hope that's ok)
