British WWI Soldier Pte. Reginald Blake Identified by DNA and Buried at Loos After 109 Years

Private Reginald Joseph Blake of the 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment, was laid to rest at Loos British Cemetery Extension in northern France on April 22, 2026, nearly 109 years after going missing in action near Lens during WWI operations in 1917. Known to his family as 'Uncle Joe,' Blake's remains were recovered in 2020 during the construction of a hospital on the outskirts of Lens. DNA provided by his nephew Bryan Blake, combined with historical and genealogical records held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, confirmed his identity. The burial was organised by the UK Ministry of Defence's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC). A wreath was laid at his grave by Captain Oliver White during the ceremony. Blake was from Tendring, Essex. His identification adds to the ongoing work of recovering and naming WWI soldiers lost in northern France and Belgium — an effort that has accelerated since construction projects regularly disturb formerly contested ground near Lens, Arras, and Ypres. The CWGC estimates that hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers from WWI still lie unidentified in France and Belgium.