The family of a Manx Great War soldier who died at the Somme have paid an emotional visit to his grave in Northern France.
Private Robert Callister’s relatives tracked down his last resting place in Assevillers thanks to an appeal published in our sister newspaper the Manx Independent.
The appeal to trace the relatives of Private Robert Callister, killed during a German offensive on the Somme in 1918, was launched after his medal was dropped off at the Manx Aviation and Military Museum.
The media coverage resulted in museum curator Ivor Ramsden being contacted by Robert’s great niece Margaret Crellin, who lives in the Wirral.
Research carried out by Mr Ramsden enabled Margaret and her family to visit her great uncle’s grave at the New British Cemetery in Assevillers.
Margaret compiled a booklet about their experience and a little of what they have uncovered about Robert’s background - and sent extracts to the town council in Assevillers.
This has now been published on the town’s community website and the family were delighted to receive a reply from Assevillers resident Bertand Fareneau, a physics teacher at a high school in Noyon.
Margaret said: ‘I was really excited to receive a lovely reply telling me they had put it on their website and sending me a link.
‘This was all achieved by both Ivor Ramsden of the Ronaldsway Aviation and Military Museum and the article for the newspaper.’
She thanked her cousin Elizabeth Humphreys for contacting her when she read about the appeal to trace Private Callister’s family - and also her other cousin Frances Crellin who had found Robert’s Victory Medal among her late mum’s possessions.
‘Without her we would never have known he had a grave,’ he said.
Monsieur Fareneau wrote: ‘For the centenary period, the town of Assevillers would like to commemorate all the soldiers who were buried in Assevillers Cemetery. We think that’s very important for everybody.
‘I used the flag of Isle of Man for Private Callister but if you prefer I will put the English flag.
‘I thank you again because now I know of the Isle of Man.’
Robert Callister was born in January 1888 and brought up in Baldrine.
He may have been a milk rounds man before joining the Army either in late 1915 or early 1916.
Serving with the Cheshire Regiment, he was posted to France and served there until he was wounded in June 1917.
He recovered and came home on leave for the New Year, but returned to France only to be killed on March 21 1918.
This was the first day of a major German offensive.