LONDON, May 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
Thepreviously unidentified grave of aScottishsoldier who gave his life in World War2hasbeenidentifiedinSicily83 years after his death.
CplGilbert Nay Hamiltonserved with7thBattalionArgyll & Sutherland Highlandersand died nearGerbini, Sicily,on21 July1943.
Today's(12 May 2026)serviceatthe Commonwealth War Graves Commission's (CWGC)Catania War Cemeterysawhisgrave rededicated in hisname,witha newly inscribed headstonemaking a permanent and personal memorial to his sacrifice in Sicily.
It wasorganisedby the MOD's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the 'War Detectives'.
JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said:
This case was unusual in that the researcher who originally produced evidence suggesting where Cpl Hamilton was buried isactuallyhisgreat-grand-nephew.Alot oftime andefforthas gone intodiscoveringGilbert's story,whichhasultimatelyledus to recognisehisfinal resting place. Today we have finally been able torestoreGilbert'sname tohimandhis military familyhave been heretohonourhissacrifice. It has been a privilege for me to have contributed tothiscaseand to have organised the serviceofrededication today.
Lt Henry Sutton lays a wreath at Cpl Hamilton's grave (Crown Copyright)
Gilbert joined theArmy on 15 January 1942, signing for service with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders under service number 2993180. His service record tells us he was a little over 5'10" tall, with hazel eyes anddark brownhair.
Aftertraininghe wassent to join the war in the Middle East in June 1942. Hesoon madethe rank ofCorporal,transferredto the North Africa campaign, andlater took part inthe invasion of Sicily, wherehe was killed in action during the Battle forGerbiniin July 1943.
Gilbert receiveda hasty burialand,though across was erected showing his rank and regiment, all details of his name were lost.
InMarch 1944the remains of an unidentified Corporal of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were exhumed from a field grave nearGerbiniandmovedto the Catania War Cemetery.A named identificationproved impossibleand so the man was buried as an unknowncorporal.
Only nowthat allthe records and evidencehave beendrawn together and considered in their entirety,havethe War Detectivesbeenableto conclusivelyconfirmGilbert's resting placein line with the researcher's findings.
Today'sservicewassupported by serving soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The military party stand behind Cpl Hamilton's new headstone (Crown Copyright)
The headstone was replaced by CWGC. Dr. Daniel Seaton, Commemorations Case Officer at the CWGC, said:
I am very thankful to Corporal Hamilton's relative, who proposed the case for his identification to the Commission for further research. It is very gratifying to see the case now having reached a successful conclusion, meaning that weare able tomark Gilbert's final resting place with a CWGC headstone bearing his name and details.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
