Long Lost Family: Long Lost Family Special: The Unknown Soldiers (S12EP ITV Monday 18 July 2022)

“Every single one of these soldiers, they were somebody’s son; they were somebody’s brother; they were somebody’s husband.” Nicola Nash (War Detective)

Today, there are still 500,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers missing in action all over the globe. Families who have lost a loved one are fervently seeking to learn what happened to them. Davina McCall herself has soldier on the French side of her family, who remains missing.

To continue the never-ending task of finding missing World War soldiers and their families, Davina and Nicky Campbell once more team up with the “War Detectives” from the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Center of the MOD.

This episode follows the War Detectives’ most ambitious case to date. Nine soldiers found together in a trench by roadworkers in Beselare, Belgium. The location gives the first clue as to who they are – it’s the site of the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917, which became infamous not only for the scale of casualties but also for the heavy mud that clogged up rifles and immobilised tanks.

Buried within the mud, over 100 years later, 2nd Lieutenant Ablett from the 11th Northumberland Fusiliers is found, identifiable by his ID bracelet and a ring. Remarkably he still has his officer’s boots, in wearable condition, his tie and his fountain pen. With these artefacts and DNA sourced from a living relative, Ablett’s identity is confirmed. But the team face the daunting task of identifying the eight bodies found alongside him.

These men fought together and died together for their country, leaving behind wives, children, parents and sweethearts.

Can the War Detectives discover who they are and allow their living relatives to lay them to rest with full military honours at last?

Airdate: Monday 18 July 2022 at 21:00 on ITV

Season 12 Episode 

Long Lost Family traces & reunites family members, delivering some of the most emotionally powerful scenes ever seen on television.