Scottish Soldier's WWII Grave Identified 80 Years After Normandy Battle

The grave of Scottish Private Vincent Coia, who went missing during the Second World War, has been identified more than 80 years after his death.

Pte Coia, originally from Glasgow, was a shop assistant before enlisting and was killed at the age of 19 during the Battle of Normandy.

He arrived in France shortly before the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, and died fighting with The Seaforth Highlanders to capture a hill near Caen. His remains were identified by war detectives from the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) at the Ministry of Defence.

Rosie Barron, a researcher at JCCC, stated that it has been an honor to organize rededication services and provide families with answers about their relatives. She noted the welcoming nature of the local Normandy community, who celebrate the Battle of Normandy as the moment they regained their liberty. Barron emphasized that the sacrifices made were not in vain and that further investigations may lead to the identification of more graves.

Barron and her team analyzed commonwealth war records, lists of missing soldiers, and battalion war diaries to map the fighting around the hill. They determined that Pte Coia was the only Seaforth Highlander reported missing on June 11, 1944.

Pte Coia would have faced intense shellfire and machine gun fire on the day he died. Thirty-four men from his battalion were killed in the same action while attempting to seize Hill 112, a strategically important high ground. The team ensured no other missing soldiers from the same regiment could be placed at that location.

A rededication service for Pte Coia's grave, previously marked simply as 'a soldier of the 1939-1945 war,' took place at Bayeux War Cemetery in France. A piper from the Royal Regiment of Scotland’s 2nd Battalion attended the ceremony. Pte Coia's family in Glasgow were unable to attend.

He was one of five war dead whose remains were commemorated this week following their identification. Reverend Paul Collins, Chaplain to 5th Battalion The Rifles, conducted the services, stating it was a privilege to participate and honor soldiers who gave their lives for the liberation of France and the defeat of the Nazis. He highlighted the significance of knowing the identities and burial places of these soldiers, ensuring their memory for future visitors.

In related news, relatives also gathered in France for the burial with full military honors of two World War One Scottish soldiers and four unknown comrades. MoD war detectives used DNA to identify the two soldiers approximately 108 years after their deaths. All six men were laid to rest on Friday.