Garhwal Rifles delegation returns from France with soil

New Delhi [India], November 14 (ANI): A delegation of Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre on Tuesday returned with soil from France where two soldiers of 39 Garhwal Rifles laid their lives while fighting in World War I.

The urn was brought from Laventie and will be carried to the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre at Landsdowne in Uttarakhand.

Two urns containing the soil were handed over to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by the delegation.

Mortal remains of the two soldiers were buried with full military honours at Laventie Military Cemetery.

According to reports, their remains were found on September 20, 2016 during an excavation on the southern side of the village of Richebourg near the cemetery, approximately 230 km from Paris.

The CWGC office in consultation with the French Government and Indian Embassy in France decided to hold ceremony for the rest of them along with their comrades at Laventie Military Cemetery, with full military honours during the annual memorial service that is held to commemorate the Indian soldiers martyred in action in France and Belgium.

During World War-I, the Garhwal Brigade comprising of 1st/39th and 2nd/39th Royal Garhwal fought France and Flanders.

The Garhwal Brigade earned six Battle Honours and two Victoria Crosses.(ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI