29/09/2026
On Friday the 25th September at 11:00hrs, the burial of six Scottish soldiers took place at Commonwealth War Graves Commission Point-Du-Jour Military Cemetery, France. Two of the soldiers were identified by DNA testing as Private George Fleming Brock and Private Percy Todd, both of 11th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
George Fleming Brock grew up at the Bandeath Colliery in Fallin, Scotland. His father and several of his brothers worked at the colliery, whilst George recieved his early education at Fallin Public School. He went on to win the Dux Medal for exceptional academic achievement. When the war broke out, he was serving an architectural apprenticeship with the Stirling firm of Messrs Bruce & Livingstone.
George enlisted on 17 June 1916, the day before his 18th birthday. In September 1917, he joined the 11th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in France. Just a month later, Pte Brock suffered from a serious gunshot wound and was sent to hospital. He rejoined the battalion in January 1918. On 28 March 1918, Pte Brock's battalion were holding positions in the area of Tilloy-les-Mofflaines when the sector came under intense enemy bombardment. It was on this day that Pte Brock lost his life, aged just nineteen.
Percy Todd grew up in Radford, Nottinghamshire with his parents and 12 brothers and sisters. When he left home, he moved to London and became a draper's assistant with Rutter Bros on Walworth Road in Southwark. In 1907, he married Alice Maud Powell, a cashier at the same firm. By the time he enlisted in the army, Percy had advanced considerably, and was holding the position of draper's manager at Bryan's drapery in Isleworth.
Percy enlisted on 10 November 1915 and eventually embarked for France in January 1917, where he joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was fighting with the 11th Battalion when he was wounded on the fiest day of the Battle of Arras on 9 April 1917. He rejoined his battalion in February 1918 but tragically lost his life during the German Spring Offensive on 5 April 1918.
Both Pte Brock and Pte Fleming was listed as missing after their deaths. In 2023, during an archaeological survey in Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, three British First World War casualties were recovered having been buried together. Found with them were a variety of artefacts identifying them as Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. At the same site, three other casualties were also recovered with artefacts suggesting they belonged to the Gordon Highlanders. Only Pte Brock and Pte Todd were able to be identified at this time, despite extensive DNA testing. The other four men were buried as unknown Scottish soldiers.
Today we were joined by 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, a piper and bugler from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the families of both Pte Brock and Pte Todd.
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
"No One Provokes Me With Impunity"
Lest We Forget🌺
Source: MOD War Detectives
