Villagers became time detectives after a modern-day soldier spotted a mystery war grave in the churchyard at Dorrington.
Lieutenant Colonel Edward Marvin was helped by local historians to uncover the touching story of doctor’s son Frank Houghton, killed in a flying accident in 1918.
And they managed to track down his only surviving relative in France.
“It’s been a wonderful effort of investigation by Dorrington people,” Lieutenant Colonel Marvin said.
“And Frank’s story resonates today when the bodies of young soldiers are coming back from Afghanistan.”
Lieutenant Colonel Marvin, who works at 5 Division Headquarters in Shrewsbury, is churchwarden at St Edward’s and decided to investigate what he recognised as a Commonwealth War Grave.
Inquiries with the RAF drew a blank but Shropshire Regimental Museum was able to confirm that Frank enlisted in the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry on September 30, 1914, before joining the Army Cyclist Corps and being seconded to the Wireless Experimental Establishment.
Frank, by now a lieutenant, died at the age of 22 while piloting a Sopwith Camel at Biggin Hill and was buried at St Edward’s on May 9, 1918.
Mrs Judy Mulcahey, of Dorrington Village Historical Society, spent hours studying county archives.
She discovered that Frank was the eldest son of Dr Frank Houghton, a physician and surgeon, and Rosa Houghton who lived at the Old Hall, the black and white building which used to be the Country Friends restaurant.
Although Rosa Houghton died in 1916, the family remained at the Old Hall until 1926.
Brothers reunited
“At this stage, the trail went cold. But then came another breakthrough,” Lieutenant Colonel Marvin said.
“Mrs Julia Bemmer, of our parochial church council, remembered there had been a family funeral in the 1990s and we were able to contact the remaining relative in Paris, Frank’s niece Mrs Amanda Nusbaumer.
“She was delighted to hear from me and revealed that her father, Frank’s brother, had died in 1997 after a distinguished service career.
“His ashes were interred in his brother’s grave and so, poignantly, the two brothers were reunited in death.
“This brought my investigation to an end. After much effort by local people we were able to paint a wonderful picture of village life during the First World War.
“Of a doctor’s son who went to war, of his mother who predeceased him and a father living and practising in the village. Of a young man killed while serving his country and the long, subsequent service career of his brother.
“Finally, both brothers lie at peace in a lovely village churchyard for all of us to remember and admire.”
By Peter Johnson
