How we search for missing soldiers
Study Group Missing Soldier searches for missing soldiers from World War II, which requires money, perseverance, and above all, a great deal of time. Information about missing soldiers from World War II is hard to come by and requires extensive research. For this reason, we have set a few conditions for the Missing Soldier Study Group. In addition to the study group, all members have jobs and families, and the study group requires members to volunteer their free time.
How does Study Group Missing Soldier proceed?
There must be a lead, such as a publication of some kind. It’s also possible that the family of a missing soldier asks us for help, or someone suspects a field grave. Don’t hesitate to contact us. After receiving a request for assistance, we will gather information.
If the information gathered provides clues about the location of a possible field grave, we can develop a search plan. With this plan, we will approach agencies and institutions to convince them of the necessity of a search. Agencies such as municipalities, the government or landowners will need to grant us permission before we can search for a missing person.
Once permits and authorizations have been granted, we can initiate a physical search. We will systematically investigate the location in the hope of achieving our goal: finding a missing soldier.
The Missing Soldier Study Group utilizes metal detection, ground-penetrating radar, and/or sniffer dogs, among other methods. The recovery of human remains in the Netherlands will always be carried out exclusively by the Royal Netherlands Army Recovery and Identification Service (BIDKL). Abroad, this will be done by the local authority authorized to recover human remains. The Missing Soldier Study Group is not authorized to carry out the recovery of human remains. We will contact the Royal Netherlands Army Recovery and Identification Service (BIDKL) directly, or after contacting the local police. If explosives are found, we will mark them and report them to the Royal Netherlands Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Command (EOC-KL).
After that
Obviously we want to attend the excavation. We hope that the discovery is so complete that a positive identification can be done. This will require help from a Forensic Institute, the U.S. DPAA (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) and/or the BID-KL (Bergings- en Identificatie Dienst Koninklijke Landmacht). At this point our goal is reached, whether the identification is positive or not.
You have found human remains… Now what?
In case you might find any human remains, we strongly advise you to contact the local police immediately. They will start the procedure to send forensics and/or military to the location indicated by you.
It’s important to leave everything how you’ve found it and that you not remove anything from the grave. You don’t know if it’s a wargrave you’ve discovered or a crime scene. Leaving everything in its place might increase the odds for a positive identification. Leave the excavation itself to experts!
Why Study Group Missing Soldier?
You must first understand that our primary objective is: providing the missing soldier a worthy resting place.
There are hundreds of reasons why you want to inform Study Group Missing Soldier instead of following the law. It may be that you’ve been “trespassing” and you may not want to get caught with your discovery, or you’ve seen things during a joint search with friends, but do not want burden your comrades with any problems.
We disapprove all aforementioned but we do understand why these things happen. Sometimes circumstances do no occur like you wished them to occur. We prefer that you inform us so at least the remains can be excavated and the family can be informed. This is our only goal.
Obviously it is desirable that you provide us as much information as possible (for example; you’ve found a wallet or a nametag). This can speed up identification. You must provide as much information as possible on the initial location, so we have legitimate grounds for further research.
Everything can be done anonymous! If you fill an fictitious e-mail address on the contact form, we are not able to see who did the reporting, not even by IP data. We can unfortunately not contact you with any questions. If you do fill in an legitimate e-mail address, then your data will not be passed on to third parties. They remain in possession of the foundation until they are no longer relevant to the investigation. After the investigation this data will be removed from our systems.
We will forward your findings to the applicable authorities. Again, we strongly advise you to contact the local police immediately after you discovered human remains and keep us uninvolved.