Missing in Battle Sussex

Linda Mc

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
1,879
0
Nr Mold
I too am so sorry to hear this and thank you Ann for taking the trouble to PM me the news which sadly I have only just picked up.
You have so often been in my thoughts as you know.

Love and hugs

Linda x
 

DeborahBlythe

Registered User
Dec 1, 2006
9,222
0
Dear Ann, I'm so very sorry to hear this news. That is heartbreaking for your family even though the story has at least come to a conclusion. Please accept sincerest condolences and sympathy to all your family. I think the information will make many people feel very sad and concerned. I do hope that some lessons can be learned from it somehow, for all of us and especially for everyone caring for someone with dementia. With love, Deborah
 

Canadian Joanne

Registered User
Apr 8, 2005
17,710
0
70
Toronto, Canada
Dear Ann,
Thank you so much for letting us know. I'm very sorry to hear how it ended but at least there can be closure for the famil. My sincere condolences to the family and friends.
 

sue38

Registered User
Mar 6, 2007
10,849
0
55
Wigan, Lancs
Dear Ann,

I am so sorry to hear about John. His poster has been up in our reception since he went missing (I know we are a long way away and it was a long shot but you never know) and people are always asking me if there is any news.

It's not the news we hoped for, but probably the news you expected. I hope you and the family find some comfort in the fact that he has been found.
 

Libby

Registered User
May 20, 2006
625
0
66
North East
Ann

I too am saddened to hear of Johns death, but as others have said, at least it is closure. What an awful situation for you all to have been in. My condolences to all of his family and friends

Libs
 

Margaret W

Registered User
Apr 28, 2007
3,720
0
North Derbyshire
Dear Ann

I have cried for you, am still wet with tears. I do hope that John did not suffer. All of us on this site feel for you.

Much love from me and I am sure everyone else.

Margaret
 

Tamariu

Registered User
Jul 28, 2007
22
0
Winchester
Thank you everyone for your condolences. I promised more details when I discovered them ... here's what I now know.

The police exercise was specific training in search techniques. They decided to use John's case as it was something definite for the trainees to search for. He was found in undergrowth, less than a mile from home. This was within the original search area, but I understand that the summer vegetation which was concealing his body had died off and so he was more obvious. He was found on Saturday afternoon, but because of bad weather and low light conditions his body wasn't retrieved until Sunday. I don't know what the condition of his body was, but I do know that some of his personal effects were in a good enough condition to be returned to his family. Most poignantly, his watch was still ticking.

The autopsy was carried out on Monday and the coroner has now released John's body as "no foul play" is suspected. I haven't heard if a formal cause of death has been determined ... I don't know if they can do that so long after his death. I also don't know if they have (or can) determine what happened between the time he went missing and the time he died. I do get the sense, however, that he died fairly quickly.

John's funeral will be later this week. I am putting together all of your messages of condolence to take to his wife and daughter. They know of the support you have given them and I would like them to have a reminder of that.

On our part, we're just so grateful that we can now have a normal grieving process. It's the small things that get me ... taking John's name off my Christmas card list ... seeing my Mum's eyes fill up when she saw one of the missing posters I had put up around Winchester ...

Ann
 

Linda Mc

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
1,879
0
Nr Mold
Ann thank you for letting us know must be so hard to do.

I hope the love and support of family, friends and the people on both sites we belong to will help sustain you all in the days ahead.

Much love

Linda x
 

Forum statistics

Threads
138,114
Messages
1,993,109
Members
89,778
Latest member
mshaw6