Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 12

The mortal remains of two Indian soldiers who died in Italy during World War II (1939-1945) have been identified as that of Sepoy Hari Singh and Sepoy Palu Ram, both from Haryana (formed in 1966).

The remains will be buried with full military honours by the Commonwealth Graves Commission at the Florence cemetery in Italy. Post the burial, soil from the graves will be brought to India and handed over to the relatives.

The duo had sacrificed their lives in 1944 in the municipality of Cantagalio during the battle of Poggio Alto, Italy. Sepoy Hari Singh was from Nogama village in Rohtak, while Sepoy Palu Ram was from Nangthala village in Hisar. The duo was in the Frontier Force Rifles of the British Indian Army. Ironically, the FF Rifles was allocated to Pakistan in the division of assets in August 1947.

The two were declared “Missing in Action” since September 13, 1944, when the Allies (Britain was part of it) fought against the 362 infantry division of Adolf Hitler-led Germany in Italy.

It was in 1996 that human bones had been found near Florence in Poggio Alto. And it was only in 2010 that investigations commenced to identify the remains. DNA test and anthropometric tests conducted in 2012 revealed that the remains were of individuals who were aged about 21 years and of non-European lineage.

The Commonwealth Graves Commission provided data of the battle and its location and the list of missing persons. Records of the national archives in New Delhi were consulted and the Grenadiers Regiment of the Indian Army was keeping records of the FF Rifles in India to identify the two soldiers.