Unknown 'company' asking for DNA

[puternut]

I Was called this evening by my neice asking about a letter she received form an organisation called 'Service Personnel & Veterans Agency' asking if she would be willing to supply a DNA sample - I guess via a mouth swab - in relation to a distant relative who was apparently killed in 1916 during WW1.

He was in fact her great-grandmothers brother.

They supplied a restricted family tree showing how she was linked but it did have a lot of information left out as regards many children of the line were not there. As an example her grandmother had 4 siblings but only 1 shown etc.

The reason she called me was that - like her - my name is highlighted in red on this family tree and she was wondering if I had received a similar letter. As yet I have not but she did only receive it this morning.

Just wondered what other ABers thought about this.

[shoota]

For what purpose PN?
Are they trying ti positively ID battlefield remains?

[jno]

they seem to be a genuine outfit

http://www.veterans-uk.info/complaints/contact.html

but what do they want DNA for?

[Chinajan]

Yes it's genuine. Here's an article about the project:

http://www.veterans-uk.info/vets_world/Veterans_World_issue14/news1.html

[dotty.]

this work is often mentioned in the Kathy Reichs novels, her fitional character spends alot of volunteer time working with the very small fragmented remains, sometimes very mixed up and muddled remains, of WW1 casualties. It is a real ongoing project and very very worthwhile as it will help to confirm the deaths of many on the menin gate that are lost with no known grave

[puternut]

That was sort of my idea dotty.

I seem to recall a real news item where they have come across a mass grave of allied troops and were working to identify the remains but as they had been interred for so long there so little they could get from the remains other than partial DNA.

[boxtops]

How amazing and surprising. I was thinking it could be something to do with Heir Hunters, too, if you were the only remaining relatives....

[puternut]

But thats it - we aren't.

I have 4 surviving siblings and the niece is one of nine at that level!!

Also no will or family estate is mentioned. The letter quotes a reference web site of cwgc.og (Commonwealth War Graves Commission).