The resting place of 21 year old Serjeant John MacKenzie MM of 1st/6th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders has been marked 100 years after his death in the Great War. A rededication service has taken place at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Anneux British Cemetery near Cambrai in Northern France.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), part of Defence Business Services.

Rosie Barron, JCCC said:

Serjeant MacKenzie stands out as an exceptional soldier even amongst a generation where so many paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. It has been an honour to organise this rededication service in his memory and to know that his family’s search for him is now at an end.

Serjeant MacKenzie enlisted at the outset of the world war 1 and served throughout the conflict until he died on 25 March 1918, shortly after the start of the German Spring Offensive. He fought in the Capture of Beaumont Hamel in 1916 and later that year was awarded the Military Medal and French Croix de Guerre. Just prior to his death, Serjeant MacKenzie was awarded a Bar to the Military Medal.

The location of Serjeant MacKenzie’s grave was discovered after painstaking research by his great nephew, Ken MacDonald, and his wife, Kath MacDonald. They discovered that Serjeant MacKenzie had been wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans. He later died of his wounds and was buried in a mass grave in the village of Inchy-en-Artois. After the war, his grave was moved to Anneux British Cemetery, where he was buried as an ‘Unknown Soldier’. With his whereabouts unknown, Serjeant MacKenzie was commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Further research by the MOD’s JCCC was undertaken to corroborate the evidence the family provided and the identification of the ‘Unknown Soldier’ grave was confirmed to be that of Serjeant John MacKenzie MM.

Ken MacDonald said:

Since my wife and I visited France 22 years ago and saw John’s name on the Arras Memorial, we have never given up hope of finding his grave. It feels today like 1 of my 3 great uncles has come home. We’re very grateful to the MOD’s JCCC and CWGC for arranging the rededication service, and to the relatives of other Seaforth Highlanders who joined us for the service.

Ken and Kath were accompanied by his sister, Mary, and 4 other family members in attending the service. Nine members of The Royal Regiment of Scotland were present at the rededication service to remember Serjeant MacKenzie. Also remembered were Serjeant MacKenzie’s brothers, Donald and Kenneth, both of the 1st Battalion, The Cameron Highlanders who are both still missing on the battlefields of Northern France.

A new headstone bearing Serjeant MacKenzie’s name has been provided by the CWGC, who will now care for his final resting place in perpetuity.

Melanie Donnelly, CWGC said:

100 years after he was killed, Serjeant MacKenzie’s grave in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Anneux British Cemetery is now marked with a headstone bearing his name. He was a brave young man who made the ultimate sacrifice and we are honoured to be able to play a part in the re-dedication of his grave today. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission ensure that all those who served and fell are commemorated by name and we will care for his grave and the memorials on which his two brothers are commemorated, in perpetuity.

Honouring the fallen – additional services this week

The rededication service for Serjeant MacKenzie took place as part of a series of services organised by the MOD’s JCCC this week. The first was the burial of an unknown soldier of The Royal Scots at Bailleul Road East Cemetery in Belgium earlier today all the services are to be conducted by the Reverend Paul van Sittert CF, Chaplain to 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland

The Reverend Paul van Sittert, said:

It has been a privilege to officiate at the rededication and burial services of graves for these remarkably brave world war 1 soldiers. Their courage, sacrifice and service to our country is an example that should never be forgotten. The Kohima epitaph rightly reminds: that for our tomorrow they gave their today.

The burial of two unknown solders of The Royal Scots and an unknown soldier of an unknown regiment were laid to rest on Wednesday 28 March at St Mary’s A.D.S. Cemetery in France. The burial of an unknown Argyll and Sutherland Highlander will take place later in the day at Woburn Abbey Cemetery, also in France.

The Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC MP, has announced the start of recruitment for the next Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The current DPP, Alison Saunders CB, will stand down in October 2018 after serving her full term.

Alison began her 5 year term in November 2013. She will leave the CPS to join the multinational law firm Linklaters.

Commenting on the announcement, the Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC MP said:

I want to thank Alison personally for her service, not only as DPP but as an accomplished CPS Prosecutor whose successful record includes the prosecution of Stephen Lawrence’s killers. I have no doubt that she’ll be greatly missed within the organisation.

‎In recruiting the next DPP we are looking for an extraordinary candidate. The job requires excellent legal judgment, the ability to lead a large organisation and the capacity to work with others in improving the criminal justice system as a whole.

Commenting on the announcement, Alison Saunders said:

It has been a tremendous privilege to serve as the first Director of Public Prosecutions appointed from within the CPS and I am proud of everything the service has achieved over the past five years.

The criminal justice landscape is changing rapidly, as crime trends shift and courts become increasingly digital. Our work is now more complex, with the evolving nature of economic crime, the ongoing terrorism threat and a huge increase in reports of historic sexual abuse. It is testament to the professionalism and dedication of my colleagues that they have responded so effectively, maintaining performance without compromising our principles of fairness and independence.

My priority over the next six months is to keep driving improvements in how we work, with a sharp focus on casework quality. Key to that will be working alongside the police and other partners to find long-term solutions to the disclosure issues that exist throughout the entire criminal justice system.

Recruitment for the next DPP will begin later in April.

The appointment of the Director of Public Prosecutions is for a 5 year term. Only one DPP served longer – Dame Barbara Mills DBE QC who served 6 years.

In the 2013 New Year Honours, Alison was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) “for services to Law and Order especially after the 2011 London Riots”.

As the UK prepares for future trade agreements with countries around the world, International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, today names 2 new HM Trade Commissioners to champion British trade with some of the UK’s biggest economic partners.

The new appointments come as the latest ONS statistics show an increase in demand for British goods and services around the world in the year to January 2018, narrowing the trade deficit by £12.8 billion in the process.

Judith Slater has been appointed as HMTC for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, while Joanna Crellin will oversee trade between the UK and Latin America.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said:

With the IMF predicting that 90% of growth will come from outside the EU, we need to look at where the emerging markets are and put UK businesses in prime position to benefit. That is why, as an international economic department, we are introducing a new way of doing things with the appointment of our HM Trade Commissioners.

They will have more autonomy to do what works best in their region to improve trade with key markets of the future. Judith and Joanne bring a wealth of in-country knowledge and expertise to their new roles, alongside an extensive network of contacts in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and in Latin America – 2 key markets where British companies already have a well-established presence.

Trade between the UK and the Eastern European and Central Asian region has been blossoming in recent years, with total trade increasing by 9.2% to £30.6 billion in 2016. The demand for UK goods in the Caribbean and Latin America region is also strong with £9 billion of UK goods and services exported to the area in 2016.

These appointments follow an innovative new approach by the Department for International Trade (DIT) which earlier in the year published a list of upcoming visits by ministers, calling on businesses to have their say on ‘in market’ issues. Dr Fox and his team will be visiting the regions in the next few months, where they will also meet with the new HMTCs.

DIT Permanent Secretary, Antonia Romeo, said:

I am delighted to welcome Joanne and Judith to their new roles. They have both already done a fantastic job promoting the UK overseas and securing inward investment.

DIT’s network of HMTCs is the latest example of how we are building a best-in-class international economic department, generating prosperity at home by growing exports, attracting investment and developing our trade policy.

Speaking after her appointment, Joanna Crellin, HMTC for Latin America said:

I am delighted to be appointed to be appointed as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to Latin America and the Caribbean. This exciting and vibrant region has great potential with an ever-growing appetite for British trade as markets here continue to grow.

I look forward to building on existing contacts in the region, to raising the profile of the region in the UK, and to building stronger and deeper trading relationships in the future.

Judith Slater, HMTC for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, added:

I’m very happy to be taking on this role at such a crucial time for British trade. There are many opportunities for UK businesses in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, both in the more developed economies such as Turkey and also in the developing markets, some of which are less well-known to our companies. I will be working hard to expand our collaboration with the countries in this region, and thus to unlock more of their exciting potential for UK firms.

About HMTCs

All of the new HMTCs will cooperate closely with HM Ambassadors and High Commissioners, the wider diplomatic network, and other HM government colleagues based in countries in their region, in a joined-up and coordinated government effort overseas to promote UK trade and prosperity.

In total, there will be nine geographical areas that the HM Trade Commissioners will cover:

• Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East
• North America
• South Asia

Richard Burn, Anthony Phillipson and Crispin Simon were recently appointed HMTCs for China, North America and South Asia, respectively.

Further HMTCs will be appointed shortly.

Joanna Crellin

Judith Slater was appointed British Consul-General, Istanbul and Regional Director-General for the Department for International Trade in September 2016. Prior to this, she was Deputy High Commissioner and South East Asia Regional Director of Trade and Investment in Singapore until September 2015.

Her previous posts include Deputy High Commissioner in Pretoria, South Africa from 2007-2011 and British Consul-General in Houston, Texas from 2004-2007. In the FCO in London, Judith’s posts have included Private Secretary to the Minister of State responsible for relations with Asia and Head of Nuclear Policy Section in a Non-Proliferation Department. She has also had overseas postings in New Delhi and Canberra.

Judith Slater

Judith has a law degree from St John’s College, Cambridge. She is married and has 2 teenage children. In her spare time, she enjoys golf, tennis, jogging and supporting Stoke City FC.

Joanna Crellin took office as British Consul-General in São Paulo in February 2015 in her first post overseas. She is also the Director-General for the Department for International Trade for Latin America.

She has worked for the UK government since 2001, having occupied a number of roles within the former Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and HM Treasury — covering issues as diverse as nuclear decommissioning, social enterprise and corporate finance.

Joanna has a degree in Social Anthropology, French and Spanish from Cambridge University and a MSc in Politics and Economic Development in Latin America from the London School of Economics. She is married and has 2 small children.

Further information

Contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7215 2000.

Follow us: @tradegovuk, gov.uk/dit.

A spokesperson for the Official Receiver said:

More than half (54%) the pre-liquidation workforce – close to 10,000 employees – have now been found secure ongoing employment so far through the liquidation. A further 873 jobs have been saved with employees transferring to new suppliers who have picked up contracts that Carillion had been delivering.

Regrettably we have been unable to find ongoing employment for a further 97 employees who have been given notice of redundancy. Jobcentre Plus’ RapidResponse Service will provide them with every support to find new work.

Discussions with potential purchasers continue. I am continuing to engage with staff, elected employee representatives and unions to keep them informed as these arrangements are confirmed.

further information:

• in total, to date 9,946 jobs have been saved and 1,802 jobs have been made redundant through the liquidation
• this information does not include jobs attached to contracts where an intention to purchase has been entered into but has not yet formally occurred
• more than 5,400 employees are currently retained to enable Carillion to deliver the remaining services it is providing for public and private sector customers until decisions are taken to transfer or cease these contracts
• further information about rights in redundancy is available on gov.uk

To be notified of future updates from the Official Receiver please register to receive an email alert.

Lance Corporal George Partridge joined the Army on 13th June 2010 at the age of 19.

After completing his basic training at Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire, where he was awarded the prize for Fittest Recruit, he moved to 3 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment at Minley in Surrey for combat engineer training, and from there to Leconsfield for vocational driver training, qualifying as a Military Engineer (Driver) in April 2011.

His first years in the Army were spent at 21 Engineer Regiment in Ripon, North Yorkshire, where he qualified as a Class 1 Royal Engineer Driver and deployed to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK 17 in 2012-13. Successfully selected for promotion he moved to 26 Engineer Regiment in Perham Down, Wiltshire where he served as a motor transport Lance Corporal within 38 Headquarters and Support Squadron. He was responsible for allocating drivers to tasks on daily driving details as well as scheduling maintenance and repairs for the Regiment’s large fleet of wheeled vehicles.

Popular and hard-working, Lance Corporal Partridge was at the hub of the Regiment and was always to be seen out in the vehicle park ensuring that his vehicles were in good condition and ready for the next task. A genuine expert in the complex area of motor transport management, he was well known across the Regiment for his frank advice and his ability to find a vehicle for every last-minute important job.

Whilst at 26 Engineer Regiment he deployed to Canada, supporting armoured engineer training and construction exercises as well as deploying in support of UK operations. He recently achieved a long-held ambition to commence training as an Army diver, successfully completed his Junior Commanders Course, and had just been selected for promotion to Corporal.

Lance Corporal Partridge loved sport and fitness. A regular in the Regiment’s Gym every evening, he was also a talented sportsman who had represented the Regimental Rugby Team and the Army as part of the Under 23 Army Football squad. He also tried his hand at luge ice sports where he represented the Corps.

The loss of such a popular and capable soldier is hard felt by his Squadron, the Regiment and the Corps, as well as everyone in the wider Army who had the privilege of working with him. He will be remembered fondly by his many friends and colleagues throughout the Corps. He leaves behind his wife Zoe, who is expecting their first child, parents Alyson and Stephen and siblings Lucy and Ben.

Armed Forces Minister Mark Lancaster said:

It is with great sadness we must confirm the death of Lance Corporal George Partridge. It’s clear from the testaments of his colleagues that he had a bright future in the Army and was held in the highest regard. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this extremely difficult time.

Lance Corporal Ash Skerten said:

If I could be half the man he was I would be proud, he was the best soldier.

Corporal Anthony Matthews said:

George was a motivated and determined individual, who was a role model to all those around him. His peers also looked up to him and would come to him for advice. He was a family-orientated man who was looking forward to starting his family with wife Zoe. He was both a physically and mentally fit person who relished any challenge thrown in his direction.

Sergeant Chris Brignull said:

I have had the honour and pleasure of knowing LCpl George Partridge for well over 2 years now, from the start he was an outstanding character and a great role model for younger Sappers within the troop.

George had a very calm and collected approach to everything he did, robust and professional during all tasks put his way, which he always tackled head on. He was a true leader and had the potential to progress through all ranks. Well liked throughout the whole Regiment and Corps, he will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. Royal Engineers like George are a special type of person who are hard to find.

His Troop Commander, Lt David Thornett said:

Lance Corporal George Partridge was a gift to me as a Troop Commander. He had everything that I could have expected of a Junior Non Commissioned Officer. He could always be relied upon to carry out a task to the best of his ability and to get the best out the individuals who were working for him. Having already been selected to promote to Corporal, I have no doubt he would have climbed through the ranks with ease and had a very successful Army career. On top of this he was genuinely a good bloke who knew how to make people laugh, he will be sorely missed.

His Squadron Commander, Major Matt Walker said:

Every member of the Squadron, regardless of rank, looked up to and respected Lance Corporal George Partridge – we all aspire to be as fit, humble and capable as he was. The loss of this epic Junior Non Commissioned Officer leaves a void in the Squadron that can’t be filled.

His Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Doyle said:

Quietly determined, hard-working and immensely popular, Lance Corporal George Partridge was an exemplary soldier. Humble but hugely capable, he was always ready to lend a helping hand where it was needed the most and at some point everyone in the Regiment has had cause to be grateful for his ability to find you a car when the vehicle park seemed empty. Our clearest memories of him will always be on the rugby pitch and in the gymnasium, where he was the epitome of a Royal Engineer Junior Non-Commissioned Officer, always pushing himself and his soldiers to the next level, and always with a smile on his face. He will be sorely missed, and our thoughts are with his wife and family at this sad time.