In the case of Priddle, his remains were discovered in May 2011 during a munitions clearing process in Vendin-le-Vieil, France.

Some artifacts found with his remains included a Canadian General Service button, a Canadian Scottish shoulder badge of the 16th Infantry Battalion and a small horn. Priddle had been a bugler.

Private Henry Edmonds Priddle' remains were recently been recovered and identified through the Canadian government's Casualty Identification Program.

“The artifacts that were found on his person were given back to the family members,” says Manicom.

But first, those family members had to be identified, and Manicom played a key role, with Lockyer tracking her down to provide DNA based on family-tree information a family member had submitted online.

A panel that included the forensic anthropologist, a forensic dentist, representatives of the military, and a historian were then able to confirm Priddle’s identity.

“They have to unanimously agree that this is who it is,” says Manicom.

Priddle, who was born in Norwich, Ont. on May 17, 1884, had married Florence Hazen in 1910 and eventually moved to Winnipeg. He had been a broom maker by trade in before he had enlisted.

He was killed in the battle of Hill 70, near Lens, France, where the Canadians suffered almost 10,000 casualties between Aug. 15 and 25, 1917.

“He paid the ultimate price for our freedom that all Canadians enjoy today,” says Manicom.

Once Priddle’s remains were positively identified, she was then asked to help identify his oldest living relatives to take part in a burial ceremony. There were several possible candidates, but the oldest of them declined to participate, either due to age or ailing health.

Manicom’s mother, Margaret Jean Murray, however, and another family member from St. Thomas, Ont. agreed to make the trip overseas. In spite of being the DNA donor, Manicom might not have been invited at all, except that, being over 80, her mother was allowed to bring a companion with her on the trip.

“My mom asked me to go and I said, ‘for sure.’” Manicom says.

Guelph's Catherine Manicom, right, poses with her mother, Margaret Jean Murray, at the Hill 70 Memorial in France.

She describes the trip as a five-day “whirlwind” trip, but an experience that was even more rare than a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“I call it once in a rare time,” she says.

It seems like an accurate description. According to the DND website, since 2007, the Casualty Identification Program has successfully identified just 25 Canadians and 19 foreign nationals. Another five sets of remains have been buried as unknown soldiers, because identification was not possible.

For Manicom and her mother, it was remarkable to see the care taken to lay Canadian soldiers to rest with dignity.

“Everybody I tell this story to is like, ‘wow, I didn’t really know they did that,’” she says of the program. “I didn’t know they did that either.”

During the trip, she took the opportunity to visit the Hill 70 battle site, as well as the grave of a great uncle on her father’s side, who she had known had died in battle overseas.

Prior to this process, Manicom says she hadn’t taken that much interest in war history, describing herself as being more about preserving life. But she also thinks it’s important to honour those who sacrificed their lives in wars.

“It’s good to be reminded of these stories, because it makes you more appreciative of what you have,” she says.