Archeologists said they have unearthed the remains of 24 British World War I soldiers at the construction site of a BMW auto plant in France.
The skeletons were found three weeks ago between the towns of Saint-Laurent-Blangy and Athies, said Alain Jacques, head of the archeological service of the nearby city of Arras. Officials kept the discovery quiet to avoid crowds.
Twenty corpses were found in a mass grave, Jacques said. They are believed to have belonged to a regiment based in northern Britain that fought in the Battle of Arras during April and May 1917.
The remains of three other soldiers were found buried in a hole along with munitions. Another soldier who is believed to have fought with the Royal Naval Division was discovered apart from the others.
