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The body in the tree

S

splinter555

knowlegable brummie
Theres been some discussion on local H & Worcs. radio about body found in 1943 by some young lads in Hagley Woods, it was stuffed into a hollow wich elm tree. It has never been identified nor killer found, Various theories including german spy, prostitute amongst others. It would be interesting to know if anyone remembers older relatives or friends talking about it. I think the radio are going to do a programme about it.
 
Eric Gibson said:
I wonder if they put her DNA on the Ancestry or 23 & me DNA sites something might pop up.
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There are no bones available for testing, they were kept at the Tally Ho police training centre, but their present location is unknown. The name of the woman remains unknown, so it isn't possible to easily find ancestors or any descendants. Many people disappeared in the War and eighty years after there is a reducing chance of witnesses. The podcast drew on a file in Worcester HIVE and on previous BBC recordings. The broadcast will stimulate the audience to make suggestions.
 
West Mercia Police closed the case after a review in 2014. The case file was put in Worcester Archives at the Hive.

Una Mossop said her ex-husband Jack Mossop had confessed to the murder with a Dutchman called van Ralt. Jack Mossop died in a psychiatric hospital and Una did not reveal his confession until ten years after Jack's death. van Ralt might not have been the real name of the Dutchman, because he remains untraced. So the two suspects are unfathomable.

There are many poems and novels based on Bella and her story seems lodged in local folklore.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_put_Bella_in_the_Wych_Elm?
 
The granddaughter of Josef Jakobs the executed German spy has a detailed blog. Part of this is devoted to who put Bella in the Wych Elm. Giselle Jakobs has obtained copies of the Worcester Archives file and examines it in detail. Her blog is on-going, but is independent of the recent podcast. She looks at Jack Mossop and the Dutchman van Ralt possible murder suspects. She isn't able to identify Bella of course. But her blog is detailed and fascinating.

https://josefjakobs.info/facts-of-bella-in-the-wych-elm
 
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I've now read a good deal of Giselle Jakobs's blog including her initial response to the file in Worcester Archive which she obtained as digital scans. Unfortunately folders 2 and 3 are missing and were not sent in the batch from West Mercia Police.

There are no files that document the finding of the body or interviews of the four boys. There is no reference to the Security Services, given that there was talk of a Birmingham spy ring by Una Mossop, this might suggest that the files have been weeded prior to deposition in the archive. Especially as the contents are not listed in an index.

The most interesting document seems to be the Forensic Report, but there's a good deal of duplicated material.

I'll go to the Archives myself, but here's Giselle Jakobs's page on the documents. https://josefjakobs.info/2017/11/the-disappointing-west-mercia-police.html

I think in the absence of remains or any further documents being released, then the mystery of 'Bella' is set to endure. The pathology report is missing too along with her bones. Giselle Jakobs has a detailed site, but readers need to dig about as it is not a continuous narrative.
 
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