Family find grave of missing Portsmouth soldier
The family of a teenager buried as an unknown soldier have seen his grave re-dedicated 64 years later.
Private Ronald Keel was only 18 when he left Southsea to fight in the Second World War, but was killed in action at Overloon, The Netherlands, in October 1944.
He was buried in an unmarked grave, but in 2004 army officials identified the remains as those of Pte Keel by a process of elimination. He was later interred in the closest Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery to where he was found.
But the army could not trace any of his living relatives – until an appeal in The News last year.
His niece Marion Bullen, who lives in Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, was told about the article and made contact.
She has now travelled to a Commonwealth cemetery near the town of Nijmegen to pay her last respects.
Mrs Bullen, 63, said: 'It is a lot to take in – it was quite a shock when the phone call came before Christmas, and it has been quite a journey from then until now.
'We believed he was an unknown but now we are so pleased they have honoured him.
'It means an untold story can finally be told and it gives us closure on it.'
Pte Keel was in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry which fought during the Allied invasion of Europe.
Before enlisting in 1943 he delivered telegrams in Portsmouth for the Post Office.
He was one of four children of Allen George and Gertrude Keel, and was initially posted to the Hampshire Regiment before transferring to 4th Battalion The King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1944.
He was killed in action on October 16 during an artillery bombardment near Venray, south of Nijmegen.
At the service on June 26 were the Honour Guard and Buglers of The 5th Battalion The Rifles, stationed in Paderborn, Germany.
Mrs Bullen added: 'It has been beautiful, absolutely beautiful.
'It is absolutely amazing and really quite overwhelming to think that we are here.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 15 C to 24 C
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