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| Forgotten WW1 hero who 'never existed' honoured in Leicester | Forgotten WW1 hero who 'never existed' honoured in Leicester |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A World War One veteran who took part in a daring attack to stop German vessels entering the English Channel has been honoured with a new headstone. | |
| Pte Archibald William Toach, from Leicester, was badly injured during the Zeebrugge Raid, in April 1918, but lived for another 10 years. | Pte Archibald William Toach, from Leicester, was badly injured during the Zeebrugge Raid, in April 1918, but lived for another 10 years. |
| He did not have a military burial and his grave remained unmarked. | He did not have a military burial and his grave remained unmarked. |
| David Humberston, from the Western Front Association, said there had been little record he had ever existed. | David Humberston, from the Western Front Association, said there had been little record he had ever existed. |
| 'Back to life' | 'Back to life' |
| Pte Toach, who lied about his age to fight in the war, received severe injuries to his right arm, from which he would never fully recover. | Pte Toach, who lied about his age to fight in the war, received severe injuries to his right arm, from which he would never fully recover. |
| However, despite his disability he saved two children from drowning in Bournemouth, shortly before he died aged 28. | However, despite his disability he saved two children from drowning in Bournemouth, shortly before he died aged 28. |
| Mr Humberstone, who tracked down Pte Toach's unmarked grave, in Belgrave Cemetery, Leicester, said providing a headstone for the soldier would "bring him back to life". | Mr Humberstone, who tracked down Pte Toach's unmarked grave, in Belgrave Cemetery, Leicester, said providing a headstone for the soldier would "bring him back to life". |
| "He should be better remembered," he said. | "He should be better remembered," he said. |
| "A lot of men's [graves] were like this, unmarked. Only a few dusty records said he existed at all. | "A lot of men's [graves] were like this, unmarked. Only a few dusty records said he existed at all. |
| "The injured, those suffering from wounds, tended to get missed. They didn't have the support they would get now." | "The injured, those suffering from wounds, tended to get missed. They didn't have the support they would get now." |
| A new headstone was unveiled by representatives of the Friends of Belgrave Cemetery and the Leicestershire & Rutland branch of the Western Front Association, at Belgrave Cemerery on Sunday afternoon. | |
| Zeebrugge Raid 1918 | Zeebrugge Raid 1918 |
| Source: BBC History | Source: BBC History |
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