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| British twins find second world war grave of father they never met | British twins find second world war grave of father they never met |
| (1 day later) | |
| Brothers go to Italy to see grave of unknown soldier rededicated to their father, who never knew of their birth | |
| Kevin Rawlinson | |
| Wed 4 Oct 2017 18.07 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 15.57 GMT | |
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| When Fusilier Edward Graham died in Sicily in 1943, serving his country during the second world war, he had no idea he had become a father to twins less than a month earlier. This week, the two sons he never met went back to Italy to rededicate his grave after a years-long campaign to identify it. | When Fusilier Edward Graham died in Sicily in 1943, serving his country during the second world war, he had no idea he had become a father to twins less than a month earlier. This week, the two sons he never met went back to Italy to rededicate his grave after a years-long campaign to identify it. |
| Edward and Sydney Graham, now aged 74, travelled from their homes in northern England to attend the ceremony at Catania war cemetery, in Sicily, on Wednesday. | Edward and Sydney Graham, now aged 74, travelled from their homes in northern England to attend the ceremony at Catania war cemetery, in Sicily, on Wednesday. |
| The service gave a sense of “closure and satisfaction” that his father would be resting with his colleagues who were also killed, said Edward Graham. | The service gave a sense of “closure and satisfaction” that his father would be resting with his colleagues who were also killed, said Edward Graham. |
| “That is comforting. But my great sadness is my mother never knew where he was. That would have been nice but it wasn’t to be. He was on active service and communication being what it was he didn’t know he was the father of twin boys. My brother and I were born just 22 days before he was killed. | “That is comforting. But my great sadness is my mother never knew where he was. That would have been nice but it wasn’t to be. He was on active service and communication being what it was he didn’t know he was the father of twin boys. My brother and I were born just 22 days before he was killed. |
| “And, indeed, my mother didn’t know what his fate was for almost two years. He was posted missing, which was changed to missing presumed killed, but his actual fate she didn’t know for definite for almost two years. It’s very sad he didn’t know he had two sons, but that was the time he was living in.” | “And, indeed, my mother didn’t know what his fate was for almost two years. He was posted missing, which was changed to missing presumed killed, but his actual fate she didn’t know for definite for almost two years. It’s very sad he didn’t know he had two sons, but that was the time he was living in.” |
| Graham, who is from Prudhoe, in Northumberland, added: “It was a very emotional service and the culmination of years of hard work and research. We are very grateful to everyone involved who made today so special.” | Graham, who is from Prudhoe, in Northumberland, added: “It was a very emotional service and the culmination of years of hard work and research. We are very grateful to everyone involved who made today so special.” |
| He carried out much of the research that led to the identification of his father’s grave decades after his death. | He carried out much of the research that led to the identification of his father’s grave decades after his death. |
| Fusilier Graham was killed during an ambush by German soldiers on 13 August – as the allies advanced across Sicily and the Axis forces carried out their withdrawal across the strait of Messina to the Italian mainland. | Fusilier Graham was killed during an ambush by German soldiers on 13 August – as the allies advanced across Sicily and the Axis forces carried out their withdrawal across the strait of Messina to the Italian mainland. |
| He was initially buried on the battlefield but, when he was reburied later, it was impossible to identify his body and his grave was marked with a headstone bearing the inscription “Unknown Soldier”. | He was initially buried on the battlefield but, when he was reburied later, it was impossible to identify his body and his grave was marked with a headstone bearing the inscription “Unknown Soldier”. |
| Years of research and work by the younger Edward eventually paid off when he found a Royal Irish Fusiliers diary that showed when and where his father, a member of that regiment, died. Further records showed that all but one of the graves connected to his battalion at Catania had named headstones – suggesting that the victim in the unmarked grave was likely to be his father. | Years of research and work by the younger Edward eventually paid off when he found a Royal Irish Fusiliers diary that showed when and where his father, a member of that regiment, died. Further records showed that all but one of the graves connected to his battalion at Catania had named headstones – suggesting that the victim in the unmarked grave was likely to be his father. |
| Fusilier Graham joined the Territorial Army as a private in the Durham Light Infantry before he became full-time following the outbreak of war. He transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers and was posted to Ballykinler, in Northern Ireland, where he met and married the mother of his sons, Eveline McBride. | Fusilier Graham joined the Territorial Army as a private in the Durham Light Infantry before he became full-time following the outbreak of war. He transferred to the Royal Irish Fusiliers and was posted to Ballykinler, in Northern Ireland, where he met and married the mother of his sons, Eveline McBride. |
| His regiment was sent to north Africa, before moving to Italy. He was killed near the small town of Maletto, to the north of Catania. At Wednesday’s ceremony, which was led by the regimental chaplain of the Royal Irish Regiment, a new headstone bearing Fusilier Graham’s name was finally installed. | His regiment was sent to north Africa, before moving to Italy. He was killed near the small town of Maletto, to the north of Catania. At Wednesday’s ceremony, which was led by the regimental chaplain of the Royal Irish Regiment, a new headstone bearing Fusilier Graham’s name was finally installed. |
| Nicola Nash, from the Ministry of Defence’s joint casualty and compassionate centre, who organised the service, said: “We feel privileged to bring some closure to Edward and Sydney after 74 years.” | Nicola Nash, from the Ministry of Defence’s joint casualty and compassionate centre, who organised the service, said: “We feel privileged to bring some closure to Edward and Sydney after 74 years.” |
| Second world war | |
| Military | |
| Ministry of Defence | |
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