Dutch teenager reveals how she cares for soldier’s grave
BY STEPHEN STEWART s.stewart@dailyrecord.co.uk war grave in the Netherlands and that means you visit the grave and lay flowers there a few times a year. I got information about the soldier and a photo.
“I adopted Henry Lloyd Harper, a British soldier that was killed in action in the Netherlands.
“He was only 27 years old. He was in the 5th Battalion of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.
“I visit his grave at
Valkenswaard War Cemetery to lay flowers and pay my respects. It is not near my home but I try to go there regularly. They will never be forgotten.”
Henry was killed in the battle of Best, a small town in Holland, during Operation Market Garden – a scheme to cross the River Rhine and advance deep into northern Germany and shorten the war.
His grave reads: “In life, in death. O Lord, Abide with me. Thy will be done.”
Melissa added: “I have always been interested in World War II so I started searching online.
“I soon found a website that had an adopting programme for fallen soldiers. I knew I wanted to do this, to pay my respects and to thank all of them.
“I emailed them and asked them if they still had graves that could be adopted, and they did.
“I wanted a grave that maybe had a picture of the soldier – that way I could really get a face with the grave. I did find some relatives in the UK and contacted them as well. They were very happy and couldn’t thank me enough that I was taking care of his grave. But the woman I talked to sadly passed away earlier this year.
“I’d like to visit Scotland to find out more about the Henry’s old regiment and the remarkable sacrifices they made for all of us.
“I lay flowers at his grave a few times a year at special times, such as his birthday and Remembrance Day, and I will for Christmas. Its important that we never, ever forget.”