War hero finally identified

HE gave his life fighting for our freedom.

Yet Dewsbury soldier William Loney has laid among thousands of others in an unmarked grave for seven decades after the Second World War – until now.

The Lance Corporal, from Westtown, was 26 when he was killed during the Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands in September 1944.

His body was never properly identified, and the soldier from the Parachute Regiment was laid to rest with a nameless headstone at a war cemetery for the missing in Gelderland, Holland.

Painstaking work carried out by Dutch researchers, aided by the Ministry of Defence and the Imperial War Graves Commission, has now led to L/Cpl Loney’s remains finally being formally identified and a new headstone will be rededicated in his honour next month.

However, local war historian Peter Bennett says the soldier’s family has since died out – and wants to hear from any descendants on his mother’s side of the family.

William’s mother, Mary Ellen Loney, was born Mary Oates, and lived with his father at the family home on Park Parade.

A re-dedication ceremony will be held to unveil the new headstone at the Groesbeek Memorial to the Missing in the Netherlands on September 13.

Can you help Peter trace William’s descendents?

Email lauren.ballinger@trinitymirror.com.