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| Tynemouth WW2 soldier's grave finally marked | Tynemouth WW2 soldier's grave finally marked |
| (1 day later) | |
| The grave of a solider killed in World War Two has finally been recognised more than 70 years after his death. | The grave of a solider killed in World War Two has finally been recognised more than 70 years after his death. |
| Pte George Henry Thompson was 26 when he died near the German town of Wittenburg in 1945. | Pte George Henry Thompson was 26 when he died near the German town of Wittenburg in 1945. |
| Thompson, from Tynemouth, had been captured five years previously during the Allied forces' retreat to Dunkirk. | Thompson, from Tynemouth, had been captured five years previously during the Allied forces' retreat to Dunkirk. |
| His final resting place has been confirmed following research by the Green Howards Museum in Richmond. | His final resting place has been confirmed following research by the Green Howards Museum in Richmond. |
| The Long March | The Long March |
| Thompson joined the 4th Battalion of the Yorkshire regiment and was deployed to France in February 1940. | Thompson joined the 4th Battalion of the Yorkshire regiment and was deployed to France in February 1940. |
| He was captured by German forces at Athies and imprisoned at Stalag XX(A), a camp south of Torun in occupied Poland. | He was captured by German forces at Athies and imprisoned at Stalag XX(A), a camp south of Torun in occupied Poland. |
| In 1945 and with the Soviets closing in, the Germans moved their POWs further west in what became known as the Long March. | In 1945 and with the Soviets closing in, the Germans moved their POWs further west in what became known as the Long March. |
| Forced to walk up to 28 miles (45km) a day through snow with scant clothing and only four potatoes to eat, many prisoners like Thompson succumbed to disease, hypothermia or cruelty of their guards. | Forced to walk up to 28 miles (45km) a day through snow with scant clothing and only four potatoes to eat, many prisoners like Thompson succumbed to disease, hypothermia or cruelty of their guards. |
| Where he was buried was a mystery until a researcher, Steve Foster, who was looking into his father's time as a POW, found a grave in Wittenburg cemetery marked "unbekannt Englische soldat" (unknown English soldier). | |
| 'Final whisper heard' | 'Final whisper heard' |
| Steve Erskine, assistant curator at the Green Howards Museum, said: "No military action had taken place at Wittenburg, there were no records of any British soldier being involved in a fatal accident in the area; the only explanation was that a POW from a column on the Long March was buried in the plot and, given this logic and the circumstances, we concluded this must be George Thompson's last resting place." | Steve Erskine, assistant curator at the Green Howards Museum, said: "No military action had taken place at Wittenburg, there were no records of any British soldier being involved in a fatal accident in the area; the only explanation was that a POW from a column on the Long March was buried in the plot and, given this logic and the circumstances, we concluded this must be George Thompson's last resting place." |
| The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has now agreed to replace the German headstone with one saying the grave is believed to be that of Thompson. | The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has now agreed to replace the German headstone with one saying the grave is believed to be that of Thompson. |
| Mr Erskine said he had hoped to find relatives of the soldier but none could be located before the grave was rededicated on Friday. | Mr Erskine said he had hoped to find relatives of the soldier but none could be located before the grave was rededicated on Friday. |
| He said: "Soon, George's name will be removed from the wall of missing servicemen at the Dunkirk memorial. | He said: "Soon, George's name will be removed from the wall of missing servicemen at the Dunkirk memorial. |
| "It's taken some unrelated family history research, more than 70 years, and a certain amount of persuasion, but Private George Thompson's whisper has finally been heard." | "It's taken some unrelated family history research, more than 70 years, and a certain amount of persuasion, but Private George Thompson's whisper has finally been heard." |