Marion Bullen, of Savages Close, was stunned when the Ministry of Defence told her human remains found in Holland could be her uncle, who died fighting the Second World War.

Officials broke the news “completely out of the blue” earlier in the year.

Experts working at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, in Overloon, Holland, had been able to locate some of Pte Ronald William Keel’s Shropshire Light Infantry comrades, whose plots had previously been marked with ‘unknown soldier’ headstones.

A process of elimination led them to believe they knew where Pte Keel had been buried. And after comparing notes made soon after the 19-year-old’s death to a wartime snap showing Ronald’s distinctive smile, with its crossed tooth, they were sure.

It was news Mrs Bullen’s late grandmother and mother would never hear - both having died in the interim.

And that was very much in the 63-year-old’s thoughts as, with her husband Raymond and eldest daughter Nina by her side, she attended a “beautiful” rededication ceremony in Holland, where the youngster’s grave gained a personal headstone.

Born five weeks after Ronald was killed by a shell in the Dutch village of Smakt, on October 16, 1944, she grew up with his memory.

She said: “After 63 years it was a lot to take in. I always knew about Ronald. When I was little it was all so close and I remember my mother talking about it a lot. She lost another brother, George, in 1940, and they were always in conversations.

“I know how upset she was that they didn’t find the body. They tried to find out, but there wasn’t much they could do about it.

“People just had to get on with making their new lives. It’s a shame she missed out by such a short time.

“The ceremony at Overloon was beautiful. The padre led the service and the regiment laid a wreath and they fired a gun salute. It was really well done and I know that my mother and my grandmother would have been so proud.”

“It means an untold story can finally be told and gives us some closure on it.”

Mrs Bullen will now be able to tell her uncle’s complete story to her four grandchildren.

While in Holland the family laid flowers at the spot where Pte Keel died. His remains were moved to nearby Overloon in 1946.