Two soldiers killed during Operation Market Garden laid to rest after DNA identification
Two British soldiers who were killed 80 years ago during the Battle of Arnhem have finally been laid to rest with full military honours.
Private Henry Moon and Lieutenant Dermod Green Anderson died fighting in Operation Market Garden, the major airborne offensive aimed at securing strategically important crossings in the Netherlands.
They were buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, which is the final resting place of more than 1,700 Second World War service personnel.
The soldiers' remains were identified by the Dutch Recovery and Identification Unit, assisted by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, also known as the MOD's war detectives.
Serving British Army personnel from The Royal Yorkshire Regiment and the Army Air Corps – the modern-day equivalent units of the men being buried – carried the two coffins to their resting place and fired a salute.
Private Demetrius Horner of the Yorkshire Regiment described the moving experience.
He said: "Grateful, but sad to see all these young men, from Yorkshire specifically, who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
"It makes it real."
Many well-wishers joined family members for the poignant burial service, one of those there was Pte Moon's great-nephew, David Snowdon.
He told BFBS Forces News: "There are hundreds of people here today, I wasn't even expecting the Yorkshire Regiment.
"It is truly astounding, I'm overwhelmed and I am very humbled."
A series of commemorative events is taking place this week to mark 80 years since the Battle of Arnhem.
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