WW2 airman James Bent's grave rededicated

Sgt James Bent was only 23 when the the bomber he was in was shot down over the North Sea

The final resting place of an RAF Wellington Bomber wireless operator has been rededicated nearly 75 years after his aircraft was shot down.

Sgt James Bent, 23, was in the bomber when it took off from RAF Marham in Norfolk in July 1941.

It crashed into the North Sea after being shot down by a German fighter.

Three crew members washed up in the Netherlands and were buried, but Sgt Bent's body was not identified until last year.

Relatives of Sgt Bent attended a rededication of his grave at Schiermonnikoog Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery in the Netherlands

Relatives of Sgt Bent attended a rededication of his grave at Schiermonnikoog Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery in the Netherlands, which is where the other crew members were buried.

His remains were identified following work by Laurel Clegg, an anthropologist working for the Canadian Directorate of History and Heritage.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) traced Sgt Bent's niece, Mary Cox, from King's Lynn, her husband Julian and their grandson (Sgt Bent's great great nephew) 12-year-old Teddy, who all travelled to the Netherlands on Thursday.

Sgt Bent was a wireless operator on a Wellington Bomber

Mrs Cox said: "It is such a relief that we have located Uncle Jim's body at long last. We thank God that he is resting in peace in such a beautiful location together with the other members of his crew."

The family were joined by over 70 people including representatives from the MoD, CWGC, the British Embassy, local dignitaries, school children and members of the local community.

The Wellington was one of the workhorses of Bomber Command