WWII soldiers finally laid to rest after more than 70 years

The remains of L/Cpl Donald Noble and Pte Harold Lewis were buried at Arnhem Oosterbeek Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, the Netherlands

Two World War Two soldiers who were killed in action in the Netherlands more than 70 years ago have been laid to rest at a military cemetery.

The remains of L/Cpl Donald Noble and Pte Harold Lewis were discovered in 2013 during excavation works.

The men belonged to the Wiltshire Regiment and were killed in October 1944.

Former soldiers from the regiment attended the ceremony in which the men were given full military honours.

Pallbearers from 5th Battalion The Rifles carried the coffins, and the service was delivered by Father Philip Smith of The Rifles Regiment.

Ministry of Defence Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) experts were unable to trace any surviving members of the Noble or Lewis families before the service.

Members of the 5th Battalion The Rifles acted as pallbearers at the service

Louise Dorr, from the JCCC said: "Today has brought a mixture of joy and sadness; happiness that we have now been able to name these two brave soldiers and lay them to rest with dignity and honour, but sadness that they died so young and have no family here to share this occasion."

Donald Noble was born on 22 March 1923. He joined the army straight from school, aged 16.

He served in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, the Royal Berkshire Regiment and the Wiltshire Regiment, and was 21-years-old when he died.

Harold Lewis was born on 30 March 1925. He joined the General Service Corps in 1943, aged 18 and subsequently served in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshires and the Somerset Light Infantry before he transferred to the Wiltshire Regiment.

He was aged just 19-years-old when he lost his life.