Dutch woman who tended Scots soldier's grave dies

A Dutch woman who had tended the World War Two grave of a Scottish soldier since she was a nine-year-old girl has died.

After the Battle of Arnhem in Holland in 1944, children who had lived near the scene of the fighting were given a war grave to maintain.

Willemien Rieken, 85, looked after the resting place of Trooper William Edmund from Musselburgh.

Her death has been announced by the Arnhem 1944 Fellowship.

She was one of the last surviving Flower Children, young people who laid flowers at hundreds of graves of Allied casualties in a ceremony after the end of the war.

Niall Cherry, secretary of the Arnhem 1944 Fellowship, said the charity was saddened to be told of her death.

He said: "She was one of the last surviving Dutch civilian links to the Battle of Arnhem.

"Willemien was a lovely lady who tended to the grave of Trooper Edmund for many years. She will be sadly missed."

Arnhem 1944 Fellowship secretary Niall Cherry with Mrs Rieken

In September 1944, British, US and Polish forces dropped behind enemy lines in Holland.

About 35,000 troops landed by parachute and gliders in what was then the largest airborne operation in history.

Called Operation Market Garden, it was an attempt to shorten the war by capturing key bridges and canals, but the Allied forces had to retreat in the face of German counter attacks.

Mrs Rieken and her family, along with other residents of the village of Oosterbeek, were caught up in the fighting. Following the battle they were forced to leave their village.

Last year, on the 75th anniversary of the battle, she spoke to BBC Scotland about why she felt it was important to continue her work maintaining Trooper Edmund's grave.

She said she wanted to remember the sacrifice made by the soldier and the more than 1,700 men buried at her village.