The family of a Kendal war hero who was killed in the last days of World War 2 has finally been reunited with his grave after 77 years.
Private Patrick Fleming, who lived at 8 White Lion Yard before enlisting in the army at 15, met a tragic end in the Netherlands in 1945, the day that his regiment was due to be relieved by Americans, which was also his birthday.
Patrick's death was always a mystery to his family other than that his name is etched on Kendal's Cenotaph.
It was only when Cheryl Stannard, a volunteer for the Venray War Cemetery in the Netherlands, asked via a Kendal social media group if any living relatives existed of a P. Fleming, of Kendal, son of William and Emily Fleming, that Tracey Mitchell, Patrick's niece, responded and set off a chain of events that led to Patrick being found.
Tracey said: "We knew that he was killed in World War 2, that was it.
"There’s the four of us direct relatives. I live in Whitehaven and they’re in Kendal still - Alec, Karen, and Alan.
"He’s just been a name on the bottom step of a memorial for so long, and he deserves more than that.
"It’s been so emotional finding out about him and how he died, and that his grave is still tended to, and basically that he hasn’t been forgotten."
Patrick's grave is part of an adoption scheme set up in 2021 designed for locals to honour those who fell in defence of the area.
Patrick's 'adopter' is Piet in de Rijp, who tends Patrick’s grave as he would for a family member, lighting a candle on special days.
Piet and the family were looking for a photograph of Patrick to place on his grave, and one has now been found in the archives of The Westmorland Gazette, in time for it to be placed with his grave for the Netherlands Remembrance Day on May 4.
A local historian from the Netherlands, Greet Beeks, said: "Patrick Fleming was a member of a mortar platoon, belonging to the 12th Para Battalion in the little village of Kessel-Eik.
"Fleming and the others of his unit should be relieved this day by the Americans, but at 4 p.m. there was an enemy artillery shelling on Fleming's mortar platoon.
"They must have been discovered by the Germans, and unfortunately Patrick Fleming was killed.”
READ MORE: Graveyard sees flowers donated after headstones stripped
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here