Private Henry Moon, a North Yorkshire soldier who died during World War Two, has been given a full military funeral 80 years after his death, together with Lieutenant Dermod Anderson of South Africa. The burial took place at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery in the Netherlands and included military rifle salutes and wreath-layings, part of an event marking 80 years since the Battle of Arnhem. The Green Howards regiment, to which Private Moon belonged, has been merged with the rest of the Yorkshire Regiment.
Private Moon’s great-nephew, David Snowdon, spoke at his funeral service, describing the event as “very humbling”. A large number of people attended the service. Snowdon commented: “My grandfather and my other great uncle never talked about him very much… so in this process, we have found out about how he died and also about how he got to this point and it has been very educational and quite an emotive experience.” He added: “I am very proud of his bravery as it must have been terrifying, especially as he died during a battle where the Germans fought back”.
The Battle of Arnhem occurred during a plan by the Allies to liberate the Netherlands and try to gain a route into Germany during the Second World War. The battle raged between 17 and 25 September 1944, leaving almost 2,000 soldiers from Commonwealth and Allied forces dead and the town still occupied by Nazi forces. Private Moon and Lieutenant Anderson also fought during Operation Market Garden, another airborne offensive aimed at ensuring crossings over the Rhine.
The burial of Private Moon and Lieutenant Anderson in Arnhem “reminds us of the price paid to restore peace to Western Europe”, said Al Carns, the Minister for Veterans and Personnel. Minister of Defence war detective Tracey Bowers expressed her appreciation to the Dutch Recovery and Identification Unit, which identified the fallen soldiers, adding: “It is lovely having so many family members present today to make these services truly personal”
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