Distant family reunited at grave site of WW1 soldier

A forgotten World War One soldier has reunited relatives across continents more than a century after his death, following years of research into an unmarked grave.

Decedents of Driver Harry Dunn have visited his resting place at Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol for the first time, travelling more than 4,000 miles (6,437 km) from Canada.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission launched the successful appeal to track down his living relatives in 2023 after stumbling across his grave site.

Beth Vanderhelm, Dunn's great niece, said visiting his headstone in person "made the connection stronger", as they continue to piece together the family's history.

Dunn enlisted in the South Midland Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery in 1915 and went on to serve in France and Belgium on the Western Front until 1917, when he was transferred to Italy.

He returned home to the Brislington area of Bristol at the start of 1919, but died from pneumonia only a month later.

His death, aged 23, came a few days before he was due to be discharged and meant he was eligible for a Commonwealth War Graves headstone as a war casualty.

Historians first discovered the neglected grave in 2004. Although narrowed down to a couple of metres, the exact location of his remains has never been confirmed.

Dunn's uncle, and Vanderhelm's grandfather, had emigrated to Canada aged 12 to work on a farm near Kingston, Ontario.

Beth Vanderhelm, Harry's great niece, said it was great to finally meet Andrew Keepin - Harry's cousin twice removed.

"We've learned a lot [about the family].

"We learned he died three days before he would have been discharged from the Army, we think of the Spanish flu, and he was very young.

"Our grandfather, William, was sent over to Canada when he was 12 years old, and he worked on a farm near Kingston, Ontario," she said.

Speaking about the reunion, she said it made family connect feel stronger.

"I felt our parents were looking down on us thinking 'it's great that you did this'," she added.

George Dunn, Harry's great nephew, said they planted a Canadian flag at the grave "to represent his Canadian family".

"We've discovered his whole history, the battles he went into and his family," he added.

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