Delight as headstone for Fressingfield war hero unveiled

A Fressinglfield woman, whose war hero grandfather has laid in an unmarked grave since his death in 1957, had special reason to commemorate Armistice Day last weekend.

Muriel Bond, 66, was in tears as she stood during a two-minute silence alongside the grave of Sgt Oscar Reeve, her grandfather, who is buried with her grandmother, Lilly.

Three days before Armistice Day, a new headstone for Sgt Reeve, who fought in the Great War with The Suffolk Regiment, was unveiled at The Baptist Chapel Cemetery in Fressingfield.

Sgt Reeve was a farm worker in the village who, because of financial circumstances at that time, was buried alongside his wife in an unmarked grave.

It was only recently that members of his family contacted the Fressingfield and District branch of the Royal British Legion to see if they could help.

The branch contacted retired Lt Col Mark Wenham, a trustee of the Suffolk Regimental Association, who agreed to provide financial assistance.

The overall costs were met from the family, anonymous donations and from the Suffolk Regiment Association. The new headstone was then commissioned from local stonemason Bierton and Woods.

“I was in tears as we stood by my grandfather and grandmothers’ graves with the new headstone,” said Muriel, whose brother, Tony, 72, lives in a care home.

“No words can express how grateful I am for the help received in marking his resting place.”

Mr Reeve joined the Suffolk Regiment on the outbreak of war, arriving in France in 1915. On August 21, 1918, while serving in the 2nd Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry for rescuing his wounded battalion chaplain, while under fire, near Courcelles, during the battle of Arras.