THE family of a 16-year-old Darwen soldier killed in the Second World War have finally managed to thank the man who buried him.

Jack Banks, formerly of Radford Street, was educated at Holy Trinity Primary and Spring Bank Secondary schools before joining the 8th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. He survived the D-Day landings in June 1944 but died the same month during the advance on Bayeux.

Jack's parents, Jack and Fanny, died more than two decades ago but his sister, Jean, has made contact with retired army chaplain the Rev Canon Gervase Markham, 92, who buried her older brother in the Chouain area of France. The 95th (Barnet) branch of the Normandy Veterans' Association helped to unite the two by publishing a series of articles on Jack's life for surviving war veterans.

Jean, 67, now of St Annes, said: "I was gobsmacked to speak to him because I know that my mother received two letters from him telling her of Jack's death. I'm so glad I've been able to establish contact with the man who last saw my brother." Mr Markham, from Penrith, was called to the battlefield on hearing that one of his infantry's men had been killed. He said: "Jack was taken on a stretcher to the regimental aid post and then to an air ambulance unit where he died.

"I travelled across to the unit in a jeep where I took his body to Jerusalem Cemetery and conducted his burial, saying prayers together with the three or four men who helped carry the body. I knew his name but didn't know how old he was.

"I wrote to his family, which was always very difficult because it's hard to find the right words. I've never met the family but it's good to be in touch with them if it will make them feel better."

Jack's grave was visited by representatives from the veterans' association last month.