A HALLIWELL man has shed new light on the death of a soldier during the last war.

As reported in the BEN last week, Ex-Navy man Fred Morgan has spent years searching for the grave of Stanley Sedgwick, who he had worked with in Farnworth.

Stanley served in the Army and Fred learned about his death shortly before being called up himself.

Now, years of searching could be coming to an end, after Edward McGreavy of Rushey Fold Lane, read the BEN story.

Edward, aged 58, endured the same search for the grave of his uncle John Neary, who served with the 18th Recce Manchester Regiment. He said: "My uncle was caught in Singapore at the same time as Stanley Sedgwick.

"We all thought John had been buried in Thailand but it turned out he was taken to Taiwan to work in mines.

"I found his grave at the Sai Wan Cemetery in Hong Kong after contacting the War Graves Commission.

"There are about 50 graves belonging to soldiers some of whom were recruited at Fletcher Street in Bolton. I have seen Stanley Sedgwick's name there along with soldiers who must have gone to Singapore on the same ship.

"The soldiers were buried in Hong Kong and for years nobody knew where they were.

"By chance a friend of mine, Marcia Chadwick, of Arnold Street, was in Hong Kong when I got the information about where my uncle was.

"She took photographs of about 20 graves at Sai Wan and I have been able to tell 11 families where their loved ones are buried." Edward served in Malaya and Borneo with the Army. His father David served in the The Loyal Regiment in Burma.

Edward is now trying to contact the families of the following soldiers who are buried at the Sai Wan Cemetery: W Thornley, H Grundy, B Beardsworth, A Wallwork, W J Slater, D Lee, F E P Rigby, B Harris, M Barry.

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