THE nephew of a soldier killed in the Great War has visited his grave to pay tribute in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday.

John East made the journey to the village of Rusenes, in France, where his uncle William, known as Billy, is buried in the military section of the communal cemetery.

Billy was born in 1898 at 2 Douglas Villas, in Ludgershall, to James and Rosina and was one of nine siblings.

He joined the 2/4 Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s West Yorkshire Regiment and served in D Company.

After years of fighting, Billy was killed in the final stages of the First World War at the Second Battle of the Somme on November 4, 1918.

His grave lies next to 84 of his comrades many of whom were killed on the same day.

John, 69 and from Darwen, in Lancashire, decided to make the trip on October 16 to mark 100 years since his uncle’s death.

He said: “I decided that on the anniversary of his death and as tribute to the thousands of young men and woman who died in the First World War to visit my uncle’s grave.

“He lies peacefully with his comrades and we as family will not forget Billy. How young he was. Our family are just one of thousands of families who lost a loved one.

“It’s sad that so many young men and women died but we are proud that Billy served and we as a family will never forget the sacrifice he and many thousands of others made.”

During the visit, John laid a tribute to Billy from the family.

But the family’s contribution to the First World War was not limited to the front as the East family were prominent business people in Ludgershall and helped fund the war memorial in the town - which still stands today.