The search is on for relatives of a fallen soldier whose possessions were discovered in northern France.

Corporal Douglas Edward Grady, a 24-year-old soldier from Morden, was killed in action during the Battle of Normandy in 1944. His unit, the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment, was taking part in the heavy fighting that followed the D-Day Landings.

Now items belonging to the man have been discovered by a military enthusiast - who is desperate to trace surviving members of Cpl Grady’s family.

Stephen Lee, who runs a bed and breakfast hotel in the area, discovered a spoon, fork and brass oil bottle in a field a few miles inland from Gold Beach - where the soldier’s regiment came ashore as part of the effort to retake Europe from Nazi Germany.

Mr Lee used an identification number stamped on the items to trace their owner, and discovered his name and details using the database of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Mr Lee said that Cpl Grady was probably killed in fighting near the town of Tilly Sur Seulles.

He died on June 19, 1944 and is buried at the Commonwealth War Cemetery in Hottot les Bagues, Normandy.

During his investigation, Mr Lee discovered that the soldier’s parents also lived in Morden and were called John Thomas Grady and Winifred Elsie Grady - but has no other information with which to trace the family.

He said: “If any of your readers know of Douglas Grady, his parents or any family that are still alive now I would love to hear from them.”

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