A prayer book lost by an American soldier during a beach landing in World War II has been returned to his family after almost seventy years by an old age pensioner from Bourne.

The book was picked up by Vic Bates, then serving with the Grenadier Guards who were taking part in Operation Avalanche, a joint mission between American and British troops to push the Germans back during the Allied invasion of Italy.

It had been dropped by serviceman Roland Wakeman who was among the American soldiers who landed on the beach in the Gulf of Salerno in September 1943 where they experienced tremendous German resistance. "After being landed, we ran for our lives to find cover", recalled Vic, then a 21-year-old guardsman. "As we went up the beach, I spotted the prayer book lying on the ground. I quickly picked it up and stuffed it in my pocket and did not give it a second thought for days, even weeks."

After the invasion of Salerno, Vic returned to England on leave which he spent with his family at the village of Aslackby, near Bourne. Then after a spell as a guard at a German prisoner of war camp, he completed his five years' service and returned to civilian life and although he attempted to trace Roland Wakeman, he was unable to find his address.

The prayer book remained in his possession until the summer of 2011 by which time he was 88 years old and a resident of the Digby Court residential care home in Christopher's Lane, Bourne. "I always thought there was something personal about prayer books and bibles", he said, "and all I ever wanted to do was to put it back in the hands of the family."

Vic related his story to the staff at Digby Court and showed them the prayer book and soon Maria Fryer, the activities co-ordinator, was on the Internet searching for Ronald Wakeman. She discovered that although he had survived the war, he had died in 1966 but members of his family were living in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and an exchange of transatlantic emails soon established contact.

The family were overjoyed and a visit to England was arranged when Roland's nephew Brad Wakeman, his wife Wendy and daughter Millicent, made the journey to Bourne on Saturday 2nd July to meet Vic and collect the prayer book which was returned after 68 years.

"I thought it was rather a nice end to the story", said Vic. "It was great to have some of the family here and I have achieved what I wanted to do at last. Maria has been marvellous. This would not have been possible without her."

WRITTEN AUGUST 2011