Alderney remembers fallen British soldier
PRAYERS were said over the grave of a soldier 71 years after he died on Alderney.
Sapper George Onions was the only British soldier to have been killed on the island during the Second World War.
He died aged 22 on 21 June 1945 while clearing German mines and was buried in the graveyard of St Anne's Church.
From Stoke-on-Trent, he served with 2 Platoon, 259 Field Company, Royal Engineers.
The Rev. Stephen Masters led the short ceremony, which was attended by around 15 residents.
Mr Masters said that thanks to diligent research by his clerical colleague, the Rev. Arthur Mignot, Sapper Onions was a real 'flesh and blood' person.
Mr Masters read out an account of Sapper Onions' death, posted on the Royal Engineers Association Bomb Disposal website.
'Sapper G. E. Onions was clearing out an anti-personnel minefield with two German POWs, when one triggered. These mines were spring-loaded, jumped into the air then exploded, killing Sapper Onions. The two POWs flattened themselves to the ground and were unscathed.'
Last year Eric Walker, one of Sapper Onions' comrades, attended the service having flown over from Jersey in a helicopter belonging to Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay. The 93-year-old said that it would be the last time he would be able to attend.
The WRVS tends to Sapper Onions' grave. Flowers and wreaths are laid there every year.
